Developing Positive Identity
Now that you have explored some ideas about what makes you unique, how would you explain who you are as a person? You might start with your name, where you are from, and how old you are. You might talk about your relationships—who your friends are, what your family is like, if you have siblings and where you stand in the birth order. Next, you might talk about what you are good at and what you like to do—your hobbies, talents, and passions. Finally, you may talk about your goals and dreams, what you hope to accomplish in the future. All of these attributes combine to create your personal identity.
Think and Click:
Identity
What makes up your identity?
•Your relationships with family, friends, and community
•Your interests
•Your talents and abilities
•Your values and beliefs
•Your goals
•Your interests
•Your talents and abilities
•Your values and beliefs
•Your goals
What are some ways to develop a positive identity? Click below to see some strategies:
Recognize...Recognize your strengths and weaknesses.
Take pride in your strengths and accomplishments. Be realistic about your weaknesses without being self-critical, and set goals to make improvements.
Take pride in your strengths and accomplishments. Be realistic about your weaknesses without being self-critical, and set goals to make improvements.
Develop...Develop and demonstrate your positive values.
What is most important to you? Showing honesty, integrity, responsibility, understanding, and compassion in the way you treat yourself and others helps you develop positive identity and self-esteem.
What is most important to you? Showing honesty, integrity, responsibility, understanding, and compassion in the way you treat yourself and others helps you develop positive identity and self-esteem.
Create...Create a sense of life purpose.
This means making goals for what you want to accomplish and then creating steps to reach them. Instead of thinking, “What will I be when I grow up?” think, “What do I most love, and how can I create goals that grow from that love?”
This means making goals for what you want to accomplish and then creating steps to reach them. Instead of thinking, “What will I be when I grow up?” think, “What do I most love, and how can I create goals that grow from that love?”
Cultivate...Cultivate healthy relationships.
Being able to express your true self to friends and family helps you develop a sincere identity and helps you feel valued as an individual. How can you work now to develop a strong support system through expressing your true needs and ideas?
Being able to express your true self to friends and family helps you develop a sincere identity and helps you feel valued as an individual. How can you work now to develop a strong support system through expressing your true needs and ideas?
Avoid...Avoid unhealthy and risky behavior.
Healthy risk taking is an important part of growing. When you decide to run one more mile to test your long-distance running endurance, you are taking a healthy risk. Reaching out to a new friend is another example of a healthy risk. Examples of unhealthy risks include using tobacco, alcohol, or drugs, participating in violence, or driving dangerously.
Healthy risk taking is an important part of growing. When you decide to run one more mile to test your long-distance running endurance, you are taking a healthy risk. Reaching out to a new friend is another example of a healthy risk. Examples of unhealthy risks include using tobacco, alcohol, or drugs, participating in violence, or driving dangerously.
