As I was listening while cooking eggs and bacon, I heard Les discussing something that caught my full attention.
He was telling a story of being labelled mentally challenged as a child and how this negativity impacted his outlook on himself.
I began thinking back when I was in first grade. The school told my parents and I that I was slow with learning to read and social development. Being placed back into kindergarten was a devastating event and I remember crying over this event.
I did not realize it throughout my life, but this was an event in my early childhood development that created a negative and limiting mindset. I was labeled slow and according to the teachers, I was behind in social interaction with others kids.
This was tough to accept and I believe that I suppressed the feelings associated with it throughout my life.
I also spent much of my younger years constantly battling social anxiety. Something that I have since been able to overcome.
When Les Brown told his story, it hit me. For years, I let that chapter of my life define who I was. Though I moved forward and have been successful, I have not reached my full potential because of a label that someone else gave me.
It's important to remember that the labels that other people give you do not define who you are. You are a unique individual with your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and those are the things that truly make you who you are.
Labels are often used by others to try and categorize people based on certain traits or characteristics, but they can be limiting and inaccurate. It's important to embrace your own identity and not allow others to dictate who you are or what you can achieve.
Instead of accepting the labels that others may try to place on you, focus on your own strengths and qualities. Celebrate your individuality and work towards achieving your own goals and aspirations, regardless of what others may say or think.
Remember that you are in control of your own life, and you have the power to define yourself in your own terms. So don't let other people's labels define you, because you are so much more than any label could ever describe.
