You Are Not a Label. Neither Is Anyone Else.

Or maybe none...

Humans love labels.

She’s lazy. Or stupid. Or both.

He’s brilliant. A genius.

They’re difficult.

But the truth is people are processes.

A process of constant change.

We’re always in motion.

Always learning. Always shifting.

Neuroplasticity exists for a reason. Our brains literally rewire with every experience.

Yet we tend to label people based on our first impression. That’s why people say it’s so important. But this entire process is wrong on so many levels.

I’ve seen this many, many times. Too many to rewire my brain and stop labeling.

I've seen how one and the same person is a top performer in one team and a leader.

The next day they changed the team and the leader, and guess what?

Bottom 10%.

So which one is it? A fuckup or a high achiever?

And who decides? And who is to blame?

Truth is neither is valid. Or permanent.

We change.

Change is the only constant thing in life. And so it's valid for humans.

And yet…we crave completeness.

We want to make fast decisions about most things.

It feels unnatural to stay indecisive and leave it open to change.

So we label. Before we even get a glimpse of the full picture.

A technique I use:

1. Observe your thoughts like an external viewer.

   Detach. Watch what your mind is doing. Are you labeling humans, animals, objects?

2. Spot the label.

   Each time you reduce someone to a single word, pause.

3. Ask:

   “Is that person really equal to that label?”

   Or are they just in a process of becoming someone (not something) else?

Tomorrow, they will be someone new.

And so will you.

Because that’s the purpose of life: it’s never about what you achieve, it’s all about who you become.

And remember to have a GUT time in the process!

Yana

P.S. Like it? Hate it? Drop me a comment either way. I’d love to be challenged.