Do You Buy Into Labels?
by Susan Russo

"Once you label me you negate me." -Soren Kierkegaard

When you were growing up do you remember the labels people would put on you or other kids? Even teachers and parents would label kids and typically those labels stuck like glue throughout their lives.

I'm sure you've seen small children hide their face when you say "hi" to them. I cringe every time I hear a parent say, "Oh he/she's shy," as if the kid is shy and deaf too!

When talking about their kids I've heard parents say, "Oh he/she's the smart one, or so-and-so is the athletic one, or this one is lazy and that one's our helper.

OMG...don't people get it? Can't they hear themselves? Don't they realize how they are setting their kids up to fail? Children are so impressionable and of course they believe their parents.

It's so sad to watch a classmate be labeled nerd, snob, bitch, slut, loser, fatso, shy one and on and on. These labels sadly define that child's experience throughout their school years and not only causes a daily silent misery but it irreparably whittles away at their self esteem.

Can you imagine for one second if it were you who had to endure such cruelty instead of them? Not to mention how alone they must feel.

Unfortunately for some this kind of labeling continues its stranglehold into adulthood. These children grow up carrying around these labels and suffer with issues and insecurities throughout their lifetime. And, they don't realize how little they deserve it.

When you buy into the labels that people have pinned on you, you never live up to your full potential and you allow other people to determine how you live your life. Worse yet, you may start to believe them yourself.

Don't ever let anyone define you to be any less than who you truly are; a capable, strong, loving, caring, wonderful soul who has the potential to be, have or do anything.

People can call you names but it's up to you whether you answer to that name or not.

Albert Einstein didn't speak until he was 4 years old and didn't read until he was 7. I'm sure they called him stupid! Thomas Edison's teacher said he was too stupid to learn anything. Winston Churchill failed sixth grade and Isaac Newton did very poorly in grade school!

I know people whose parents have belittled them, told them they would never amount to anything, they weren't good enough and if I can't love you who can. The pain is still so palpable when speaking with them that it makes we want to cry and breaking these beliefs can take a lifetime.

So the next time you hear someone put anyone else down stop them in their tracks. The next time you tell yourself you're not good enough, the next time you walk around with that old, worn out lie around your neck, rip it off, rip it up and throw away the garbage that other people fed you long ago.

Know deep down inside that you are who YOU say you are, not what others say you are. Know that you have people who love you and believe you are special to them. And without you, their lives wouldn't be the same. Know that no one and no thing can ever define you unless you give them permission.

Go out today and celebrate that you can finally have a relationship with your true self. The self that has the potential to be and feel so much more and who can let go of the suffering that these labels have imposed on you.

Rejoice in your light because the truth is we are love, we are special in so many different ways and only we can choose whether we buy into the labels or not.


Warm wishes…Susan

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