What are the most important concepts you got out of reading the article "Understanding the Self" (Hamachek)?

And out of the sections on self concept and self-esteem in Transformation: Creating Context, Part I?

Well, after re-reading the section on self concept and self-esteem in the essay Transformation: Creating Context, Part 1 I was able to really grasp the meaning of each term. Although both terms deal with the topic of self, as is evident in the term itself, it is in two different manners. Self concept deals with the way you view yourself. For example, I am a student. I label myself so because I attend Miami Dade College and take classes there regularly. While enrolled in school there are certain responsibilities that I must focus on that further define me as a student, like in-class assignments, homework, research papers, and the like. These are just a few of the things I take into consideration when defining my self concept. If I didn’t attend college and didn’t have academic responsibilities I wouldn’t see myself as a “student,” or at least not one in the conventional sense. Self concepts are just labels we give ourselves based on the type of life we lead. If you’re in a band you may consider yourself a musician. If you are athletic and majorly into sports you may consider yourself a jock. These labels just make it “easier” to define ourselves and each other. Self-esteem on the other hand defines a person’s value, or self worth. How positively or negatively you deem yourself. Continuing on my example, I am an excellent student. The emphasis is on excellent. I deem myself an excellent student because I earn good grades completing assignments, participating in class, and doing well on the examinations. I have a high self worth when it comes to defining me as a student. Like the supposed musician in a band. He may play a few gigs but realize he’s not all that talented and may consider himself to be a crappy musician, a negative view of himself and one that will lend itself to low self-esteem issues. Now, when dealing with the self the key player is yourself, or so you would think. But many other components come into play when arriving at a self concept. In the essay Understanding the Self, it is mentioned that most people find it somewhat difficult to define themselves on their own terms. People would like to think they are able to, and some might even succeed, but the fact is that there isn’t just one way to view who you are. You and the environment around you, be it another person, another species, or even your surrounding area (like your home, a park, or a bus stop), are always in a dynamic state. Always changing, growing, moving and defining you as a person. For example, let me define myself even more, I am an honest person. I don’t believe in taking or keeping something that does not belong to you. Walking around school I notice a few bills falling out of the pocket of the person walking in front of me. I pick up the fallen money. Reasoning suggests that my actions should reflect my honest statement. And they do, I follow the person and hand them what is rightfully theirs. Now, let’s say the situation changes slightly. Instead of seeing the money fall, the money is already on the floor. The area in which I was walking through has cleared up some and it seems who ever dropped it hasn’t seemed to notice that they have. What then? Well, in all honesty, I adhere to a timeless rule of “finders, keepers; losers, weepers.” If there is no one to return the item to, then I stake claim on what is now rightfully mine, the finder. How about lost and found? Well, I used to believe in those till I realized no one ever came back for the items lost and the people who were supposed to be safe guarding them were in fact helping themselves to it. I do the work of finding it, and they get to keep it. I don’t think so. However, depending on the item found, I always try my best to find the rightful owner, especially if the item lost contains any type of contact information, like a phone number or an address. And at times I have even taken it to the lost and found, adhering closely to another rule: if the item left has not been retrieved after 30 days the original person to find said item may be able to claim it as their own. Should I still consider myself an honest person? Do you still consider me one? Self concepts are not written in stone, and self-esteems can fluctuate. What really counts is the person you are at the time because that is when life happens, in the moment. The past may shape you, and the future may lead you, but the present is what makes you.