LIFE ROLES
Life requires of us that we play definite “life roles.” These serve their natural, useful functions and purposes. Healthy people realize this and can pick up and put down life-roles as and when they are appropriate. When the role is finished, as in parenting, then the person let’s is go. That is healthy. It is unhealthy to cling on or forget that one is playing a “life-role.” This can cause all sorts of problems when, particularly in parenting, a life role is played on past it’s appropriate time. Some people do not want to give up a certain “life-role” because they are afraid that they will be lost without it. The life-role has become a major part of their personality. This is not healthy. The inappropriate application of life roles has a negative (unhealthy) influence upon life.
Throughout our life, we are all required to take on and play a variety of life-roles. For example; the mother, the father, the brother, the student, the teacher, the worker, etc...
Anxiety and confusion arises when:
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We don't know which roles we are playing.
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We get attached to one or more roles and believe ourselves to be that role.
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We have not identified the roles we are required to play.
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We are ill-equipped or ignorant of the requirements and qualities needed to play a role.
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We are completely ignorant concerning the whole matter of conscious role-playing. We have not thought about the roles we will probably be required to play in the course of our life.
Here follows a small list of common life-roles. I am sure that you can add many more to the list.
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A member of a family.
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A husband or wife.
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A parent.
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A son or daughter (excluding the very young child who is naturally unaware of their relationships with the world and others).
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A brother or sister.
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Cousin.
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Nephew or niece.
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Aunt or Uncle.
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Grandparent.
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Family friend.
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An in-law.
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A friend.
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A romantic partner/lover.
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A work colleague.
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An employee.
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An employer.
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A mentor/teacher/life guide/coach.
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A student.
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A guardian/carer.
