Layers of Self: Unveiling the Complexities Within
Never assume or underestimate the history that someone carries within.
It’s easy to jump to labels and conclusions, or let our moods or assumptions get the best of us (especially on days like the dreaded ~Monday~).
Every interaction. Every facial expression. Every exchange—whether through text, email, or in person—is an exchange of self. The self who we present to the world, and pieces of the self that the world will never know.
The hidden self, the deep self. Even though some may only bear witness to the topical self, it doesn’t negate the presence of the selves that live within our outer layer.
The self that feels ashamed. The self that feels regret. The self riding the roller coaster of grief after loss. The self that misses an old friend. The self that lost a pet. The self that is struggling with their mental health. The self working through an STI diagnosis. The self that fears repeating the past. The self that copes with painful emotion through denial.
The layers pictured here weren’t created with any specific intent, other than to demonstrate that they all live within the outward facing self. These are general ideas of what layers of someone’s self might look like. If customized, maybe some of your layers would be larger than others, or include more personal words or people. Maybe they would be completely different than what I share here, which proves how diverse and multi-dimensional we are.
We are simultaneously living in all of our ~selves~. Sometimes there are aspects of self that even we struggle to face or realize in our conscious minds. Despite our attempts to forget or bury it, it still makes an active presence in how we live our life, and how we show up in even the most basic of exchanges.
Navigating our pieces of self can be one of the most difficult life discoveries. Some may never even embark on that journey. It is my hope that this graphic serves as a reminder of not only our layers of self, but the layers of self that reside in others, and how to make a bit more space in our daily lives for the unspoken and unseen.