How Are We Defined?
Hi fellow Hiveians,
Today I wanted to have a little thought about how we define ourselves when we are not working.
How Are We Defined?
How do we identify ourselves when it's not anything related to work?
I have heard a few really powerful ideas when listening to some podcasts recently, one of them to identify ourselves but not associated with our working jobs. How do we do it?
I was reflecting back on what makes me, me, after hearing this on a podcast. The podcast was Dr. Jordan Peterson interviewing Dr. Phil McGraw, likely two of the most famous and popular clinical psychologists on the planet right now, with potential to be the most popular ever between the two of them.
We so often use the thing that we do for work to define us which can be a good thing, but at the same time I think it's important to look past that. If we are only an electrician, a doctor, a businessman. What other things do we do in life besides work? Are we that devoid of other emotion and importance? Some people may be, yes, but certainly not everybody!
That got me thinking - what am I besides a project manager at work? I think this is partially a difficult question because I can say a few things but I think it would also be prudent to have others weigh in on it. We may think of ourselves as one thing but it is not how others see us, which I think is also an important point.
So what am I? I had to put some thought into that and also try not to be some fucking retarded corny shit like "dreamer, lover, artist" or some horse shit. I know that first and foremost I am a father, then a husband. Those are kind of easy for those who are married and have children. Besides that though, what other layers deep can I get from the surface? That was a little tricky! I think I would like to say I am a fisherman, a rock climber (indoors at least these days), a traveler, a photography enthusiast, an amateur writer (since I do write multiple times per week.. not sure about the quality :D), a do-it-yourselfer, a car guy, an outdoorsman, a shooter, a techie, crypto enthusiast.
There may be more and others that I am forgetting but this was a pretty fun experiment because we sometimes don't think of ourselves in these other thinner layers on a daily basis. We are primarily thinking of ourselves as the thing that we do for work but that's I think a pretty sad reflection on the state of the world. Yes I am absolutely passionate about the work that I do and really do love it, however is that all I am? On very first thought, I was thinking that it may be the case but thankfully I do have a lot more to my life than initial pass may be leading on.
These are important things because the more variable things that we can have to define us and make us a well-rounded person, the better we are and the happier we are. If all that we do is work and that is what defines us, then we will be living a pretty miserable existence. When we are able to fill our lives and time with things that are not just work, we are able to live a much fuller and richer life. I feel for the people that are struggling to define themselves and find these other passions in life for one reason or another. It may be something as simple as they are too young or they don't have the time. We should however always try to make time for these things, it adds color and importance to how we get up on a daily basis.
What about you, have you thought about this before? How would you define yourself besides your professional life? I would enjoy finding out in the comments, and see if I could have guessed them!
-CmplXty. Real human written content, never AI.
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I personally haven't pondered much about this aspect of life yet but I think defining ourselves primarily on the service we provide can be a shallow way of knowing who we are. Our interests and passions are also part of who we are and sometimes, we're more of us when we do those things than when we work.
Yeah they are a better way to define us! What would you say defines you? It took me a bit to think about it but then I got some good ones I think!
I feel like after a long while of changing fields and professions. defining yourself by your profession begins to get a little daunting. I've been a professional writer, product designer, customer service agent, marketer, etc. While I'm actively only one of these things at the moment, given the right circumstances I could revert to being something else.
Aside from my profession, I would describe myself as a dreamer because I spend many of my waking hours imagining and living in a different world that I've either created or adapted from a good book.
That's good that you've got something else that you would say defines you because sadly many people do not. I think it's one of the reasons things are challenging - people have no definition in life and we need that!
Hmm
Truly, so many of us can’t tell exactly who we are outside work. This is even trying to make me chop in the life of an adult. We mostly focus on work and that’s why so many of us don’t do anything aside work and don’t go for vacations also
I’d take time to reflect on my real self
Thanks for the observation
Love this post, and love that you referenced a Jordan Peterson podcast. Because speaking of identifying, I heavily identify with that man 🥺 I cannot imagine the horrors he's heard and witnessed, yet he's still humbled by his own emotions. It's very refreshing to see.
After becoming a mother, I became so wrapped up in that role that I forgot a lot of who I am as an individual person. I love being a mother; I'm also a phenomenal daughter and granddaughter, a singer, a gamer, a traveler, a swimmer, a writer...
Thank you for sharing! 🙏 Enjoy your week
When a person is older, the experience of life is also more and then we get to learn a lot from life and then in the future we see all the same things happening in our life.
Many people has forgotten who they are to what they are but thank so much, for this content, it is so refreshing to my mind and reflection of thoughts.