14 Self-empowering Beliefs That Will Strengthen Your Self-identity

As children, we are each taught stories that are unique to us; we are told who we are, what we are, where we’re going, what we’re going to measure up to, who we will be. As children, we are young, malleable, thirsty sponges that soak up the things we’re told.

Many of the details that make up these stories are determined by our parents, guardians, culture, demographic, or life circumstances. Our environments and the people in our environments impress their beliefs of who and what we are upon us.

Why are children malleable?

Everyone begins life as an infant with an infant brain that develops with time and experience. We start with absolutely zero knowledge of ourselves and the world around us; we absorb the information fed to us and we trust that those older and wiser truly are wiser.

As children, we don’t know that adults may not know the whole truth. Adults may not hold the wealth of knowledge they like to think they do. They might tell you one thing but be completely wrong (or correct in their eyes, but wrong in someone else’s).

We believe what we’re told because we don’t know any better.

However, as we grow up, experience joy and heartbreak, injustice and death, racism and sexism and homophobia and transphobia, we come aware and awake. It becomes clear that we’ve been told things that simply aren’t true; we were labeled at birth with false truths.

How does one begin to form their identity?

Our identities first begin to form when ideas about who we are are fed to us from our parents and environments.

You were told that little girls love the color pink and little boys love the color blue, so as a five-year-old, you gravitated to all things pink or blue depending on your respective sex.

You were told that there are only two genders, so you believe you can only be a boy or a girl, with no spectrum in between.

You were told that without a college degree, you’d amount to nothing.

You were told that you were a “bad kid” or a “good kid” and formed your identity based around that concept, making decisions and life choices on the grounds that you were “good” or “bad.”

Can self-identity change over time?

The good news in this grim tale is that your identity is not set in stone.

While you may have been told as a child that you were one thing or another, as an adolescent or adult at any phase in your life, you have the power to change your identity and how you see yourself.

If you tell yourself something often enough, you will begin to believe it. Use this power to build on your self-identity.

Here are 14 self-empowering beliefs that will strengthen your self-identity.

1. You are unique

There is no one else on the face of this planet that is just like you. Sure, there are others out there who are similar, others who may look like you, share some of your mannerisms, or make the same choices, but there’s not a single person who has all the same puzzle pieces as you.

Your identity is a puzzle made up of millions of pieces that are uniquely shaped and formed to make you who you are. There is no one else with the same puzzle; we are all different in our own unique ways. You are unique.

2. You are strong

You’ve been through your fair share of hurdles in life, and you’ve made it over each one of them.

You’ve faced your giants and demons; you’ve been through things that are unimaginable to others. You’ve had your real-life nightmares. You’ve fallen, been hurt, given up.

But often, you’ve continued fighting. You’ve kept your head up, you’ve kept your shoulders back, and you’ve carried on. That shows strength; you are strong.

3. You are creative

You have ideas that no one else has. You have a set of skills and talents that are unique to you. You have the ability to create something unique based on your circumstances and situations.

Whether you believe it or not, you are creative. Everyone is creative in their own way because we all have unique brains that interpret information differently. We take this information and mold it into something beautiful.

You see things and you make things and you bring things into the world that didn’t exist until you had the idea. You are creative.

4. You are a good person

You care about the people in your life, and they care about you. You do things to help other people and you do your best to make others feel good.

You do the right thing, you follow your heart, you act in the best interest of yourself and others, and you have a genuine sense of caring for others.

You follow the Golden Rule and treat others the way you want to be treated. You are a good person.

5. You are beautiful

No two people look the same (except for identical twins), but everyone is beautiful in their own way. Everyone has unique features that make them identifiable, but these features do not identify you as a person.

You are beautiful not because of the color of your eyes, the shape of your cheekbones, or the arch of your eyebrows. You are beautiful because you’re you. There’s no one else like you in the world, and because of this, you are beautiful.

6. You are hard-working

Sometimes luck plays a role in life, but so often we must work for what we want. We must put the time and energy into achieving goals, we must have a vested interest in what it is we’re working for.

