Self definition

This just occurred to me..

Can you imagine some key or significant situation in your life, where, if you had behaved differently, or reacted differently, you would have had an entirely different outcome?

Suppose you imagine someone else (whom you know) in that situation - what would that person have done?

No one is perfect. Most of us would be happy to change ourselves in some albeit small way or the other. Yet the change we seek, however simple, just eludes us. We are unable to. Of course, if you are an exception case, congratulations to you.. but please read on...

Some of the reasons we are unable to change, according to me (and my readings), are:
- We don't know any other way of being
- As we grow older we lack the imagination, daring (or sheer innocence) to experiment with a different way to be
- We are locked in by a reputation imposed by the world surrounding us. Imagine a convict, even though he may have been not guilty. When he comes out of jail, is it easy for him to get a job? His jail term has set the course of the rest of his life - and suspicions and accusations will always haunt him. Others' fears may well act as a self-fulfilling prophecy

However, let me come back to the point I was trying to make here.

It is, that, to change, we
- need a role model
- really understand in our gut, what makes him/her tick. Why his behavior works. And how we can make it work for us
- make our minds flexible and innocent to take on and play a different role
- get away from old acquaintances and escape getting locked in
- avoid getting internally locked in by our own mind. Overcome negative thoughts or lack of conviction by gentle persuasion and inner diplomacy
- perhaps a supportive partner would help - but don't count on it

Well.. it so happens that I am coming to the REAL point only now, after saying all the above words..

How to answer the question "Who am I"?
You are whom you are locked in as. The younger you are, the more difficult it is to answer, because you can change. You become someone by continually practicing being in that role. As the great Shakespeare said .. The whole world is a stage, and we are all but actors

So, in my opinion, it is best to be what you want to define yourself as. Now, that reminds me of the curious psychiatric case of a lady having 18 different personalities, each of them oblivious of others

In that light, let me re-word my opinion.. no .. let me allow it to remain dormant. I am going to write another entry "Relationship with truth". And let's see if we can make a connection between the two entries