Forward with Passion and Power

Visitors to the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie, Hawaii, are greeted by a bronze statue honoring Hamana Kalili, a beloved local figure often connected to the origin of the famous shaka sign. Known worldwide as a symbol of aloha, friendship, and island culture, the shaka gesture has become one of Hawaii's most recognizable icons. The statue commemorates Kalili's legacy and his lasting influence on Hawaiian culture.

Tell me your journey to you in the comments or in a PM.

Today, in a podcast, I heard a line that made me hit pause:

"If you want to know who you are, just look at what you have done."

That was not even the point of the podcast. Just a passing line in a story.

But I never turn down a chance to think deep thoughts. Let us dive in.

So yeah… sometimes people ask, "Who am I?"

I turned that question over in my mind while hiking today. Here is where I landed.

When I was younger, that question felt tangled. I remember it clearly. Like most of us, I was surrounded by voices, family, friends, and expectations, each one consciously or subconsciously shaping what I thought I should be. It was hard to tell what was truly mine. It is just part of being young and impressionable. But in many cases, the impressions being pressed on your mind do not fit. This is when things genuinely get difficult, especially for the younger.

So, like many before me, I stepped away from the noise when I was young. I moved into a new environment. It did not immediately reveal who I was, nor did I expect it to, but it did put me in a healthier space to examine what I was experiencing.

And over time, I realized something.

When I was alone, really alone, with no one around to influence my thinking, there was a different kind of clarity. I did not recognize it then, but I do now. My thoughts felt untouched. Not filtered, judged, or shaped. Not adjusted to fit anyone else's expectations or narrative. It was me, authentically.

So if I had to answer that question today, who am I, I would not start with what I have been told. I would start with the moments when I was original and authentic. I look at my actions, my choices, my words. What I have done, said, and thought over time is the trail I have left behind. That is the mirror that reflects me. It's the one you see.

So I understand why people take journeys to find themselves. They long to step away from the noise. Away from the voices telling them who they should be, outside the familiar patterns and expectations. In a place without judgment, their choices begin to reflect something more honest about who they are. With time, they see who they are, and they smile.

And when they come back, yes, they are often different, like it or not.

They know who they are. That is goodness.

So, if you want to know who you are, look back at what you have done, yep, that is you. If it's not, it's never too late to start your journey to you.