Labels

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “labels”? For me, I immediately think of Republicans and Democrats or conservatives and liberals. There seems to be a label for everything that most people identify themselves as. One might say, “I am…” and add to it, “a liberal, “a republican”, “a Baptist”, “introverted”, “extroverted”, “an accountant”, “a salesperson”, “straight”, “gay”, “single”, “taken”, “educated”, etc.

The problem with labels is that they are somewhat limiting and don’t have to define us. To say I’m liberal is to say that I believe whatever it is that liberals believe. I’ve limited myself in who I am, what I stand for, and also how people may perceive me. Not that it really matters what others think, but what matters is what you stand for and how that impacts your purpose.

It is important to me that every person I interact with knows that I am coming from a place of love and compassion. If they see that I’ve made a statement about myself saying that I’m liberal, I’m baptist, I’m well-educated, I’m an accountant, etc. then they have created judgments based on that information and not based on who I really am as a person. It is a need of mine to connect with others honestly and openly in a way that I can impact them positively but also so that I may learn and grow as a person myself. It doesn’t feel open and honest when I show up with all of these labels of myself.

My challenge for you and for myself is to not attach any labels to ourselves and to just be who we want to be. We are all just energy, fluid, ever-changing beings with so much potential for growth and awakening that will lead us to that elusive feeling of peace and content.