Is what you do really who you are?

[hazada guess]

If you alter yourself to try and fit in to do a job(or anything else),you will suffer many illness' and anxiety/depression.

[HITESH SHAH]

Originally Posted by ReturningMoon

does what you do for a living really make you who you are?
I have no employment but I don't attach my identity to that.

In society there is value to what you do for a living . This is more from a social status perspective. While that may define personal value some place and some times , that's not eternal everywhere. Many a great people history did not have a high paying occupation in their life times . In fact many may be a failure by that yardstick of high rewarding occupation .

Now having no employment is not at all bad . But its certainly not great as well for long because gradually inertia will set in and that can along with it will bring lot of bad things like laziness , passivity , monotony ,loss of creativity/imagination etc.

So right frame of mind is to be flexibly employed / self employed in some creative work/hobby in a passionate manner which can be useful to some others or can bring happiness to you. This is a problem lot of retired people face in their retirement. Feeling obsolete/redundant is not great . Associating with positive people/thoughts/activity is important. Being physically and mentally active , feeling young ,energetic and enthusiastic and engaging in health exercises is important .

Apologies if my writing is misplaced and you have no issues I wrote.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by ReturningMoon

does what you do for a living really make you who you are?
I have no employment but I don't attach my identity to that.

Your context is unemployed vs. employed, so in that case, no, but in the wider scope, if you do good you are kind and if you do bad you're nasty. Hence, the nature of your will quite literally defines the kind of person you are. Now go get a job ya bum !

[FairyCrystal]

Originally Posted by Gem

... Now go get a job ya bum !

Why make that comment?
The OP hasn't stated why they aren't employed, there can be many reasons.
No need to make them feel ashamed or guilty or awkward. The OP may already feel that way.
And why is someone a 'bum' when they're not employed? I think 9 out of 10 times this is not someone's own choice. And it may force them to live in debt, unable to truly enjoy life because they lack money.

I for instance had great difficulty finding a job when I was 38. Apparently Western society deems you obsolete and not able to function properly anymore in a job. They fear you haven't the marbles to work a PC for instance even if you can verify having lots of experience. They still rather employ someone younger so they're certain that person can keep up with the pace and work a PC.
As if you're a pensioner at 38?

As it is now I have been unemployed for near 12 years due to an accident and neck injury.
Comments like yours are very demeaning.
Maybe think before making such comments. The wink makes it even worse. A nasty comment doesn't become better by making out to believe it's a joke...

[Gem]

Originally Posted by FairyCrystal

making out to believe it's a joke...

I'm not making it out to be a joke. It actually is joking around. It's banter.

[DaneA]

We play many roles, depending on the situation in which we find ourselves. Put simply, we adapt to situations with varying degrees of success. One is more likely to find out at what stage they are when faced with a challenge or unavoidable problem. It's then our strengths and weaknesses show through.

It takes a lot of work to find out who and what we really are as our life experiences accumulate through time.
Delusion is our worst enemy.

[utopiandreamchild]

Originally Posted by ReturningMoon

Hi everyone. I guess I just don't think this way but does what you do for a living really make you who you are?
I have no employment but I don't attach my identity to that.

Any additional thoughts would be appreciated.

As long as your work is something that you love. That's the most important thing, then I would say yes your work is a reflection of whom you are as a person.

Don't love it then don't get involved, steer clear of it.

utopiandreamchild

[Native spirit]

To me the answer would be no. im very much similar to Lynn


Namaste

[Altair]

Originally Posted by ReturningMoon

Hi everyone. I guess I just don't think this way but does what you do for a living really make you who you are?
I have no employment but I don't attach my identity to that.

Any additional thoughts would be appreciated.

A job is a reflection of a person, it tells us something about that person. What you care or don't care for, working on certain things, goals. All our actions are part of the story we built around ourselves and there will never be someone exactly like you.

[JustBe]

Originally Posted by ReturningMoon

Hi everyone. I guess I just don't think this way but does what you do for a living really make you who you are?
I have no employment but I don't attach my identity to that.

Any additional thoughts would be appreciated.

It can be complimentary to who you are. It can teach you a lot about yourself all the same. I’m me and it’s not because of my job. My job suits the person I am now. I’ve had a few jobs so like me, it’s an evolving process that aligns to what I am at any given time of life.

I always say, everything you create, on some level of you where you reside, you’ll find your creations are very much a reflection of you in so many ways.