Failing to Explore

Exploring an identity is a complex challenge and it requires the courage to look at yourself and to frequently step out of your comfort zone.  It also requires dealing with the “inbetweenity” of no longer being a child, but not yet having a fully developed identity as a young woman or young man.

If you truly explore, you will commit, so the exploration is the key.  You have an identity and your identity will evolve, so it’s not like you have a choice about identity development.  However, you can choose to not explore the possibilities and end up with the identity others want for you or a really fuzzy identity.

With such a fuzzy identity, it’s not only hard for you to know who you are – it’s hard for others to relate to you because they don’t know who you are.

In the heroic journey myths, not exploring identity is a “call to go forth” that the potential hero refuses – and she or he does not go forth on the journey.  Refusing the journey means bad things will happen because the journey is required to stay healthy and grow and develop.