You’ve experienced times where you’ve had to put the work in, where the outcome wasn’t just handed to you. You’ve earned the promotion at work, you’ve completed a challenging task, you’ve earned that degree, you’ve potty trained your child.

You have your sights set on what you want, and you go after it. You are hard-working.

7. You are a good family member

Being a part of a family is not always the cakewalk movies and tv shows portray it to be. There is conflict, there is strife, there are challenges and there are obstacles. But when it comes down to it, we often set aside our differences and come together.

There are of course exceptions to this, but the term “family” doesn’t necessarily have to refer to blood relatives; it can be whoever you feel is family to you.

You care about those in your circle, and you put the necessary effort into each relationship, strengthening them in your own unique way. You are a good family member.

8. You are a good friend

Friendships take time and effort. They take planning and prioritizing, organizing and rearranging schedules to accommodate each other occasionally. Good friendships are hard to come by, but once you’ve formed one, you nourish it and feed it.

You take the time required to be a good friend. You listen when they need to vent, your shoulder is there for them to cry on, you make time to meet when they’re having a crisis. But you also expect the same in return. You don’t participate in one-sided friendships.

You are in give-and-take friendships, and your friends appreciate and value your relationship. You are a good friend.

9. You are a good parent (or pet parent) 

Whether you’re raising children or fur babies, you are a good parent. You put their needs before your own, you provide the necessities as well as some extras, and you care for them as only a parent could.

You are nurturing, loving, and compassionate. You provide tough love when needed, and you are always willing to be their friend when they’re lonely. You advocate for your children, furry or non, and you fight for them. You are a good parent.

10. You bring your own strengths to the table

Everyone has their own set of strengths. We all bring our own specific set to the table, and this is something that makes us individuals. No one can do everything that you do; only you are capable of carrying out your unique strengths.

Whatever they may be, you are equipped with the weapons required for success. You own them, you carry them, you claim them. Your strengths are your own personal strengths, and they are unique to you. You bring your own strengths to the table.

11. You care about things that are important to you

What’s important to you may not be important to someone else, but that’s the beauty of self-identity: you’re allowed to hold things close to your heart that mean something to you, regardless of whether they mean something to someone else.

You may have a love for dogs, calligraphy, the Middle East, orchids, or the less fortunate, but whatever the case you reserve a space in your heart for it and let that love flourish. You prioritize what means the most to you, and you care about things that are important to you.

12. You are intelligent in your own way

There is “book smart” and there is “people smart.” There is also a spectrum between the two, as well as a combination of the two. Intelligence looks differently for everyone, and our intelligence cannot be compared to that of another.

Whether you’ve read thousands of books or learned a trade or experienced a lot of life, you are intelligent. You have a great mental capacity that you can offer the world, and the world is fortunate to welcome and embrace your mind and self-identity.

Regardless of if you were told as a child that you were smart, average, or dumb, you have a unique intelligence that only you can offer the world. You are intelligent in your own way.

13. You spend your time where it’s needed

You make time for the things that are important to you. You are giving of your energy and resources, and you volunteer yourself when you’re able.

When someone you care about needs a hand, you’re there to lend one. When the local food pantry needs a driver, you volunteer. You see opportunities where help is needed, and you jump on them when time is at your disposal.

You are able to prioritize what is important to you, and you spend your time where it’s needed.

14. You are human 

No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. No matter what choice you make, you never know if it’s the right one or the wrong one until you make it. You take leaps without knowing whether you’ll land on solid footing. But you take the chance because you’re human.

We all learn as we go, and we all absorb knowledge as it’s afforded to us. We learn about ourselves as life progresses, and we change and develop along the way.

No one is born exactly as they end up. We all experience things and learn things and live through things that make us grow, change our minds, expand our horizons. You continue to shift and morph forever; you are ever-changing. You are human.

When you’re stuck thinking about what you were taught when you were young and bright-eyed, remember this: your self-identity is always changing, and you are not the person you were told you are. You are capable of identifying yourself as who you are.

Utilize these 14 self-empowering beliefs in strengthening your self-identity, and watch yourself thrive.