I have never actually reflected on my past as a child. Not until recently. During the first two weeks of religion class I have understood the real reasons why I have gone through what I have. And in conclusion I have determined that we as people go through circumstances to find out who they truly are.

What I mean by "find themselves" is simply the art of what makes an individual unique. What sets someone apart from the billions of people in the world? What makes a human different than other species? All these questions are addressed directly and indirectly through the readings of these past few weeks. I must say, the "Let Your Life Speak" reading hit home with me.

Starting with masking our insecurities with faces that aren't ours. Growing up I have always tried to be someone I am not. I have always disliked my personality and image but masked my disproof with quiet insecurities. It wasn't until my first quarter in college that I decided to learn to love myself for who I am.

I think many people make the mistake of trying to change themselves into someone they idol, instead of changing themselves into something that makes them unique. One thing I enjoyed in the spiritual readings (The Misunderstood Jew) was the fact that instead of falling into the same conundrum of interpreting the Bible from a historical, atheist or Christian standpoint, Amy-Jill Levine made herself unique by interpreting it from a Jewish standpoint.

Its people like that that impact our society the most. The people that we all aspire to be made the decision to stand apart from the crowd and lead by example. They learned to love themselves for who they were. Masking insecurities just leads to disappointment and a lack of confidence. I have determined I want to be someone that other people aspire to be. I have become proud of who I am and began perfecting my life from the inside-out.

Gaining confidence then leads to a more fulfilled life. This means questioning your beliefs, starting with what you have been told your whole life. This includes forming beliefs and then standing behind them, no matter what people think. This is what leaders establish, a belief or passion. And then they chase it.

This means no stopping, no giving up, no questioning. People like Nelson Mandela, Michael Jordan, and Todd Beamer fought for what their dream. They did not hide behind the masks of what they wish they could be. The fueled their motivation with people's words who disagreed with their statements. Overall, what I learned from the reading was to find myself, and make myself unique by establishing what I believe and sticking to it.