How are you labelling yourself today ?
– or this year ?
– or this lifetime ?
I once worked for civil engineers and we had a little picture of a crane that we used on presentations. What do you think that crane picture was saved on the computer server as?
“Crane picture” perhaps?
No, it was actually called “Derek”.
Huh? I can hear your confusion from here. I couldn’t agree more.
The crane picture had been named Derek some years back because the man who originally drew it was called Derek, and the name had just stuck. People no longer referred to it as ‘the crane picture’ but simply as ‘Derek’, even though it really wasn’t a particularly suitable, or useful, or even vaguely descriptive title.
In that moment that the crane picture was originally saved to the server, the person who called it Derek simply needing to label it, didn’t for even a second realise how longstanding the impact would be of calling the picture that.
So, when you label yourself or others as something, you are doing exactly the same thing.
Is there a label you have given yourself which, no matter how outdated and incorrect it may be, you still believe of yourself? In that moment of labelling yourself, what image have you created for yourself, and of yourself? Did you once call yourself ‘lazy’ for not tidying your room (when you were a teenager), and yet now, even though you are highly motivated, do you still on some level believe yourself to be lazy?
How does that effect how you see yourself?
What impact does that have on you in other aspects of your life?
You may work very hard not to be lazy but because of that one incorrect label, it may still haunt you and sit at the back of your mind, which just isn’t very fair on you. Take a moment to think about what labels you may have given yourself that have not been updated. Do this in fairness to yourself so that you can re-name those labels and enjoy the freedom of spirit that comes with that change. ‘Lazy’? No! Actually, it should be ‘Motivated’.
How you label yourself (or how you assume a parent, partner, or significant other has labelled you in the past) has an impact on your overall self-image and consequently on your self-esteem and success in life. Make sure you are keeping the highest image of yourself in your mind to support you through your journey in life. Your labels should be updated, current, useful and helpful.
Make sure that your labels reflect who you truly are, and want to be!
The beginning of the year is a prime opportunity for you to make this change. Set the intention that now, and for the rest of this year, that you’re going to do that and see how positively life-changing it can be.