How to live your truth beyond names and roles

Life is a search for self and becoming yourself.

Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf on Unsplash

I came across an Instagram post that discussed ChatGPT’s interpretation of the most brutal truths in psychology. Coincidentally, it aligned with some of the ideas I want to explore.

One of the points reads, “You are not who you think you are — You’re who you practise being.” And the explanation ChatGPT gave is: “Identity isn’t fixed. It’s a feedback loop of habits, roles, beliefs, and repeated stories. You shape who you are by what you do over and over, not what you wish were true. If you want to change your life, start with what you repeat.”

You are who you decide to be

Last year, I pivoted my career from a writer to a content creator. As I restructured my resume and LinkedIn profile, I realised that as a freelancer/solopreneur, you can literally be who you want to be.

Call yourself a designer, and you’re a designer. Call yourself a CEO, and you’re a CEO. Those are just labels with no deeper meaning. What matters more is what you did and are doing.

When I just started Let’s Tabi as a platform to produce my own content (whether in the form of writing, photos or videos), I received a media invitation to a local event. It wasn’t a common thing for an indie creator, so I was pleasantly surprised and thankful for the opportunity.

During the registration, I was asked for my name and the publication I represent. Usually, I’d have no issue giving the details, since I worked for well-known companies. But this time, I felt awkward, like I was a fraud since Let’s Tabi was so new in the industry.

Working as a writer was already a little fluffy, as the people around me tend to be clueless about such a job. But I had reputable companies that I worked for to help with the explanation. Swapping these companies with an unknown Let’s Tabi? I felt like the content creator identity I tried to create had dissipated into thin air.

That night, I told myself that if I wanted to make that change, I had to start acting like it — no more being embarrassed of who I want to be. Nowadays, I still feel a little awkward since I don’t have a large following, but I’ve honed my content creator mindset, constantly searching for and working excitedly on new content ideas.

Pick your poison

Another point in the Instagram post is, “You will suffer either way — So suffer for something worthwhile.” Here’s the description: “There is no life without pain. But there is a difference between meaningless pain and meaningful sacrifice. Purpose doesn't remove suffering. It gives it a reason. Avoiding suffering is a dead end. Choosing it wisely is the path to power.”

Since losing my main freelance gig last year, I struggled with the thought of returning to the office grind. I’m tired of getting out of bed early because I have to, squeezing on crowded buses and trains during peak hours, working on projects not because I want to, returning home with barely any energy for recreation, and repeating this five days a week.

But then there’s the fear of my savings dwindling, sending resumes to the void, going through each day unsure how I’m going to survive next month, and getting questioned by friends and family about my life choices.

Both are painful and exhausting. But when you had a glimpse of your potential and the benefits of going independent, it’s difficult to choose otherwise. I’d rather go through the laborious process of editing the videos from the trip I just had than work on a lucrative job that doesn’t spark a light in me.

But of course, I still have to work to get the funds for my next wanderlust! So for now, I’m stretching every dollar and penny to make my freelance/solopreneur life last as long as it can. The question is, what’s the poison you’d take?

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Thanks for reading! Here are some things I mentioned in this post, if you’d like to find out more:

• Let’s Tabi Substack

• Let’s Tabi YouTube

• Let’s Tabi Instagram

• The Instagram post that inspired this story — it’s a private post, though