Discovering your authenticity — Beyond the shadows of your parents
Since I was a child, I always admired how my father could solve problems, always with an ironclad demeanor, as if nothing could affect him. Meanwhile, my mother shared her sensitivity and a taste for helping others. As I grew up, I noticed that my reactions and passions seemed like echoes of theirs. This led me to a crucial question we all eventually face: Am I myself or just a representation of my parents?
Throughout our lives, we adopt many of our parents’ good and bad habits and integrate their characteristics into our daily routines. I don’t want this observation to be misunderstood; we naturally acquire traits from those who raised us. However, when we stop to analyze this influence, we can discern that our parents do not define us completely.
You might have inherited how you react aggressively from your father or mother’s sensitivity. While it’s crucial to recognize and appreciate these influences, it’s also important to understand that they have lived their lives in their own way, making their own decisions and, surely, repeating some patterns of their parents with certain modifications in their lives.
However, it is essential to consider that you are not your parents. Even though you carry their name, you are not obligated to follow their ideals or dreams. Many parents, without intending to cause harm, end up projecting their unfulfilled dreams onto their children, adding a burden that, in many cases, is unconscious. Instead of facing their issues, fears, and internal demons, it’s easier to pass the responsibility onto someone else.
This is often one of the great dilemmas of our society: the lack of personal responsibility. If we were more responsible, we could avoid many problems. For example, something as simple as being late for work is easier to blame on the Uber driver or the traffic instead of accepting that getting up a little earlier could have avoided the rush.
Analyzing why we do what we do allows us to question whether our actions come from patterns inherited from our parents, friends, or society. Knowing yourself better will give you a significant advantage, help you grow as a person, and allow you to conduct a deep analysis of what you want and seek.
As David Goggins mentions in his book “Can’t Hurt Me,” facing our fears and overcoming self-imposed barriers is essential to discovering our capacity. Goggins challenges us to explore the vast untapped potential that resides within us, an invitation to break free from the limitations we have inherited or that society tries to impose on us.
I invite you to reflect on this message and consider how to apply these ideas in your quest for authenticity. The journey towards discovering who we truly are goes beyond simply identifying external influences; it is about forging our own path by freeing ourselves from the chains of the past. 🤍✨
