Quiet. Shy. Introverted. Lacking leadership skills. Timid. Odd. Overly cautious. Incompetent. Anxious. Stubborn. Clumsy. Obsessive. Sound familiar? These are terms I've often heard when people describe me, words you may have also heard thrown around. It is not surprising that many of these descriptive terms have become permanently embedded into out brains and formed a false identity that we have substituted for our true identity.

For the longest time, I actually believed these things people said about me were true — that I was too quiet to accomplish anything great because I was not a strong verbal communicator and spoke about a third of the words I write.

Think back to the last time someone asked you to describe yourself, such as during a job interview. Most people, myself included, either do not know how to describe themselves, or they use a word other people have often used to characterize them. I used to tell people "I am introverted and somewhat creative" because I truly did not know who I was.

As a result, I became a very guarded person who believed they were too weak and fearful to do anything of merit. I even started using these words when people asked me who I was. I didn't realize I was suffering a personal identity crisis until I became a Biola student and listened to wise speakers discuss identity, stating that we form our identity based off these labels instead of who God truly made us to be.

We often accept labels others place on us because we trust them to give an honest opinion. Our society tells us that others opinions are highly important and we should take them seriously because we are often left unaware of our own flaws. However, even the people we trust the most can evaluate who we are ineffectively. I've had friends who tell me I'm too shy for my own good and I need to talk more in conversations. Then I try to speak up and people just talk over me anyways or fail to realize I even said anything.

The "quiet" label I so readily accepted evoked a great amount of fear within me when I declared a journalism major as an incoming Biola freshman. Despite my eagerness to tell others stories and give a voice to the voiceless, I was not sure I could ever become a successful journalist because I feared interviewing people. I later realized, however, I become more comfortable talking to others when I set aside this fear and remained confident in my abilities.

I noticed after a while that I'm not truly shy like people keep telling me. Anyone who knows me well can see I'm very personable — I love talking to people and discovering all the intricate details of their personality. However, I enjoy listening more than I actually do talking so I don't speak as much as others do during conversations. Empathy is my second top skill on my list of top five strengths, so this is not surprising.

I have also often been denied leadership positions because people feel that I am not competent enough to truly lead others because I'm too timid and don't talk enough. I can even still remember how much it hurt when someone I trusted told me I could never serve as a great leader because nobody ever listens to a quiet person. Regardless, my empathy and desire to listen to others has helped, not hindered me, as a journalist.

I've often had people tell me after interviews that I was one of the most respectful people they talked to because I was attentive and let them talk instead of interrupting them or disinterested in what they said. In addition, it has helped me become a good friend because I can simply sit with a friend and comfort them with my presence when they have a rough week instead of trying to tell them things they don't want to hear.

Another lie I believed about myself was that my talents never amounted to anything. I write, swim, play four instruments, create my own piano arrangements, do watercolor paintings, design posters, and take photos. However, I was never satisfied with my abilities until last year. People would tell me how beautiful my paintings were or congratulate me on performing a great flute solo after a concert. Despite these compliments, I thought people were simply being too nice. I also compared myself to others with the same abilities and thought I could never measure up to their skill level, which perpetuated the attitude of dissatisfaction I harbored towards everything I did.

It has taken almost two years at Biola for me to shed these false adjectives others stamped on me and to discover who I truly am. I learned I may be quiet, but that's not the only word that describes me. God gave me my own unique identity. He made me creative, insightful, introspective curious, empathetic, nurturing, determined, deliberate, athletic, strong, encouraging.

I've found out more about myself during this time than I have throughout the entire rest of my life because I finally stopped listening to who others say I am and started looking for the truth about who God says I am. You can do so much more when you truly find out who you are. Don't let others mar the person God created you to be by letting the world's labels stick.