May 21, 2007

Who are you?

Question on mind this afternoon: Who are you? When you're introducing yourself to someone new, how do you sum yourself up?

I just hung up with the most delightful woman in Georgia who inspired me to question how I talk and think about myself. In her intro she said, "I'm a 62 year old teacher who's had two strokes." Turns out she's an enthusiastic and passionate business woman with a strong love of God. There was nothing 62 about her, or teacher, or strokes. That's not who she is. That might be what she's doing (or did), but not remotely who she is.

So that struck me as an interesting way to identify yourself. Age, occupation, medical status.

Yes, I know it makes a difference in who we're talking to, what the context is, etc.

(Or does it?)

Over the weekend I met a great guy who introduced himself as a former stockbroker who got tired of making money off people. And another guy who introduced himself as a caretaker of two Brittany Spaniels whose obsession with paragliding made for enormous relationship challenges. And a woman who introduced herself by stating the neighborhood she lived in.

How do you think about yourself? What do you tell other people when you want to give them an idea of who you are? And how careful are you in manipulating their assessment of you?

I realized my intro varies greatly depending on who I'm talking to. What does THAT say? That I'm making judgments or assumptions about you, what your interest level is, how much I care to reveal, etc. And that's perfectly fine, I guess. But am I shortchanging you? Or more importantly, myself? Perhaps creating myself to be who I'm introducing myself as?

How can that NOT be the case, when my word creates my world?

I mean, who I REALLY think I am isn't something I've ever said to anyone, let alone in an intro upon first meeting. (Lover of Life. I can't imagine a better way to sum it up.) But others hear "I'm an Attraction Coach," "a dog lover," "a refugee from the corporate world," "happily divorced," "a foster mom," "writer," etc.

How limiting is it to respond out of social conventions?

What if instead I said, "I'm an explorer of the joys of planet earth," or "an adventurer in our time/space illusion," or ... oh, I've got it: "I'm here for a good time." I think that's it! I'm going with it. I'll report back my experience with it. lol (Could be the last time my boyfriend introduces me to anyone!)

I expect how I talk about myself, especially when it's out of alignment with how I think about myself, will change something. Would love to hear your thoughts on this topic!

6 comments:

  1. Okay that's it Jeannette,
    Expect some chocolate in the mail!.
    Thank you so much for all your love, support and wisdom. I love where you are going with this as well.
    I can tell when a person likes me by the way they say my name. I hear it in a person's voice, can you imagine what we hear for ourselves when we say our name and say who we are?
    Can we say it as loving as those who love us say our name? I wonder if it doesn't really matter what we say as long as we say it with love and clarity.
    Why in the world would we want to limit ourselves with the identity of two heart attacks.
    Yikes! I know from the ten years that I did healing work on people some people were really attached to their poor health as their identity. It was a shield that they could hide behind.
    Truly could we not be more like the first nations people who wore a shield that identified themselves as "Jeannette, lover of life and dogs and for a good time..."( ha ha just kidding). You get my point though. the first nations people would have names that celebrated the gifts that others could see, my name for you would be Bright Light Dancer, because you are like the Pied Piper, we see your bright light and hear your beautiful song and we are drawn to you, and we just can't help skipping.
    I think you are bang on...You are A GOOD TIME!
    I love you lots!!
    Leslie

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  2. My name is Jeff Atherton.
    I give value first.
    I help other people.
    I strive to be my best at what I love to do.
    And I have fun!
    And I do that everyday.
    And I've discover a secret...
    Work is only work if you wish you
    were somewhere else.
    I am happy to be here, I hope you
    are too.
    Blue Skies!

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  3. What a cool thing to show us Jeff.
    There is music when we talk in alignment.
    I love that!

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  4. Hi!

    My name is Jeffri.

    Wanna Play?

    I am a child of the Universe. You are too.

    I am a deliberate Creator. We are all Creators.

    I am an Uplifter. I smile alot (so I'm told).

    I see how Beautiful and Perfect you are.

    I like to get my hands dirty and make things.

    I'm super smart and I can tell you are too!

    I have a great big Imagination and I imagine you do too.

    I'm so happy we get to share this wonderful Playground. There is so much fun to be had.

    Wanna Play?

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  5. So happy to meet you.

    My name is Leslie Richter.

    I have a talent for seeing the vulnerable side to people.

    It gives me compassion and joy.

    I read energy.

    I am creative, rarely follow a recipe or instructions.

    I make people laugh because I think life is amusing.

    I smile a lot and make people feel comfortable.

    I love to hear what is important for others, give them that space to share it and watch them sparkle.

    Nature and animals delight and rejuvenate me.

    I will meet you in the sandbox I love creating dreams and rooms.

    Leslie

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  6. I was thinking about names today and the nicknames people come up with. I had a visit with Maha yesterday and she is the most outrageous person I know. Seriously, I could write a book, she used to call me LesliePie - told you! But she can call me anything as long as she says it with love.
    She has had this black cat for years and he started out with the name of Tibet, then it became Tibs and over the years other names were given. But she now calls him Boodles.
    He doesn't really care as long as he continues to get spoiled rotten, she can call him anything.
    But imagine being at a party and having to come up with Hi I am Boodles. How do you like me so far?

    XXOO
    Love Leslie

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