"Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."
Abraham Lincoln
Well friends watch out I have been thinking again... Dangerous I know! I have been thinking a lot about character and knowing ourselves! As a missionary I go out and I talk to EVERYONE, we go and share about what we believe and about the Book of Mormon, baptism, restoration, priesthood, Jesus Christ etc... Basically you share the things that matter most!! Being a missionary is the hardest thing I have ever done but the most amazing thing I have ever done! As I have grown and learned I have had to come to really know myself and really know if I believe anything I am sharing!
I was thinking about the world and the desire we all have for joy and peace and little more happiness! I was thinking about how we all want these changes BUT we sometimes expect them to just happen or to change everyone else around us, because surely I don't need to do anything, everyone else needs to change, they are the ones making the mistakes. I have found myself caught in this thinking but it is indeed wrong. If there is anything I have learned in my short life it is that there is only one person that you can change and that is
YOU!
If you know me at all you know how much I LOVE theatre. One of my favorite things in the world is being in a play or musical, it centers me and brings me a great sense of joy and accomplishment. Not only that but I love to play different characters, I think one of my favorite parts of the performance process is creating and building the character I am getting ready to portray. I have played in quite a few very different roles and I have created some fun characters, but the greatest and the hardest role to play has been me. Yup that's right playing Sister Egbert has been the hardest role I have ever come across, she is such a complex, strange, interesting character that has left me stumped in many circumstances. All the world is a stage my friends, we must work to find our own character. Character is extremely important it is who we are and so much bigger than just likes and dislikes, it is the deeper parts as well. It is so important for one to find their true character, for many of us we are most unfamiliar with ourselves... Just like I said before we can only change on person and that is ourselves... I invite you to grab a journal and take this little analysis and find out what parts of your character might need a little work!
I was thinking about the world and the desire we all have for joy and peace and little more happiness! I was thinking about how we all want these changes BUT we sometimes expect them to just happen or to change everyone else around us, because surely I don't need to do anything, everyone else needs to change, they are the ones making the mistakes. I have found myself caught in this thinking but it is indeed wrong. If there is anything I have learned in my short life it is that there is only one person that you can change and that is
YOU!
If you know me at all you know how much I LOVE theatre. One of my favorite things in the world is being in a play or musical, it centers me and brings me a great sense of joy and accomplishment. Not only that but I love to play different characters, I think one of my favorite parts of the performance process is creating and building the character I am getting ready to portray. I have played in quite a few very different roles and I have created some fun characters, but the greatest and the hardest role to play has been me. Yup that's right playing Sister Egbert has been the hardest role I have ever come across, she is such a complex, strange, interesting character that has left me stumped in many circumstances. All the world is a stage my friends, we must work to find our own character. Character is extremely important it is who we are and so much bigger than just likes and dislikes, it is the deeper parts as well. It is so important for one to find their true character, for many of us we are most unfamiliar with ourselves... Just like I said before we can only change on person and that is ourselves... I invite you to grab a journal and take this little analysis and find out what parts of your character might need a little work!
So I have created a in depth way to find one's true character. I warn you that this is not an easy path (if you do it right). Many will never go down this path, it is painful and probably the hardest thing you'll do. To truly know ones own character you have to know the deepest darkest most painful things about yourself. You also have to truly see your own weakness and your dark side. So in theatre we would often do a character analysts to know our character, it was usually a basic questionnaire to help us build a face and background to the fictional character. Well I have created over the last years a Self Character Analysts to help one find their own true character... It has taken a lot of work and there is much more to come but here it is (feel free to add questions, It would take too long to add them all)...
Section 1:
These are basic questions, hopefully the easy to answer ones. These are all things that make up you but they are more surface items. They are the things that others know and make up the social outer you. All good things and all good things to know when discovering one's true character.
What’s your name?
Where do you live?
How many members in your family?
Where did you grow up?
What’s your favorite food?
What’s your favorite color?
What’s your favorite animal? COWS!!!! ------------->
What is your favorite song?
What is your favorite movie?
What is your favorite book?
What is your personal style?
Are you happy with your appearance?
Who are your top closest friends?
Who was your childhood best friends?
Section 2:
These are questions that take us a little deeper into you. They are the questions of what makes up our outer inspirations. These are the questions that help us see what and who has inspired and taught us what we know and believe.
What is your attitude towards others?
Who are your top three heroes?
What’s your favorite quote?
What is your favorite scripture?
What religion do you follow?
What do you think of your religion?
Do you have a mentor? Who?
If not what can you do to find an inspiring and good mentor?
What is a mentor to you?
Section 3:
Now we are getting a little deeper and this time darker, we are trying to discover the deeper sides of your character that no one else really knows but you. Many don't want to look this deep but it is necessary in finding ones self. These are important questions that the world does not want us to ask. These are the questions that helps us see and want to change our weaknesses and turn them to strengths, you cannot become strong until you have discovered your weaknesses and your "darker side".
What do you hate about yourself?
What can you do to change what you hate?
Do you want to change or stay the same?
What are your biggest weaknesses?
Why do you think those are weaknesses?
What can you do to change them?
What is your biggest failure?
How has it changed you?
What is the worst thing you have done?
What drove you to it?
What are your greatest fears?
Section 4:
This is when we get to your core. These are most necessary to find ones self. You have to know your foundation and you have to discover how much you really love your foundation. We live in a world where these questions are pushed away because they are less hip and a little more deep. Not only that we naturally want to lean on others for these questions. Let me tell you that you will not truly succeeded until you have discovered your foundation! These are the questions that I ask myself everyday as I go out and share my testimony with the world.
Who is your higher power?
Why is that your higher power?
What or who do you owe all of your success to?
What is your core book?
Why is that your core book?
What experiences have you had that define you?
Why is experience important to you?
Why do you believe in what you believe?
Why is what you believe true?
What are you willing to die for?
Why would you be willing to die for that?
What are you willing to live for?
Section 5:
Here is the big bang to finding you! This is where we fall in love with ourselves and realize how amazing we truly are! Sometime we really don't like our selves a whole lot. We are our own worst enemy. These are the questions that tell us exactly who we are and what we live for. This is where we decide how deep our character goes. Just remember it is okay to love ones self, it's always easier to find what we hate about ourselves but it's okay and it's healthy to find what we love. Now discover and your character, you are like none other! We believe that we are all children of God and he loves us. Jesus Christ commanded:
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
We are asked to love God and we believe that the way to do that is by loving others as ourselves. How can we truly love others and God if we don't first love ourselves? So here goes the last few questions!
What do you love about yourself?
What are your talents?
How have you perfected those talents?
What are you passionate about? Why?
What is your mission?
If you don’t know what can you do to find your mission?
What is important about having a mission?
What is your personal manifesto?
Well friends I hope you have enjoyed your character analysis. I hope that you took the time to journal each question and add to the questions. This analysis will never end. The greatest thing about finding your character it is a journey through life. It not always easy but it is well worth the every hard time. You can not change the world for good until you know yourself and what you are capable of. I don't know about you but I am far from fully discovering my character but I will continue to search and enjoy the journey of finding me! Good luck to both of us!
Love you all!
Sister Egbert
Love you all!
Sister Egbert
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