Beyond The Labels: How To Embrace Your Authentic Self
?? Emma Goode - More Digits On Your Bottom Line ??
Founder of award-winning 24 fingers | The UK's Top Digital Marketing Adviser, as voted for by Enterprise Nation | Vodafone Digital Adviser | Official Facebook Trainer | Buddhist | Mum | Essex Girl |
This weekend, I found out something about myself that has taken me no less than 48 and ? years to discover.
Apparently, I have cankles*. Until the nice lady at the ski shop told me, I'd been absolutely oblivious to this fact. I'd always thought I had quite nice ankles actually. With me being a 'special case', modifications would need to be made, she forewarned me.
This got me thinking.
Was I going to let this label define me? Should I just simply disregard *adds hair flick for flourish*, or was there something to learn from this unsolicited labelling?
I took some time to reflect.
And chose to ignore.
Cankles don't affect how I care for my son, or my clients, how kind I am, how hard I work. The only thing they affect is which ski boots suit me best (take a bow Nordica , saviour of cankled ladies everywhere ??).
I'm all for reflection, contemplation and taking advice on board but unrequested labels? I can choose which ones to wear and which ones to ditch. I've come to the conclusion that when we label somebody, verbally or otherwise, it actually says quite a lot more about us than them. Human nature I guess, but maybe some of us don't need to know (or even care) about the label others choose to give us for whatever reason.
Trying to disprove or live up to somebody else's label is fruitless and quite frankly, pretty tiring. Much more empowering to decide which qualitities to focus on, and double down on those bad girls ??
*Cankles, for those of you who don't have them, is a sexy fusion of calf and ankle.
Experienced Graphic Designer | Digital Marketing, Beauty, Packaging, Magazines, Publishing, Editorial
2 年I never tire of your kindness, inner strength and wit, Emma. Never stop being you. “Supposed cankles” and all… x
Social Research & Evaluation | Facilitation | Strategy. Supporting organisations to create social & environmental impact through participatory approaches and collaborative learning.
2 年How did that person get a role in customer service?! I hope you tried the boots on in the shop and then ordered them online! On a more serious point, I completely agree that the labels are more about the labeller than the labelled but it's still easy to take them to heart. I wonder how we can all build resilience of the kind you talk about - I'd have loved to have that skill as a teenager in particular.