The dictionary describes labels as “ 1. A slip attached to something for identification or description 2. descriptive or identifying word or phrase. All well and good if you’re describing drapery but how do they work with people? Even more importantly how do labels affect you? It seems to me that most people …whether or not they realize it…are mentally bound hand and foot with labels that have been applied over a lifetime. The labels I mean are the Velcro like statements that limit your ability to live creatively.
An example: let’s take a little boy playingTee ball. Ok we are talking about a kindergartener for gosh sakes…the baseball scouts won’t be around for a couple of years yet. I would be willing to bet after a game or two labels are being printed for this little guy. He is already getting known to himself and others as good in baseball, or maybe not so good. Adults react to these perceived accomplishments or failures and he begins to believe them himself. I’m sure that you know these kinds of labels are often self-fulfilling prophecies. If he is beginning to believe he isn’t such a great baseball player when the ball comes whizzing by …wait this is tee ball after all …when the ball comes ambling by (see a label I’ve put on Tee Ball batters) do you think our hero is going to run and really try…or will he think," gee I’m not going to be able to get the guy out anyway so why try so hard". Now in reality the day this label was attached maybe he wasn’t feeling well or just had a bad Tee ball day. I’m belaboring the point but do you see how easily your life can be shaped by labels. They affect so many of the choices that you make.
There are a couple of other things about labels that I find interesting. I’m beginning to think positive labels are just as restricting as negative ones. Do you have positive labels that point you in a certain direction? Due to the fact that positive feedback feels so yummy…are you staying with something past the point when something new might be more rewarding? After all you tell yourself the usual feels good and you know (because you can point to the label) that you are good at it…so it’s safe. Another thing I have noticed is that much of the time it really doesn’t matter who printed the label you still allow your life to start changing in response to being tagged by it.
I would say that most of your labels aren’t even true. I can hear someone saying, “yes but I am short and have dark hair.” To which I could say shorter than whom and you only have dark hair if you want it. You could always change the color or it could eventually go grey (if that makes you cringe…you could, again, always change the color). Labels keep you stuck in the past. They keep you bound to ideas that you have outgrown. You have taken many steps along your path since they were assigned. Do yourself a favor have a bonfire and torch all of your labels then watch the world open up.
An example: let’s take a little boy playingTee ball. Ok we are talking about a kindergartener for gosh sakes…the baseball scouts won’t be around for a couple of years yet. I would be willing to bet after a game or two labels are being printed for this little guy. He is already getting known to himself and others as good in baseball, or maybe not so good. Adults react to these perceived accomplishments or failures and he begins to believe them himself. I’m sure that you know these kinds of labels are often self-fulfilling prophecies. If he is beginning to believe he isn’t such a great baseball player when the ball comes whizzing by …wait this is tee ball after all …when the ball comes ambling by (see a label I’ve put on Tee Ball batters) do you think our hero is going to run and really try…or will he think," gee I’m not going to be able to get the guy out anyway so why try so hard". Now in reality the day this label was attached maybe he wasn’t feeling well or just had a bad Tee ball day. I’m belaboring the point but do you see how easily your life can be shaped by labels. They affect so many of the choices that you make.
There are a couple of other things about labels that I find interesting. I’m beginning to think positive labels are just as restricting as negative ones. Do you have positive labels that point you in a certain direction? Due to the fact that positive feedback feels so yummy…are you staying with something past the point when something new might be more rewarding? After all you tell yourself the usual feels good and you know (because you can point to the label) that you are good at it…so it’s safe. Another thing I have noticed is that much of the time it really doesn’t matter who printed the label you still allow your life to start changing in response to being tagged by it.
I would say that most of your labels aren’t even true. I can hear someone saying, “yes but I am short and have dark hair.” To which I could say shorter than whom and you only have dark hair if you want it. You could always change the color or it could eventually go grey (if that makes you cringe…you could, again, always change the color). Labels keep you stuck in the past. They keep you bound to ideas that you have outgrown. You have taken many steps along your path since they were assigned. Do yourself a favor have a bonfire and torch all of your labels then watch the world open up.
