As humans, we label ourselves because it’s easier for our brain when we categorize and put things into buckets. Sometimes these labels inspire us. But more often labels limit our possibilities.
Below is a list of common positive and negative labels.
I am an introvert.
I am an extrovert.
I am a superwoman.
I am a supermom.
I am a superdad.
I am such an idiot.
I am a procrastinator.
I am an addict.
I am an anxious person.
I am fat.
I am strong.
That’s not me.
It’s who I am. I can’t change that.
My go-to labels were always
I’m a procrastinator.
As a procrastinator, I believed I wasn’t capable of sticking to deadlines. When I realized this was only a thought, I changed it to someone that knows how to meet deadlines.
I’m an introvert.
As an introvert, I believed I was not good with people. Instead, I learned that being an introvert is not bad. It just means my energy comes from myself. This allowed me to move out of my comfort zone and enjoy being in the company of others. I make it a point of going to networking and other social events.
Regardless of how much money I earn, I always have $2,000, $200, or $20. It’s always a 2.
What about $200,000 or $2 million? I used this label to create the obstacle, “I could never earn more than $2000.” Rather than the possibility of more.
When we self-label we put ourselves in categories of good and bad; positive and negative. But labels are subjective. They are just thoughts. Yet, the more we believe these labels are true, the more we believe they are fact and therefore not possible to inspire growth and change in us. The good news is that if labels are only our thoughts, we can change them because we control our thoughts.
If the label you take on is a positive one that inspires you to move forward, then go out there and rock it out.
But, if the label is an obstacle holding you back – you can instead self-label with one that inspires growth and forward movement.
P.S. Do you have obstacles keeping you from moving forward and taking action? Join me and get started on your own results journey. Learn how thinking differently creates different results. Reach out to schedule a consult and learn how we can work together. Contact info: (office) 305-445-0477, (cell) 786-623-8344, or emy@coralgablescounseling.com
