DanaAtkin

It’s funny how we feel the need to define things. To give them labels and names and ideas based on our perceptions and influences.

But what if we were to not define things, but simply let them be as they are, not what they are?

What if we were no longer labelled as a wife, as a mother, as a daughter or father or son? What if we were no longer known as a lawyer or gardener or runner or artist? How would you define yourself? Would you define yourself?

I’ve written about the mantra “I Am.”  a couple of times before You can find them here and here.)

I found myself pondering what to write, and I typed a few titles to begin with but nothing really felt right and none of them really felt like they went with the content of what I was about to type and in not knowing what to call this entry, I found my entry in it’s self.

As soon as I give an article a title, I feel constrained by it. My article needs to stick with that title, it needs to reflect that title and it should ultimately be all about that title. But notice how this also applies to each title or label we give the people in our lives (ourselves included) and notice how each of them has a set of “expectations” of behaviour, or qualities required in order to live up to that label.

Be careful when you define yourself or others by a label or a title. Be sure that you’ve allowed yourself the freedom to also sway from the pre-determined expectations of that title if you choose it. Also, give others the same freedom to sway from their own titles and labels because they too have set themselves the task of conforming to a pre-determined set of expectations that may not fit with who they really are.

When you find yourself all caught up in the labels and expectations, refer back to the mantra “I am.” Full stop. End of sentence. You are. And that, is more than enough.