“The privilege of a lifetime is getting to be who you are.” – Joseph Campbell

I’ll never forget the moment I first held my son. He had done nothing. Said nothing. Proved nothing. But the moment he reached my arms, I knew: I would lay down my life for him.

He was worthy of love—simply because he was mine. That moment reframed everything I thought I understood about identity. If I, as a human mother, could love so instinctively and completely, what might that say about our own deeper worth?

What if identity is not something we build—but something we remember?

Big Idea: You are inherently worthy.

But in a world that rewards productivity, perfection, and performance, it’s easy to forget.

Many of us are taught to build our identity on what we do or how others see us. When those things shift—and they always do—we’re left untethered.

That’s why spiritual traditions across the world return to four essential questions—questions that help us remember who we are beneath the noise.

1. How Did We Get Here?

You were born into a story already in motion. Your lineage, culture, and inherited beliefs have shaped the waters you swim in. Some of these currents serve you; others pull you under. But you can choose what to carry forward.

Reflection: What narratives, experiences or traditions of the past have shaped your sense of self? Which ones do you want to keep? What might a loving God want you to lay down?

2. What Are We Made Of?

You are not just a personality or a productivity machine. You are both spirit and structure. Ego and essence. Dust and breath.

There is something within you that cannot be taken—because it wasn’t earned. It was given. We forget that sometimes. But we can remember.

Practical Activity: Ask people who know you well to share three words that describe how you show up in the world. Pay attention to patterns. If something stirs emotion—whether butterflies or discomfort—you’re likely circling a deeper truth about yourself. Name it. Let it evolve. If you want support, get in touch.

3. What Makes Us Human?

To be human is to create, to love, to feel, and to transform. Yet the very traits that connect us—our emotions, our longing for belonging—can also lead to struggle.

But you are not in the struggle alone. Doubt, fear, and uncertainty are not personal failings; they are part of the shared human experience. We are not meant to do life alone. People thrive in connection—with themselves, with others, and with the world around them.

Invitation: Offer grace. To yourself. To others. Recognize that everyone you meet is navigating their own inner river. The more compassion we extend, the more we find our own stride.

4. What Happens When We Leave?

This question isn’t just about death, it’s about how we choose to live. Our beliefs about what comes next shape what we prioritize now. They ground us, give our lives meaning, and remind us we’re part of something bigger.

Reflection: What beliefs do you hold about death and how does that impact how you show up today?

Closing Thoughts

You don’t have to build or earn your answer to ‘who am I?’. You just have to come home to it. Identity work is about walking with more awareness, more grace, and more connection to what’s always been true.

You are already loved. Already seen. Already worthy.

Coming next: We'll dive into the first of the four universal questions to explore your roots and learn what we need from it to find your stride. 

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