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Activity 1: What Is Identity?
Draw a diagram (or make an illustration) showing the labels that you use to refer to or
identify yourself, and the labels that others use to identify you. Make a short explanation of your
diagram. Be guided by your reflection on the following questions:
HOW I SEE MYSELF:
Kind
Awkward
HOW OTHERS SEE ME:
Serious
Friendly
Careful
Funny
Hard-working
Approachable
Athletic
Introvert
Respectful
Shy
In control
Has attention to
Conservative
Negative thinker
detail
Behave
Impulsive
Trustworthy
Boyish
Not approachable
The labels that I used to refer to myself are based on what labels I identify myself in terms
of interacting with other people and what sides are dominant and observable when I am socializing.
Labels such as kind, awkward, hard-working, introvert, shy, careful, conservative, behave,
and athletic are among the labels that I identify myself with for the reason that I believe that I
possess those things. On the flip side, I do not agree that I am too serious, not approachable,
introvert, negative thinker, and impulsive. Maybe they just identified me as such because they do
not really know me and because I am always giving the impression of being shy and silent.
Most of the time, I become aware of how people perceive my identity by interacting with
them. At times, engaging in a conversation makes other people open up about how they feel about
you. These notions that they have created influence how I perceive myself especially if I am being
identified as such by many people. It helps me to see the bird’s eye view of what people think of
me and how they perceive me as a person. However, that does not mean that I agree with them.
How I define myself will remain my true definition of myself, other people’s definition of me are
just their opinions.