How to Write Your Own This I Believe Essay

How to Write Your Own This I Believe Essay

We invite you to contribute to the This I Believe project by writing and submitting your own statement of personal belief. We understand how challenging this is, as it requires intense self- examination. Many find it difficult to begin. To guide you through this process, we offer these suggested activities.

List three memorable or powerful moments from your life.

Think of moments that might have defined you and helped you understand who you are as a person, how you should live your life, or how you should conduct yourself in the world.

	Questions that might help you:

	•	Did you ever change your mind about
a) Joining the United States marine corps at the age of 26((Dec 30 2008).		something that you were certain about?
	•	Can you think of someone who has
		taught you a valuable lesson about life?
		Can you remember the exact moment
		when that lesson occurred?
b) I met my wife in Zimbabwe in 2012 and later got married after three years and her naturalization as a US citizen after two years.	•	Did you ever have to confront someone
		very different from you? If so, what
		happened? What did you learn?
	•	What was your “do something” moment
		– the time you realized you wanted to
c) Going back to college to pursue a degree in petroleum engineering at Colorado School of Mines.		be more active in changing the world?
	•	What has been the most challenging or
		rewarding moment in your life? If it’s
		something you can share with the rest
		of the world, tell us about it and tell us
		what you learned.

For each of the three moments above, what belief was strengthened, tested, clarified, or even shattered?

Moment	Belief

(Copy from above)
a) Joining the United States marine corps at the age of 26((Dec, 30 2008). b) I met my wife in Zimbabwe in 2012 and later got married after three years and her naturalization as a US citizen after two years. c) Going back to college to pursue a degree in petroleum engineering at Colorado School of Mines.	a) Loyalty b) Family c) Change

Take some time to reflect on each of the three moments and beliefs.

Run each one through your mind and think about how you would tell them to a friend. Spend at least 5 to 10 minutes doing this before continuing. You can even make notes if that helps you, but you don’t have to write each one out just yet.

Then, answer the following questions by circling one of the beliefs.

Which belief is the most unusual?	a	b	c√
Which belief (if any) is the most controversial?	√a	b	c
Which belief is the most important to you?	a	b√	c
Which belief has the best story?	a	b√	c
Which belief’s story tells others the most about you?	a	b√	c
Which belief will serve you best day-to-day?	a√	b	c
Which belief is the most important to share?	a	b√	c
Which belief’s story will help or inspire others most?	a	b	c√
Which belief is most important for others to believe as well?	a	b	c√
Which story do you think others would like to read most?	a	b	c√

Pick one belief to write about.

Now that you’ve thought about each belief and their stories, choose one to be the subject of your essay. You don’t have to pick the one with the most circles in step 3. Those questions are simply there to help you think about your beliefs in different ways. You probably know which one is best. Trust your instinct.

Summarize your belief in a word, a short phrase, or a sentence.

In as few words as possible, say what your belief is. For example, “Friendship,” “Kindness of Strangers,” or “Honesty is the best policy.” You can even use a metaphor: “The Road Less Traveled.” Complete the following sentence…

“I believe in family because it is my best school”

Write your essay.

Writing is a very personal experience. There really isn’t a paragraph-by-paragraph or sentence -by-sentence manual on how to write a This I Believe essay. Just write in the best way you know how and follow these general guidelines:

Tell a story: Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of your life. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be funny—but it should be real. Consider moments when your belief was formed, tested, or changed. Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and to the shaping of your beliefs.

Be brief: Your statement should be between 350 and 500 words. The shorter length forces you to focus on the belief that is central to your life.

Name your belief: If you can’t name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about belief. Rather than writing a list, consider focusing on one core belief.

Be positive: Say what you do believe, not what you don’t believe. Avoid statements of religious dogma, preaching, or editorializing.

Be personal: Make your essay about you; speak in the first person. Try reading your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time edit it and simplify it until you find the words, tone, and story that truly echo your belief and the way you speak.

Remember: this worksheet is only a guide. Feel free to discard anything that isn’t helpful. Just make sure you can answer the following three questions with “Yes.”

Have I told a memorable story clearly and concisely?

Have I shared something personal and important to me?

Is my essay about my own personal philosophy of life?

When you have finished, we encourage you and your students to submit your essays to the This I Believe Essay Collection by visiting the website:

http://thisibelieve.org/submission/?radioID=51#_EssayForm=first

– or –

http://bit.ly/nA6k0Y

ESSAY

Belief on Family

Since childhood, I have been taught about family importance, and I have kept the value deep inside me. As the world is becoming modernized day by day, the meaning of family remains the same. A time came when I was working as a marine corp in Zimbabwe. I met the love of my life. When I saw her, it dawned to me that I needed a life partner and a family of my own since I was already a grown-up, and I could not continue staying with my parents. I made the most challenging decision of marrying a person from a different ethnic and cultural background, and above all, a foreigner. For me, she completed my desire for family, and my belief in the family was strengthened. When I was away from home, she became my home, and life was easier for me (Ali para. 1). A family does not have to be from the same race or culture. Family is where you get the strength and courage to see life differently. She became a family for me.

When I faced challenges in my work, I knew I would get rest when I meet my family at home and talk about how my day was and hers. Family makes a person strong, and I can attest to that. Marrying her was faced with many challenges, but I was not going to give up in her, she meant everything to me and was all that mattered to me when it came to family. Being a foreigner, I was worried about her naturalization. Although it took some time, I am thankful that the family’s strength gave me the patience to hold on the family belief and be sure that all will be okay, and we forever will be family. The family has taught me how to be devoted and stick with my family through hard times, both theirs and mine, and celebrate happy times with love and peace together (Tan para.7). In the family, I get support since we back each other in our decisions and sometimes helps one another see what is best for our lives (Birch para.11). My belief in the family has taught me that when we are united as a family, we are loyal to one another and stand up against any externalities that want to harm us.

Works Cited

Tan, Any, “Saying Thanks To My Ghosts.” (2009). Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103412215

Birch, Eve, “The Art Of Being A Neighbor.” (2009). Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102961694

Ali, Muhammad, “I Am Still The Greatest” (2009). Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2009/04/06/102649267/i-am-still-the-greatest