Journaling Prompt — Kwanzaa Reflections
Self-reflection during the Kwanzaa celebration.
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In acknowledgment and celebration of Kwanzaa, answer the following questions regarding the principle of Kujichaguila:
· Who am I?
· Am I really who I am?
· Am I all that I ought to be?
Who am I?
I am the sum of my experiences, both the good and the bad. I am the knowledge acquired, skills developed, and thoughts generated inside this human vessel of flesh and bones for 51 years and nine months plus of my existence. I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams and the beneficiary of their sacrifices they made for a better life conceived from their aspirations. I am the reflection of the Creator’s love with the responsibility to mirror that image through my contributions, actions, and efforts. I am the writer who has employed his gifts to honor and empower self by positively impacting the lives of others through the sharing of my words.
Am I really who I am?
Sometimes I believe I really am the person I believe to be, and sometimes I don’t. The latter occurs when I allow doubt, fear, shame, guilt, etc., to appear inside my thoughts that affect my mood. This also happens whenever I think about disturbing memories when 1) I allowed others to disrespect me, 2) I made mistakes, and 3) I dwelled about my childhood experiences. Regardless of what took place, I do not have to be a victim of my yesterdays. Yes, I am the sum of my experiences, including the past, but I am also my present actions and future decisions.
Am I all I ought to be?
No, I believe that I’m on the right path to transform my life to achieve and master the best version of self. It’s a continuous journey that requires much discipline and adaptations. I am grateful and proud of my accomplishments to date, but inside my soul I know I can do better when it applies to self-determination and utilizing my gifts and talents to honor my Creator, self, and community. This thought motivates me to keep striving each day I am alive and remain optimistic because I’ve yet to create my best work to date for the world to receive and experience.
