Should we ever let others define us?

This question should obviously call for a negative answer. Yet, there’s always someone, hidden in some corner, ready to tell us and the world who we are. 

What we’ve done and who we are, no matter what third parties feel about you or me, should definitely define us! If there is someone that should know us better than our bosses, neighbors or even members of our family it’s us, unless we never were in touch with our own self or are still searching who we are. 

Our self-perception and self-worth must come from within us. While it’s undeniable that the opinions of others may, at times, influence us, it’s us and only us who ultimately have the power to determine our own identity and value. 

 Like every 8 billion people living on Planet Earth, each one of us is unique, with our own strengths, weaknesses, and experiences. Letting others define who we are will lead us to a loss of individuality. Likewise, we ought to avoid unhealthy comparisons to others. It can only lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. 

 If on the contrary we are the ones defining ourselves, we will build self-confidence and resilience. Finally, if we are true to ourselves, if we are our very own person, we’ll attract genuine and meaningful relationships. While it’s always good and important to listen to feedback and learn from others, ultimately, we must do everything in our power to be the authors of our own stories! 

Next time, we’ll discuss how bullies always try to be the ones defining us...