Doing good in the future, won't erase your past mistakes, but it creates an environment for future success.
🇩🇪 Are you German or Vietnamese? Who are you? - a question I heard again and again. But to be honest, I didn't give it much thought as a child.
However, the older I got, the more I felt like I had to choose a nationality.
My parents and grandparents in Vietnam were convinced that I was Vietnamese. My German friends saw me as German - after all, my name was Thomas on my ID card.
At the latest with the writing assignment in English class ("Write about your homeland."), I realized that I needed an identity. But it didn't stop there. I had more identities.
At school, I was the boy who didn't drink alcohol.
At home, I was the son who couldn't disagree.
On Sunday, I was the Buddhist who meditated with others.
So who am I? 🤔
To be honest, I have gotten into the habit of acting a certain way or assuming a certain "personality" in front of certain people.
Is that a bad thing?
I don't think there's anything wrong with taking on a certain personality in front of certain people, as long as I determine all the "personality" myself and am authentic.
However, thinking back now, I realize that most of the above personalities did not come from myself, but were determined by others. I was playing a role that others gave me. W
ithout realizing it, I sometimes acted the way others expected me to act.
Don't get me wrong. This is not the fault of others that I acted this way. Many people have expectations, but I never thought about what I actually wanted for myself. I reacted and adapted to situations rather than setting a direction for myself.
I didn't realize this until my trip to New Zealand, when no one knew me and no one had expectations of me. I could act the way I wanted as long as I took responsibility.
I met many people from different nations and was able to learn a lot from them.
The more new things I tried, the more I realized one thing! I don't have to take a rigid personality.
I am the product of all my experiences and the people I have met. I am a colorful puzzle of different pieces. Parts where I now think they match my personal values.
This realization now helps me to be open to others. I like to listen to opinions from others, but I now decide for myself whether or not to implement this opinion (or puzzle piece) into my life.
Thus, I can continue to grow, learn from others and still be myself and finally answer the question.
"Are you German or Vietnamese? Who are you?"
- I am Thomas.
“You are the storyteller of your own life, and you can create your own legend, or not.” - Isabel Allende
