Do Experiences Define Who We Are?

Daily writing prompt

Do you think we’re shaped more by our experiences or by who we are?

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I believe that who we become is shaped as much by our experiences as by how we adapt to them. Say the same occurrence happens to two different women: a fiancé breaks his engagement with both women after a year.

A woman who prefers to have a positive outlook might cry a bit but choose to see the brighter side of the situation. Meanwhile, another, more pessimistic, might choose to drown her sorrows in food and complaints, and become reclusive. That is the more notable way an experience can shape us.

However, our environment also plays a factor in how experiences can affect and shape us.

Take the broken engagement again, for example. If the optimistic woman grew up in a sheltered environment with no close relationships, her ability to handle disappointment or extreme stress would be lower. On the other hand, if the pessimistic woman grows up with a few close friendships to comfort and encourage her, her ability to handle the same situation would differ.

There is no one answer. Whether by emotions, environment, or experience, we ultimately define how we are shaped.