IdentityIdentity

A Sense of Who You AreA Sense of Who You Are

What makes up your What makes up your identity?identity?

Combination of personality, abilities, Combination of personality, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, interests, strengths, weaknesses, interests, and valuesand values

Continually shaped by every Continually shaped by every experienceexperience

Never finalNever final Ultimately a mysteryUltimately a mystery Composed of millions of bits of Composed of millions of bits of

informationinformation

Why is it important to Why is it important to develop a sense of who you develop a sense of who you

are?are? Helps us make better choicesHelps us make better choices

– CollegeCollege– CareerCareer– FamilyFamily

Helps us deepen and develop our Helps us deepen and develop our relationshipsrelationships

Gives us a greater appreciation for Gives us a greater appreciation for ourselves and othersourselves and others

Self-esteem: an understanding of our Self-esteem: an understanding of our own worth and an attitude of cherishing own worth and an attitude of cherishing ourselvesourselves

Story of ZachStory of Zach

What are some of Zach’s What are some of Zach’s personality traits?personality traits?

Which ones does Zach Which ones does Zach recognize?recognize?

Which ones does Lisa Which ones does Lisa draw out?draw out?

Knowing YourselfKnowing Yourself

What am I feeling?What am I feeling? What do I want?What do I want? What are people telling me?What are people telling me? What are my talents?What are my talents? What is out of my control? What is What is out of my control? What is

within my limited control?within my limited control?

What am I feeling?What am I feeling?

What do you remember about What do you remember about feelings?feelings?

FeelingsFeelings

Can be friends or dictatorsCan be friends or dictators Do not let them take overDo not let them take over

Make a list of 5 things that Make a list of 5 things that you really want either you really want either

today or in the near future.today or in the near future.

What do you want?What do you want?

Know wants and desiresKnow wants and desires Need to know what we Need to know what we truly truly wantwant Society constantly tells us what we Society constantly tells us what we

wantwant Forms our identity and shapes our Forms our identity and shapes our

lifelife

Make a list of Make a list of characteristics that you characteristics that you

think teachers would use think teachers would use to describe you.to describe you.

How does this make you feel?How does this make you feel?What do we need to do to What do we need to do to

change that?change that?

What are people telling What are people telling you?you?

Relationships provide millions of Relationships provide millions of pieces of data about youpieces of data about you

All of these pieces contribute to a All of these pieces contribute to a sense of who you aresense of who you are

Must examine what we learn about Must examine what we learn about ourselves from othersourselves from others– Ex: wild trouble makerEx: wild trouble maker– Ex: Blue eyed/Brown eyed experimentEx: Blue eyed/Brown eyed experiment

What are your talents?What are your talents?

Talent: ability or aptitude that has Talent: ability or aptitude that has valuevalue– Gift in the sense that you are born with Gift in the sense that you are born with

itit Not always physical or intellectualNot always physical or intellectual Can be aspects of our personalityCan be aspects of our personality

– ListeningListening– CompassionateCompassionate

What is out of our control?What is out of our control?

The gifts/talents we are born withThe gifts/talents we are born with What we do with our talents is within What we do with our talents is within

our limited controlour limited control

Certain factors that are out Certain factors that are out of our controlof our control

Cosmic: born, die, natural disastersCosmic: born, die, natural disasters Genetic: genes affect our appearance, Genetic: genes affect our appearance,

health, aptitudes, talents, personality health, aptitudes, talents, personality traitstraits

Cultural: family, country, region, Cultural: family, country, region, particular, religious, ethnic, economic particular, religious, ethnic, economic settingsetting

Circumstantial: major historic events, Circumstantial: major historic events, accidents, chance meetings affect us, accidents, chance meetings affect us, shape usshape us

We have some control over We have some control over how we respond to thesehow we respond to these

Move with the grace of GodMove with the grace of God

AutonomyAutonomy

Healthy ability to shape life Healthy ability to shape life and actionsand actions

Why is it important to Why is it important to develop autonomy?develop autonomy?

Acting responsibly and shaping your Acting responsibly and shaping your own affairs brings about a more own affairs brings about a more secure sense of identitysecure sense of identity

What does autonomy What does autonomy involve?involve?

Making choices that have Making choices that have consequences-realizing that you consequences-realizing that you have to live with the consequenceshave to live with the consequences

Making choices according to our best Making choices according to our best understanding of thingsunderstanding of things

Interdependence: delicate and Interdependence: delicate and healthy blend of independence and healthy blend of independence and dependencedependence

Gaining Independence from Gaining Independence from FamilyFamily

Physically, mentally, emotionally, Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, financially spiritually, intellectually, financially independent of parentsindependent of parents

2 Kinds of False Autonomy2 Kinds of False Autonomy Groupthink: make a sharp break from Groupthink: make a sharp break from

parents andparents and– Take on a different group’s thoughts/ideasTake on a different group’s thoughts/ideas– Trading one form of dependency for Trading one form of dependency for

anotheranother

Pregnancy or MarriagePregnancy or Marriage– Similar to groupthinkSimilar to groupthink– See it as a way to escape their familySee it as a way to escape their family

Learning InterdependenceLearning Interdependence

Capable of give and takeCapable of give and take Trusting themselves and othersTrusting themselves and others

Lessons of InterdependenceLessons of Interdependence

Be sensitive to the needs of othersBe sensitive to the needs of others Consider others points of views Consider others points of views

and, when necessary, to changeand, when necessary, to change Becoming aware of own resources so Becoming aware of own resources so

you are confident, not threatened,you are confident, not threatened,

when involved in conflictwhen involved in conflict Recognizing we need helpRecognizing we need help

FreedomFreedom

““Freedom is just another word for Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.”nothing left to lose.”

Who is the person in society who has Who is the person in society who has nothing left to lose?nothing left to lose?

Christian FreedomChristian Freedom We can see the big picture beyond our own We can see the big picture beyond our own

narrow interests, and are able to respond to narrow interests, and are able to respond to the needs of real situations and real peoplethe needs of real situations and real people

Include responsibilityInclude responsibility

We grow and express ourselves within the We grow and express ourselves within the context of others needs as well as our owncontext of others needs as well as our own

Christian FreedomChristian Freedom

Acting freely means that we consider Acting freely means that we consider the entire situation and respond the entire situation and respond according to the good for allaccording to the good for all

Freedom is seen in the context of Freedom is seen in the context of freedom from sin and freedom to freedom from sin and freedom to lovelove

Personal PowerPersonal Power

The ability to influence our own life The ability to influence our own life and the people and events around usand the people and events around us

Christians are meant to be powerful Christians are meant to be powerful people who empower otherspeople who empower others

We need powerWe need power The deprivation of power, can lead to The deprivation of power, can lead to

violence and tragedyviolence and tragedy