Live GR: Identity and Self-Acceptance, 9th of September, 7:30 pm AEST
Hey everyone, I hope you're all going okay 🙂
Get excited because we'll be having a live Getting Real chat on 'Identity and Self-Acceptance' this Wednesday at 7:30pm!
We'll be exploring the meaning of identity and self-acceptance and why they can be so important to us. Where does our sense of identity come from? Is living in line with our values important to maintaining our sense of self? (those are rhetorical questions to think on before the discussion :p)
2020 has been a strange year- but it's certainly given many of us time to reflect on how we see ourselves. This should be an interesting discussion and I hope to see you there! 🙂
Until then, take care! 😄
@Hozzles they are great tips! I hope you feel better soon!
re: feeling bad about ourselves- a lot of things can bring us down. Being excluded or treated unfairly or even badly can make us feel pretty crappy. Making a mistake can also challenge how we see ourselves, as well as failing at something that is important to us.
How can we feel better? Reminding ourselves of who we are and that what others say, failure, etc. does not define us, talking to supports, engaging in something we like, staying in the present
@Lost_Space_Explorer5 Empathy and validation can be such a powerful thing. I also think that setting and achieving goals can help with anxiety and let us feel a sense of fulfillment.
It's strange because I don't feel much fulfillment through being a carer, but I love helping others outside of my family. It brings a smile to my face when someone tells me how much I mean to them, and how I've helped them.
I also agree that staying in the present can really help! Worrying tends to be future-orientated. I also have a tendency to dwell on the past and ruminate about events and people. I know it's not really productive or helpful, but it's hard to stop doing it. I feel a lot better when I'm doing my hobbies.
To me, self-acceptance is having positive experiences when thinking about your identity, and feeling comfortable expressing yourself. Maybe one aspect of myself that I have learnt to accept and embrace is the fact that I am an extremely quiet and introverted person :') I've realised that my preference for more alone time and smaller interactions is just a part of me, and nothing to be ashamed of 
@featuringme ah that reminds me of me, too! I remember in primary school I spent a lot of energy 'proving' that I was not a quiet person, but somewhere along the lines I guess I just accepted it, and that there's nothing wrong with it. 
Yeah I agree @Lost_Space_Explorer5! I also liked what you mentioned about accepting and moving past our mistakes, an important part of self-acceptance is realising our worth despite our flaws. We're all human and nobody is perfect, however we can learn, grow and improve and I think that's so cool!
We can be lost together and not know who we are together @Lost_Space_Explorer5 ! 😂
How would you describe yourself? What elements of your identity are important to you?
Well, gender/sexuality wise: transfeminine, nonbinary, asexual, demiromantic, lesbian...those aspects are particularly important to me because they were repressed/denied to me for most of my life and the journey of transitioning and exploring those aspects of myself has led to a huge amount of personal growth.
Otherwise...I suppose I'm something of an amateur artist and writer; I have ADHD; I'm generally reasonably easygoing and chill; I've faced a lot of personal challenges and come out on top so I guess I'm strong and resilient?
@RemiI'm so glad that you're able to be who you are. I think it's amazing that you've recognised how much you've grown throughout the whole experience. You do sound like a resilient person. 
@Lost_Space_Explorer5 @MB95 I think it's perfectly okay to not know who you are yet. I'm still figuring out my own identity and place in the world. 🙂 I don't think we ever stop discovering ourselves.
It seems like the general consensus is to try new things and find your people who let you be you, as well as finding out things about yourself by asking questions, both from family and friends but also from yourself?
@WheresMySquishy wrote:I feel like identity is about trying on a lot of different masks before you find one that you're comfortable to wear.
Such a good and powerful way of putting it! I really like that analogy
@Remi yeah, that's so true! And there can even be moments where, once you realise your identity, you can look back in the past and realise your identity has been that way for a long time, and wonder how you didn't realise it sooner! 
@Hozzles oh absolutely. For most of my life, I just didn't have the words.
And that's a really messy thing to unravel; when you've never really had the words to understand a core part of your identity, it's quite a ride when you finally start being able to explore it
Great response. Totally agree. I'd also like to add an extra point:
I think identity is also shaped from your past. For instance, your identity is based on how well loved you were, how your parents treated you, what positive or negative experiences shaped your upbringing? Because i think the past forms your ideas about yourself and your outlook in life in the present 🙂
ooh this sounds exciting. I can't wait!! first live GR for me :))
Just tagging some people who might be interested- We're having a live chat tonight (at 7:30pm) anyone can join!! @Abderian @Eden1717 @Guitarman97 @Hanii @JasminH @MB95 @November13 @Saltwaterdreamtime @Wolfie_ @Anonymous @hunginc @jamijam @h0peful @sunnygirl606 @Bingo1234 @featuringme @Ladybug @Remi @Mayour @wanderingwasp
Ah goodness i was looking so forward to this but got caught up in uni work!! 😞
