I was sitting in class today, orientation for community mental health, and our professor was giving a quick overview of what we were going to learn in this class. Having already taken psych I was curious how community mental health differed in emphasis. So I was all ears and ready for her course description. One of the first things she said to us was, "In this class you are going to learn to define yourself."
Oh, this class is going to be great. I've been wondering how to do that for quite some time now. And apparently my professor has the answer. I'll share it as the quarter continues.
I once read a quote that said, "Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth" (credit due). That stuck with me because biting my own teeth is impossible, much like trying to define myself, or yourself or anyone's self for that matter. It can be simple to make subjective and objective observations of different selves. Such as, she's a doctor and she has ten toes. Or that person is really nice and makes a great special K loaf. But what makes those people tick? Are we defined by our career or the number of toes on our feet? Is it our personality that makes us who we are? Or does it go beyond all earthly observation and success, implying that each self is beyond human understanding and only defined within the omnipotence of the Heavenly Father? With that said, I still have to wonder, if I could define myself, how would I do it?
My answer? I wouldn't. I think that there is no definition of self, other than Webster's "persona, identity, soul, character" or "a person's essential being that distinguishes them from others". But in all honesty, everyone's persona, identity and being is different. So what is mine and how does it differ from everyone else's?
I guess I'm going to learn that in Community mental health this quarter. So I'll be sure to pass it on when I get the answer. In the meantime though, I'll say this: no group of words, no adjective, noun or verb, no experience, reference or picture can completely define YOU. You are beyond a definition of self, whatever that means. Don't get lost in trying to write that definition down; you might get frustrated.
Oh, this class is going to be great. I've been wondering how to do that for quite some time now. And apparently my professor has the answer. I'll share it as the quarter continues.
I once read a quote that said, "Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth" (credit due). That stuck with me because biting my own teeth is impossible, much like trying to define myself, or yourself or anyone's self for that matter. It can be simple to make subjective and objective observations of different selves. Such as, she's a doctor and she has ten toes. Or that person is really nice and makes a great special K loaf. But what makes those people tick? Are we defined by our career or the number of toes on our feet? Is it our personality that makes us who we are? Or does it go beyond all earthly observation and success, implying that each self is beyond human understanding and only defined within the omnipotence of the Heavenly Father? With that said, I still have to wonder, if I could define myself, how would I do it?
My answer? I wouldn't. I think that there is no definition of self, other than Webster's "persona, identity, soul, character" or "a person's essential being that distinguishes them from others". But in all honesty, everyone's persona, identity and being is different. So what is mine and how does it differ from everyone else's?
I guess I'm going to learn that in Community mental health this quarter. So I'll be sure to pass it on when I get the answer. In the meantime though, I'll say this: no group of words, no adjective, noun or verb, no experience, reference or picture can completely define YOU. You are beyond a definition of self, whatever that means. Don't get lost in trying to write that definition down; you might get frustrated.
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