Who are you?

Most difficult question one could possibly ask.

Who are you?

Where do you even begin to answer such a question? What defines you as a person? The things you own? Or the things you do? What about the people you love? Or the ones you hate?

The thing is that we are not easily defined, we are not finished products, but works in progress.

We’re not something. We’re becoming, always and forever. Day after day after day.

We are not nouns, but verbs.

Thus, we are what we think, what we act, what we say, what we do, and what we pretend to be.

Most think that it’s all about finding yourself. About figuring out who you are.

It’s not.

You create yourself. You define yourself.

You choose.

And that is your power, your only power.

But before you can do that, you’ve got to set yourself some principles. Some priorities.

Figure out what’s important and what’s not. Think for yourself, as often as you can.

Slowly, you’ll start defining yourself.

Of course, people will want you to be who they need you to be. They’ll tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. They’ll tell you what you can or can’t do.

If you don’t define yourself, they’ll be more than glad to do it for you.

But they’ll do so in accordance to their own wants and needs.

That’s why it’s important to choose.

Choose what you believe in, what it is you’d die for, what it is you want more than anything.

The more you realize this, the more freedom you’ll have.

Also, realize deeply that you are alone. But don’t let this thought make you sad. Alone is not the same as lonely.

Alone means that you are the only one responsible for your life. For your time on this world. For your impact. For the way others will remember you.

Because there’s also one thing you should understand. You are going to die.  This realization shouldn’t make you sad or bitter or afraid to do what you want.

Carpe diem.

Seize the day.

Life is too short to be anything other than who you want to be.