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Discovering Inner Forces: Identity

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Having a sense of internal consistency of who I am across time and multiple social identities 

You are at a unique point in your life where you are starting to define who you are and who you want to be.

Developing a sense of identity – a sense of internal consistency of who you are across time and multiple social identities – can help you feel confident and grounded in who you are and allow you to navigate the complexities of the world around you.

One way to develop a sense of identity is by asking yourself two important questions:

Here are some steps you can take to explore these questions and develop a strong sense of identity:

Explore your interests and passions

Try new things and explore your interests and passions. This can help you discover what you are truly passionate about and help you develop a sense of purpose.

Develop values and beliefs

Think about your values and beliefs and how you want to live your life. This can help you develop a strong sense of identity and purpose.

Be independent

Make your own decisions and take on responsibilities. This can help you develop self-reliance and confidence in your own abilities.

Be open to new experiences

Step out of your comfort zone and try new things. This can help you learn about yourself and the world around you and help you develop a sense of who you are.

By exploring your interests and passions, developing good values and beliefs, being independent, and being open to new experiences, you can begin to answer the questions “Who am I?” and “Who do I want to be?”

This will allow you to develop a strong sense of identity and navigate the complexities of the world with confidence.

Remember, it’s never too late to start exploring these questions and developing a sense of who you are – the more you do now, the stronger your sense of identity will become.

Co-authored with AI
Making Waves Education Foundation generated this text in part with artificial intelligence. Content has been reviewed, edited, and revised to our organization’s liking and we take ultimate responsibility for the content of this publication.

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ABOUT MAKING WAVES EDUCATION FOUNDATION 

At Making Waves, we are committed to educational equity. Making Waves Education Foundation is a Bay Area nonprofit that supports Making Waves Academy – a public charter school with more than 1,100 5th through 12th grade students – and leads college and career programming with more than 500 college students.​
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Knowing the opportunities that come with a college degree, we partner with historically underrepresented and underserved students to help make college affordable and graduation attainable. Centering the journeys of our students, our personalized approach includes college and career coaching, scholarships, and financial planning.​
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Our alumni network includes more than 600 college graduates, who earn their degrees and land jobs at more than twice the rate of their first-generation, low-income peers, with 84% graduating debt-free.

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