If someone says “you know who you are” to compliment or express gratitude or convey affection, I think it will be better, from the perspective of the object of the compliment, for those people’s names to be disclosed, if possible.

For example, someone says, “I’m grateful to the people who helped make this project a success. You know who are you.” If I were one of those people, I’d rather hear the person say, “I’m grateful to Chrissie, Mary, and Bill for their invaluable support and advice,” or something like that.

On the other hand, if the person says “you know who you are” to criticize, cast blame or express disappointment, saying “you know who are” may be good enough.

For example, the person says, “I’m proud of my success, despite the disapproval and criticism of naysayers. You know who you are.” In that case, it may be better, in order to keep the peace, to leave well enough alone and say nothing more.

The process of forming a sense of self begins in childhood and is influenced by a wide variety of factors. Some of these include:

Individuation: This is the process that people go through to develop their own unique sense of self.2 Children need room to express themselves freely without the fear of shame, guilt, criticism, and judgment in order for this process to be successful.

Society: Societal influences and expectations can play an important part in identity. Culture, media, religions, gender roles, and other factors that are part of a society can affect how you feel about who you are. You might also feel challenges when aspects of your identity don’t align with the expectations of the society in which you live.

Your family: It is your caregivers and family members who play some of the earliest roles in the formation of your identity. Throughout life, the various roles you play in your family can affect how you see yourself. And the nature of your relationships with your loved ones can also have an effect on whether you feel a strong or weak sense of self.

Journaling, engaging in expressive writing, or creating lists of things that matter to you can be helpful. Consider writing about things you enjoy, experiences you have had, or things that you’d like to know more about.

Feeling like you don’t know who you are can make it difficult to make the choices that are right for your life, whether it’s setting goals or forming new relationships. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to get to know yourself better and begin forming a stronger sense of self.

Versuasion Pakistan – Fareeha Robert