The Process of Unlearning to Discover Self

The process of finding one’s sense of origin and belonging is to all about a journey I am embarking on daily, to find out who I really and and where I come from. I have been shaped through various beliefs within my family and school life, that has caused me to have a fixed mindset about various aspects. However, this journey of finding ‘ones self’ is all about being open minded and trying to learn more about the country in which I live and how that shapes me. As Cardinal & Hildebrandt (2002, p. 21) stated, “respect is an essential pillar in which good relationships can be brought about,” meaning, that in order for me to move past single stories, I need to develop relationships in a respectful manner, which can be done through having an open mind and willingness to unlearn and relearn. I must discover who I really am, in order to continue this journey.

I am a settler. I am white. I am cisgender. I am on a journey of discovering self and trying to figure out exactly what that means. However, Vowel (2016) had discussed that the idea of using the term ‘white’ creates an attitude that we are being blamed for something we didn’t do, which is something unsettling and something that is hard for me to accept, as I feel I was not apart of the what has happened. However, this is apart of the fixed mindset that I was discussing earlier because we can all think this way and keep opposing change. I must continue to identify myself to truly discover who I am, to shape the journey that I am on.