Undergraduate / 'God's dream for us' - Loyola Marymount University journey to be oneself [2]

prompt: why does the "journey to be oneself" seem the riskiest of all journeys? what risks lie ahead as you embark on your college career, and the "adventure" of discovering and becoming yourself?

Everyone always says, "Be yourself." But in today's society, it is hard to ingratiate yourself. With the influence of media and societal expectations, being yourself becomes increasingly difficult because it's hard to be ourselves in a world that can be insensitive and cruel, where people continue to judge others.

Being yourself is considered risky is because it requires you to do things that may cause short-term pain or embarrassment. When you show the world all you have to offer it makes you vulnerable to others. When an individual breaks one of their rules, they are weakened and no longer in the State of Integrity. They feel less worthy, less deserving of good fortune, and less confident in even the smallest matters. It brings down their self-esteem and makes them uncomfortable with who they are. To be yourself is to be completely honest and to accept your shortcomings and failures, nd to take responsibility for your actions. It is to realize your mistakes and forgive yourself. It is to let go of the innate fear of being judged or not fitting in. However, like the bible said, we are fearfully and wonderfully made so no one should be ashamed of who they are. We all have this insecurity that we will never be good enough but what is important is what God thinks and not others. And we should live to seek for own happiness not for others.

Mr. Lawton believes that the "journey to finding oneself" can be the riskiest of all jounreys because there are so many paths to take and it is difficult to determine which will promise a lifetime of success. This is what makes me insecure; that there are so many choices and I do not know which one is the right one. However, I know that God has a path for everyone in life and has left it up to me to make the right decision. Everything you face is going to lead you to happiness and leads us into God's dream for us.

Entering college and embarking a new journey is going to be a life changing experience. However, a major risk that I would eventually encounter is finding what I enjoy. I know I will be exposed to many different kinds of pressures in college such as cheating or anything that is morally wrong,

but I know that I wise enough to make the healthiest decisions and will be able to live this

journey and face what is coming toward me. Although I am not perfect and make mistakes, I believe that making mistakes is how we learn, and learning is what makes life a journey. If we were born with all the knowledge we needed to never make mistakes and lead a perfect life, there would be no motivation, no challenges. Its what makes us strive to do better next time. At the end I am going to feel proud of who I have become and will always love myself. This new and exciting adventure will help me find who I truly am, which is one of the best journeys I am going to take.