Values, identity, and thriving
I have added two artifacts: the first is my MSc degree, just showing how far I've come and how my background contributes to my overall behavior and career as a nurse; the second photo shows how I did a little self-care and indulged in some baked goods after a long week.
This topic pushed me to look inward and understand who I am becoming during this transition into nursing. The lecture broke down self-concept, identity, self-esteem, and self-efficacy in a way that made me realise how much my inner story affects my behaviour, motivation, and confidence. Instead of seeing myself as “just trying to survive school,” I began viewing identity as the foundation for how I cope, relate, and grow.
What stood out most was the Root Strength idea and the way Dames (2022) described internal “roots” such as meaning, belonging, and congruence. These concepts helped me acknowledge the journey I have taken from Nigeria to the UK and now Canada. My cultural background, family values, and faith give me an inner grounding that I had not fully appreciated before. Recent literature shows that strong cultural identity supports emotional resilience, belonging, and psychological wellbeing in students (Smith-Lee & Robinson, 2021), and this helped me understand why holding onto my roots matters.
This week also taught me that thriving is not about perfection. It is about self-compassion, honesty, and alignment. When my real behavior does not match my ideal values, I often feel shame or pressure. Seeing this described as an identity tension rather than a personal failure made me softer with myself. It reminded me that self-care includes emotional gentleness, not just physical habits. As a future nurse, understanding identity matters because patients often struggle with disrupted roles, body changes, and shifts in self-worth. Nurses who understand their own identity are better able to hold space for others without projecting judgment or assumptions.