Who Are You Right Now?

The conversation around our outdoor table continued late into the evening, well past the time someone had quietly cleared the dinner dishes. As I watched the lightning bugs blinking in the trees surrounding our patio, I remembered long-ago summers when my dinner companions were smaller versions of the lovely young women they’ve become. As I listened to my daughters and their friends talking about their dreams for their grown-up lives, I marveled again at the privilege of being part of their journey and uttered a silent prayer of gratitude.

Around our table that night, we entertained two actors, a writer, and a singer/songwriter—a passionate group of young artists ready to make an impact on the world with their unique offerings. Part of our conversation focused on the way the world sees their chosen vocations and the mindset necessary to weather the inevitable questions.

“I am an actor,” my daughter declared. “I’m not ‘trying to be an actor.’ Whether or not acting is the primary way I earn a living, I am an actor right now.”

I am inspired by their commitment to building a life that makes space for the power of creativity and appreciates and legitimizes each stage of their unfolding journey. While they each hope to someday earn a living with their art, they know that might not happen immediately. Their definition of success is not tied to any one destination, but experienced by showing up authentically in the process, regardless of how the world judges their choices.

Despite their youth, these young artists seem to understand the power of naming. Writers are people who write. Actors are people who act. Songwriters are people who write songs. Artists are people who create art, regardless of how they earn an income or pay their bills.

Words are powerful. What we say about ourselves and how we say it often reflects our most deeply held beliefs about our purpose and our worth. Unlike my brave young friends, many of us worry that we haven’t done enough to “earn” the right to call ourselves a particular name, so we water down our dream with qualifiers.

I’m an aspiring writer. Someday I hope to be a “real” writer.

I play around with painting, but I’m not a painter.

I like to sing, but I’m not good enough to sing in front of other people. I’m not a performer.

I sometimes end up in charge, but I wouldn’t call myself a leader.

Or my favorite, I’m “just” a mom.

We don’t need to arrive at some arbitrary milestone to claim our identity. Even though we’re not always loveable, God names us Beloved. Even though we continue to make mistakes, God calls us Forgiven. Even though we are works in progress, God sees us as Perfect. Stepping out of our comfort zone into the unknown of our dreams and calling requires a willingness to own who we are becoming. Right now, starting today.

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Through their example, my daughters and their friends make me braver. As I fully embrace this next season with my children grown, I am offered the opportunity to recreate and reimagine my life, a process both exhilarating and intimidating. Stepping out of the safe and familiar requires a willingness to be a beginner and still boldly claim the person I believe God is calling me to be.

I am a writer.

I am a speaker.

I am a life coach.

I am a professional.

I am a leader.

I am Beloved.

Who are you? Who are you becoming? What qualifiers do you sometimes use that diminish who you want to be?

Fill in the blank: I am ___________. How will claiming that identity change how you live today?

Kelly Johnson is a counselor, writer, speaker, and advocate. She leads a weekly Bible study and serves as chair of the board of directors at a local shelter for the homeless. Married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mom of two college-age daughters. Kelly writes about life, faith, and her newly empty nest at kellyiveyjohnson.com.

Photograph © Ian Schneider, used with permission