The Subtle Power of Changing Your Identity - zen habits

I think this is an important article. It is hard at times to even enumerate what we think of as our identity. And that identity, sometimes adopted without intention, informs our actions and decisions, and many things that follow from that. Changing your identity can introduce an identity crisis. It can result in friends, less often family, questioning your new identity and what you are doing.

I often think about this in relation to stuff and "things". Sometimes if you feel really torn about getting rid of something you have that you don't use, ask yourself if it’s use is informing your identity? I have had a telescope for years and years. It is a hobby that got the best of me. It was too difficult and I've never gotten comfortable with it. When deciding if I should get rid of it I always struggled. Yet I never used it. I realized when I looked closer, that it was really a desire of mine that astronomy be part of my identity. To be clear, it isn't as I’m not even capable, but in this case it was just a desire to have something associated with my identity.

I suspect identity is a big deal, and changing it an even bigger deal. Being conscious of your identity is probably a good thing to do.