Who am I? This question follows me like a shadow, appearing in moments of silence, in the depths of uncertainty, and in the reflection of my own decisions. It is not a simple question, nor does it have an easy answer.

There was a time when I thought identity was something fixed—something defined by where I was born, the people I surrounded myself with, the labels society placed on me. But the more I experience life, the more I realize that identity is not static. It is fluid, evolving with every experience, every choice, every failure, and every triumph.

The Struggle Between Who I Am and Who I Want to Be

I often find myself caught between two versions of me—the person I am today and the person I aspire to become. There is tension between these two selves, and that tension can be both painful and transformative. Growth is not comfortable. It requires shedding old versions of myself, stepping into the unknown, and questioning the beliefs that have shaped me until now.

The Influence of Others

It is impossible to talk about identity without acknowledging the role others play in shaping it. I have sought validation in friendships, in relationships, in external achievements—hoping that through the eyes of others, I would finally see myself clearly. But identity built on external validation is fragile. The moment that validation disappears, so does the sense of self.

True identity must come from within. It must be built on my own values, my own convictions, and my own understanding of who I am beyond what others expect of me.

Accepting Change

One of the hardest lessons I have learned is that I am not the same person I was a year ago, five years ago, ten years ago. And that is not a bad thing. Change is not a sign of inconsistency; it is a sign of growth. The more I resist change, the more I suffer. But when I embrace it, when I allow myself the freedom to evolve, I begin to feel a sense of peace within myself.

Moving Forward

I may never fully answer the question of who I am. But maybe that is not the point. Maybe the point is to keep searching, to keep evolving, to keep learning.

I am not just one thing. I am not just my past or my present. I am a work in progress, a collection of experiences, a story still being written. And that, I am beginning to realize, is more than enough.