Self-Reflection on the Self the Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Self-Reflection on the Self

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the self as "the evaluation by oneself of one's worth as an individual in distinction from one's interpersonal or social roles." If find this definition to be lacking of any real substance, especially when contemplating the role of the self in the social world. The word social is also important and is defined as "relating to or involving activities in which people spend time talking to each other or doing enjoyable things with each other." The self in the social world therefore represents my own view of the self in relation to my own views of others 'activities.

To me, the self is a divine source of energy that radiates and pulsates throughout everything in nature. There are compelling scientific models that suggest that this mysterious energy is in fact ever present and all powerful. This power radiates within my own incarnation as a human being and supplies me with my conscious and unconsciousness awareness in a unique duality that resonates in paradoxical, yet natural way. The self powers my internal biological operations in ways that cannot be described.

The self is all there really is for me. The self is my guiding light and source of power that drives my desires and my tastes. My self-concept is an idea that reflects how this mysterious power of life reflects in a subjective manner. For me, the self is an internal process that evolves, grows and transcends the outer environment. The outer environment is very necessary however for the development and growth of the self as it provides a reflection of the mental processes and imaginations of the self viewed through the subjective lens of the human being that it has possessed in this body I call myself.

Self-esteem is the power one may give to the self. This power may be used for whatever purposes the mind chooses to use it for. Bad self-esteem and good self-esteem are subjective ideas that relate to the specific circumstances of the observation. My own self-esteem rises and falls like the temperature throughout the changing of the seasons. Maintaining high self-esteem is recommended when possible as if the self is truly as remarkable as I have described it, more faith should be applied to its mysterious inner workings.

Self-efficacy is another interesting concept that is best understood in the concept of the self being of a divine and mystical power. Efficacy suggests material success through application of mental powers. The self, being omniscient, requires that failure be experienced in order to enjoy and benefit from the rewards of success. Self-sabotage can therefore be a subtle intentioned expression of the self for growth purposes. This can be naturally and empirically proven as our bodies continually replicate the cells that compose the very body and container of the self.

These ideas about the self are predominately based on two social experiences that eventually led to their formation. The first being a near death experience where my life was threatened at gun point at my home. The trauma induced from this experience gave me new purpose to understand how such pain and violence may be conducted on another person. This line of questioning eventually led me inward to the core of my existence. At that core I discovered that I am powered by a force that is both within me and without me but can only be recognized through a subjective interpretation. I classify this power as divine due to the fact that I can find no explanation behind it that is rational nor reasonable.

A continual exposure to cultural practices have also led to my ideas regarding my own self development. Much of the things presented as social and cultural norms tend to drift away from the inward development of the self. Religious institutions are typically designed for this type of outlet, but in today's world of organized religion the very opposite is true. Happiness and glory are described as being somewhere out there and not within your own power to create happiness and joy. The false dependency that is created by social norms creates other more harmful dependencies that may promise a religious experience and help those reconnect with the source of their power.

The continual disappointment created by the failings of the cultural institutions of our day and age also suggest that the answer to personal development and empowering behavior relies on the mental and emotional processes that lie out of sight of the material world and are imagined in our minds only. Disillusionment with these institutions has led to finding my own savior in my own being. Becoming my own hero has led to the greatest personal development I have experience so far. Using help from others and the environment is also necessary, but these are merely results of prior mental process. The cause and effect lie both in the mind. The material world is a mirror of illusion and should not be trusted to guarantee the type of desired development I am seeking.