We add labels all the time. We make judgments, label people and ourselves. Even when we face minor inconvenience, we may not hesitate to label it. I remember when I told someone I write blogs; I was labeled to be a spiritual person. Another instance, when I told someone I like to read about influential women, they labeled me as a feminist. That's when I started thinking, are labels bad?
Be it good or bad, labels have an important influence on an individual identity and by large on the society.
Labels can put us in a box. In fact, labeling people for their behavior can limit our scope to know them well. It is important to know where someone comes from before we judge or denounce them for their behavior. Sometimes it is the past experience or just the present situation.
We need to remember that labels are not a person's identity. Labels are made based on a certain perception. It does not define someone. What defines a person is his or her values, different aspects of his or her personality, their work and their experience.
Remember, as said by Colin Wright,
"Labels can only confine. Aspire to be undefinable."
While labeling can sometimes be unavoidable, we can still get through it if we don't let them feed into our minds. Being aware of how labels can affect us is a positive step towards improving ourselves. Before we put a label on ourselves, we need to ask, if we need these labels or are they just holding us back?
We all are unique. Sometimes we all make mistakes, but that doesn't mean we must be hard on ourselves. It means we learn from them. We can always leave behind what we don't like about ourselves.
Remember, words are powerful, the positive labels should not overpower us and the negative labels should not undermine us.
If we have to label, let labels have a positive impact on our life and let us grow.
And why label, and be limited, when we can broaden our perspectives about each other and everything around us and be limitless?