first myself individual labels
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

But First, I Am Myself

I will always be a sister, a cousin, a friend, a granddaughter, and daughter, but first, I am myself.

254
But First, I Am Myself
Amna Rustom

These days, I have been reflecting on what my identity means to me and how I continually choose to define myself. It was not until I intentionally sat down and became introspective about how I want to shape my own identity and how I want to portray myself to the rest of the world that I realized my thought process about this matter. I believe that oftentimes we identify ourselves by the way the rest of society views us. We may be mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers, friends, aunts, cousins, etc., but I realized something about myself in the way that might be viewed as nonconventional... I want to be defined in my own terms. I want people to recognize my strengths and characteristics outside of my social identities.

Yes, I may be someone's sister or someone's significant other, but I do not want that to be the determining adjectives that you use to describe me. I want to be identified for my passions, personality traits, and my characteristics. Yes, relationships are simultaneously powerful and beautiful, and while I thoroughly enjoy being Ali's best friend, Limo and Yusif's sister, Najat and Elfatih's daughter, I also love my identity beyond that.

I am that curly haired, brown eyed girl who gets ever so passionate when she speaks (which is a lot.) I am the world-traveler, lover of people, service-minded, compassionate individual.

Yes, before everything else, I am an individual. The fear that I have for myself is that one day I will get wrapped up in the idea that I will only be viewed as a mother or as a wife. While these titles are incredibly meaningful, humans are not one-dimensional beings, and I do not feel as though we should be identified as such.

You can be a mother, a creator, an entrepreneur, and that is all okay. As we gain more candles on our birthday cakes, our minds grow, our perspectives alter, and we evolve who we are. Our identities evolve just as much as we do, and I think that that is the beauty of it all; we never have to stay stagnant and refuse to shift our ideas of ourselves. A quote I have come to love is by Socrates, where he states that "the secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new."

This is a constant reminder that our growth and change are both essential and natural for our progression as humans. Tying this back into the idea of identity, I want to live my life in a way where I define myself and how I want others to view me. We get so caught up on labels and titles, but that is not what I want people to think of me for; I want the individual that I am to be the first thing they think of when they think of me.

I will always be a sister, a cousin, a friend, a granddaughter, and daughter, but first, I am myself.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

53378
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

34316
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

956863
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181619
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments