NEVER LABEL YOURSELF, YOU'LL LIMIT YOURSELF

Hello Hapi People! 

It's Friday and it has been an interesting week. I know school is just around the corner for us here in the States - trust me, I am dreading it just as much as you. Unless you're a parent with children in school, then you are probably counting down the days, haha. Well, since I am dreading it, I am putting it out of my mind. However, I am trying to realize that life is happening whether I like it or not. 

Cheery, right? Lol... well, I just mean that I have been struggling with staying positive about the changes in my life. (If you have read past posts, you know what I'm talking about. If not, you can read the About post for this blog here.) Things such as school, my health, etc. Anywho, I'm not going to get into personal issues. Today I am going to reflect, with you, on a positive motto I try to live out in my life. This is just an idea that I think is a positive goal to focus on day to day. Whether you are hapi in life right now or not, I think this is an important conception for everyone. Now, as you know I do not claim to be an expert in anything. However, from experience and passed on wisdom, I have discovered that you should... 

Never label yourself, or you'll limit yourself.

What do I mean by this expression? In order to understand the world around us, we classify everything. At some point in your life you have probably been labeled. You may even label yourself. However, many labels can lead to negative thinking about ourselves. Even positive labels can lead to us obsessing over one aspect of our lives.  I know I have, so I try to make a conscious effort not to label myself as anything. I know from experience that when I became only about one particular aspect of my life, I lost some important relationships. The most important relationship I lost was the one with myself. I still find myself trying to remember things I like on a regular basis - whether I liked them or whether I did just because someone or something told me too.

I know that may sound extreme, but saying that you are a specific profession, certain social group, or whatever you associate yourself as - for example, "I am..." music, my job, my friends, my kids, my significant other - well, saying that is extreme. This idea of "I am" some aspect of your life can lead to full embodiment. Full embodiment means that you surround and involve yourself with a part of your life, so much so, that you become only about it. For many, this is how you become successful. Working hard for something is definitely admirable, but to obsess over it to the point of becoming only about that thing... I think it's unhealthy. Life is all about balance.

I hope what I am saying is making sense. Labeling yourself to the point of fully embodying your label (or labels) can lead to a very negative self image. You are a multifaceted person, and when you cannot live up to the standards of "what you're about", you can start to think negatively about yourself. In order to fit in, or be good enough, you have to be a certain person. Negative self talk begins to creep into your mind; "you're inadequate", "fat", "unlovable", etc. You are limiting yourself and your potential with such negative thoughts. Never ever let anyone tell you these things, or make you feel that way - and anyone includes yourself.

I hope this topic has been helpful. I would love to start a discussion about this and find out if you have struggled with labeling and limiting yourself. Tell the Hapi People how you are doing and your struggles.

Stay Hapi,

Amy