selfhood
One's individual nature
Selfhood is the quality or state of being a distinct individual—the condition of having a self.
It encompasses personal identity, autonomy, and the characteristics that make someone who they are: The teenage years are a time of discovering one's selfhood.
Philosophers and psychologists use the term when examining consciousness, identity formation, and what constitutes an individual's sense of being a unified person over time.
Status as a person
- egoOne's self-image
- personaAssumed public identity
- psycheTotal mental life
- characterNature, symbol, or role
personality · authenticity · being · existence · selfness
Surpassing usual limits
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- awakeningReturn to consciousness
- onenessState of being unified
- atmanEternal inner self
ego death · illumination · liberation · moksha · nirvana · Buddha-nature · true nature
Quality of being singular
- distinctivenessQuality of being distinguishable
- singularityPoint where values explode
- originalityNovel creative quality
- particularitySpecific distinguishing feature
idiosyncrasy · differentiation · individuation · ipseity · nonconformity · peculiarity · dissimilarity · divergence
Personal viewpoint coloring perception
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- phenomenologyStudy of subjective experience
- personal identityOne's defining characteristics
solipsism · cogito · being-in-the-world · persistence · continuity
Freedom from external control
- agencyPower to act
- free willAutonomous choice capacity
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- volitionCapacity for choice
One's deepest self
- soulInnermost animating essence
- spiritSoul, mood, or liquor
- natureInherent quality or disposition
- quintessencePurest embodiment of something
Observing one's own mind
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
- mindfulnessAwareness of the present
- cognizanceState of knowing something
- metacognitionAwareness of own reasoning
personhood
Status as a person
character · personality · authenticity · being · existence · selfness
transcendence
Surpassing usual limits
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- awakeningReturn to consciousness
- onenessState of being unified
atman · ego death · illumination · liberation · moksha · nirvana · Buddha-nature · true nature
uniqueness
Quality of being singular
- distinctivenessQuality of being distinguishable
- singularityPoint where values explode
- originalityNovel creative quality
particularity · idiosyncrasy · differentiation · individuation · ipseity · nonconformity · peculiarity · dissimilarity · divergence · separateness
subjectivity
Personal viewpoint coloring perception
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
- ontologyStudy of existence's nature
- phenomenologyStudy of subjective experience
personal identity · solipsism · cogito · being-in-the-world · persistence · continuity
independence
Freedom from external control
- agencyPower to act
- free willAutonomous choice capacity
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
volition · choice · empowerment · freedom · decision-making
inner being
One's deepest self
quintessence · substance · kernel · heart
introspection
Observing one's own mind
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
- mindfulnessAwareness of the present
- cognizanceState of knowing something
- identityidentity, personal identity, ego, individuality, individuation
- individualityindividuality, uniqueness, distinctiveness, originality, identity
- consciousnessconsciousness, awareness, wakefulness, alertness, attention
- existentialismexistence, authenticity, existential angst, existential crisis, angst
- philosophy of mindmind-body problem, mental states, consciousness, qualia, intentionality
- self-conceptpersonal identity, identity formation, persona, individuality
selfhoodcollectivism
Group primacy doctrine
groupthink · hive mind · anonymity · facelessness · merger
selfhoodconformity
Adherence to norms
uniformity · conventionality · sameness · homogeneity · herd mentality
selfhoodego death
Total loss of identity
non-self · selflessness · self-annihilation · egolessness · dissolution
self, selfish, myself, himself, yourself, oneself, herself, selfless, unselfish