Who Are You?

by Marie T. Russell

We have all gone through life saying certain things about ourselves, such as — I'm a shy person, or I'm intelligent, or I'm stupid, or I'm clumsy, or I'm slow, etc. Now that we understand the power of the word and of the mind, we have come to the realization that all of these statements were simply creating self-fulfilling prophecies.

Consequently we can now remake ourselves into the image of God. Whew! I know that may seem like a tough one to some people, and even possibly blasphemous. Yet, look at that more closely. In the Bible it says we were made in the image of God... What does that mean? We are supposed to have, or come to have, the same attributes as God — loving, all knowing, able to create what we choose, eternal, forgiving, and all that good stuff.

We all have the power to be whoever we choose to be. If you've gone through your life saying I'm patient, then you have affirmed yourself into being that way. In the same way, if you've been saying for decades, I'm impatient, that's where you are now. But all that can change. Every morning when we wake up, we have a new day ahead of us in which we can be whatever we choose. We can re-create ourselves daily, especially when we consciously choose to let go of old resentments, grudges, patterns, fear, etc.

In the morning, start your day by affirming, I have the power to be whatever I want to be. I choose to be loving, peaceful, joyous, harmonious, prosperous, and patient with myself and others. Once you make your intent known to your subconscious by that affirmation, it will cooperate in helping you create that reality. If, on the other hand, you wake up saying, I'm so tired. I hate myself (cancel), I never get things right (cancel) then your subconscious will also cooperate with what you are telling it. Make sure you are affirming what you want to create — not what you don't want.

I choose to be me! And every day I am re-discovering who that is, without the conditioned set of rules, i.e.: I'm female so I must wear makeup, wear perfume, get married, have kids, cook for my husband, etc. I'm a man, so I must support a wife and children, I'm the head of the household, etc. We have moved away from a lot of the traditional expectations of who we are supposed to be, whether as males or females, but how much of our behavior is conditioned by the norm? We can step away from any preconceived ideas of who we are by starting to live in the moment, and by listening to the song of our heart.

Some people fear change... yet we are changing every single moment. You are not the same person you were yesterday... since then you have had numerous inter-reactions (aka interactions), learned things you did not know, and had experiences you had not had before. So you are a new you!

There is no set definition of who you are. You are whoever or whatever you choose to be at that moment. Let your inner child and your innermost desires lead you to who you are at this moment, and who you are to be in the next moment. Let go of any definitions of who you are... lazy, stupid, impatient, etc. Those are simply changes of clothing you put on. Just as every day you change your clothes, every day, every minute you can change your `personality- wear'. I now feel enthusiastic, and yesterday I felt otherwise... Remember that you are not any of those things. You are not anger, you are not impatience, you are not fear. You are simply choosing to experience or demonstrate those emotions.

We are all great actors. And we are free to play any role we choose. So if the role you have been playing is not bringing you joy and happiness, look inside — see what role would make your inner child happy and make your heart sing. And start acting "as if"... as if you are whatever energy you would like to embody.

You are free to be... Let your heart guide you to who you want to be at this moment, and then the next... No choice is right or wrong... they are all simply experiences. In the same way you may prefer some of your clothes to others — some may be comfortable, some feel good on your skin — so you will find that some behaviors also feel better, give you more enthusiasm and joy for life.

Take your pick... Who do you want to be today? or simply at this moment? Live in the moment and make your choices according to what will give your inner being the most joy and peace. Go for it! Be who you really want to be! .. and who you really are... You are infinite, you are all-knowing, you are omniscient, omnipotent... Yes! That's who you are. Go within and discover the truth!

About The Author

Marie T. Russell is the publisher of InnerSelf Magazine (first published in 1985 as Mighty Natural Magazine). She produced a weekly South Florida radio broadcast, Inner Power, from 1991-1995 which focused on themes such as self-esteem, personal growth, and well-being. Her articles focus on transformation and reconnecting with our inner source of joy and creativity.

Marie's favorite book on this topic: 

"The Courage To Be Yourself"
by Sue Patton Thoele.
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Complete list of  Marie T. Russell's articles.