Know thyself. A common axiom, it’s a phrase that can carry many meanings, ranging from know who you are to know your place in the universe. Each and every one of us can attest to the journey of getting to know the person you are deep down inside, when no one is looking. The person who sings to the radio at the top of her lungs, to the person who travels the world to both find and forget. We’re complex creatures.
Who you are may change or take on different forms at varying times. Just like water is still water, whether it’s solid, liquid, or gaseous, you are still yourself, whether you’re in the middle of a career change or identity shift. Hey, even dying your hair pink is just a different variation of you.
Your multifaceted self
For this week’s writing challenge, take on the theme of H2O. What does it mean to be the same thing, in different forms? As a child, you may have been the class clown, but also an expert at math. As an adult, you excel at your work in the social sciences, but you’re still an artist, a sports fanatic, a film connoisseur, and so much more.
Especially as we come into the new year, examining who you’ve been over the past year, what’s worked and what hasn’t helps build the foundation for what’s to come. So in this week’s theme, let’s get started with:
- Play on the rule of threes. Are the past, present, and future versions of ourselves similar to the different forms of water? Tell us about what’s stayed the same as you’ve changed.
- Tell us about one of the forms of yourself, whether they be concurrent, a previous version of yourself, or one that is yet to be.
- If the past, present, and future are the trifecta of time, explore the possibilities. Is time linear, does it overlap, or does it repeat in an endless loop?
- The New Year is a time for self-reflection and improvement. Write about the future self you’re going to develop over the next year, or years.
