A Portfolio About My Knowledge of Me

I sat on my bed, staring at a blank page in my journal. Everyone seemed to know who they were, but I felt like I was missing something. My teacher had asked us to write a portfolio about ourselves, but I didn't know where to start. How could I write about 'Me' when I wasn't even sure who 'Me' was? I sighed, feeling a wave of uncertainty wash over me.

I decided to ask my friend, Mia, who always seemed so sure of herself. - Mia, how do you know who you are? I asked. She shrugged and said, - You just do, I guess. Her answer didn't help much, and I still felt stuck. The problem of not knowing myself felt bigger than ever.

The first obstacle was my fear of what I might discover. What if I didn't like what I found out about myself? I started writing but stopped when I realized I was only listing things others expected of me. I crumpled the page in frustration. - Why is this so hard? I muttered to myself.

I tried to ask my parents for help, but they were busy. - Maybe later, honey, they said. Feeling alone, I turned to my journal again. I wrote a few words before scratching them out, unsure of what to write. Each attempt felt like a failure.

At school, the teacher announced that the portfolios were due next week. Panic set in as I realized I had nothing meaningful to share. I overheard classmates discussing their projects with excitement. I felt a pang of envy and disappointment in myself.

I tried to find inspiration by reading books about famous people. Each story made me feel even smaller, like I could never measure up. - I'll never figure this out, I thought. My journal remained empty, and my heart felt heavy with doubt.

One night, lying in bed, I thought about giving up. - Maybe I should just write something simple and be done with it, I sighed. But deep down, I knew I wanted more than that. I wanted to understand myself, not just write words on a page.

The next day, my grandmother visited and saw my frustration. - Sometimes, understanding yourself takes time, she said gently. Her words made me pause and think. Maybe I didn't need all the answers right away.

I decided to take a different approach. I asked myself questions like, - What makes me happy? and - What am I proud of? Slowly, answers started to form in my mind. I realized that knowing myself was about asking the right questions, not having all the answers.

By the time the portfolio was due, I had written something I felt proud of. I learned that knowing yourself is a journey, not a destination. My teacher smiled when she read it, and I felt a sense of relief and accomplishment. I realized that it's okay not to have everything figured out. Tolerance starts with accepting yourself first.