What makes us who we are?

What is it that makes us who we are?
How do we define ourselves?
What are our characteristics?

To answer these questions we might begin listing characteristics: I'm tall, I have brown hair, or maybe I'm smart, I'm funny, I'm shy, or even, i like to paint, I like to solve problems.. whatever it is, we are all unique afterall.

But what makes us who we are?
What makes us unique?

We all have our life story: the people we've met, the experiences we've had, the stories we've heard, the sites we've seen, the emotions we've felt. Every single thing we've come in contact with has left it's mark, resulting in who we are. Completely individual and completely unique.

So is that what makes us who we are?
and even then, who exactly are we?
How can we define ourselves?

And then we might answer: I'm a mother, I'm a brother, I'm a sister, I'm a friend, I'm a student, I'm a teacher, I'm a butcher, I'm a baker, I'm a writer, I'm a painter, I'm a hiker, I'm a gymnas; whatever roles we take on in this life.

But let's keep digging deeper, because usually we're not just one of this elements but rather a whole accumulation. So let's take this holistic approach, and maybe you're a mother, a writer, and a yogi. Maybe you're a brother, friend, and a butcher.
Each one of these consisting of different traits; sometimes these overlap, while other times they don't.

So then how do we define ourselves if who we are is contingent with who are surrounded by?
Maybe we're fun and outgoing with our best friend, while shy and cute with new acquaintances.
Maybe we are playful and sweet with our boyfriend, but serious and organized with our work colleagues.

If we look at all the different characters we take on depending on our interactions, it might come through that in fact we don't have just one character, but rather we have many different characters, many different roles we play in the different stories of different people's lives.

So what does that mean?
Who on earth are we?!

Bringing it all together, we the have the potential to be everyone and everything, our potential is limitless, capable of experiencing any emotion, capable of taking on any trait. We could be anyone in any given moment depending on the mood, the ambience, the circumstances and surroundings.

We are a manifestation of a whole series of ideas, thoughts, and perceptions; coming together to create each moment, and each interaction.

It is completely natural not to take on the exact same character depending on we are with. We tend to reflect back to others whatever they percieve to be their version of reality. We can't change how somebody else sees the world. Yet we do have the choice of how we flow through it.

So why not do somebody else a favour, do yourself a favour; and let go of who you think you are, to give space for the ulimited potential of who you could be?

Why don't you, instead of seeing your friend who you know to be shy and queit, and just think well maybe they're not shy and quiet, they could be anyone, and give them the space to be any version of themselves they choose to be.

Let's let go of our preconceptions of how things are and how they should be, and allow that space for life to unfold into the most beautiful version of reality.