Breaking Free from Labels: Rediscovering the True You
Welcome, everyone to another Episode of our Exploration Hour! My name is Kate and I use this space to take us on an audio journey of discovery and exploration with you all. Now I took a much needed break these last few months, exploring, trying new things, new adventures, new challenges, and I am so excited to be back to reconnect with you all, dive in deeper, and to create new discoveries again together too. Now if you’re new here Welcome! If you are returning, welcome back! I’m so excited to be back here again with you all. This space might look a little different than it did before, and hopefully, as we grow again in this space together, it WILL look different in the future too— Be cause we are creating this together, right now, right here and simply because we’ve evolving and exploring things together, especially ourselves.
So what is The Exploration Hour, and what does that mean? So, usually we use this time to reflect on a quote of the day, dive deeper in and apply it to our day, our week, or our lives. Sometimes we get nerdy into the science of life, the universe and our place in it, and sometimes we explore those universes within, but almost always we discover something together. Inwards, outwards, or it all. Also— this space is an interactive one, so if you want to jump in, add some points of view, share your experiences, I encourage you all to do so. Now I know it can be scary to jump up here and get vulnerable and share, but So many people can benefit from your perspective, your lived experiences, and things that you have to share, so don’t be shy and feel free to come up and share this space with me.
Today, and into this week, we're diving into a topic that touches all of us: labels. You know, those words and phrases we stick to ourselves—sometimes willingly, sometimes not. Maybe you’ve called yourself ‘shy,’ ‘lazy,’ ‘not good enough,’ or even something positive like ‘the responsible one’ or ‘the strong one.’ But here's the thing: labels can be both comforting and limiting.
Today’s quote is from none other than Carl Jung. Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychologist and pioneering evolutionary theorist who founded the school of analytical psychology. He is well known for analytical thinking, and especially self reflection, and I wanted to highlight a quote from him today because of his well developed work in discovering and nurturing the sense of self and individualism.
Carl Jung once said, ‘The world will ask you who you are, and if you don’t know, the world will tell you.’
Now Carl Jung had a very divisive upbringing, where he developed a certain sense of self-awareness and this level of self-awareness started out as an acknowledgement of self and because of this, he also knew the capacity for change was all within him as well. Example being— When Carl Jung was in primary school, he was knocked out by another boy, and he then made the assumption that school was going to knowck him out and make him faint. So Carl Jung, as a young boy, developed an association of consciousness around his ability to go to school and interact around schoolwork, his peers, and studying. It was absolutely debilitating for him, and his fainting spells were only associated with school and schoolwork.
Then the labels came flooding out, he was a sick child, that he was not right in the mind, he was labeled as peculiar, lazy, a liar, faking it, he was tested for epilepsy and thought to be a sickly child, and that he would never amount to anything—and it wasn’t until he overheard these conversations his father was having about him and his condition, that he acknowledged this association of fainting with schoolwork, and also acknowledged that the power to change it was within him as well. Carl Jung, instead of accepting his labels and his strange circumstance, locked himself in a library and studied latin and fainted over and over again to overcome something that later would help him define the unconscious self, the power of our minds, and more.
We have to be careful with words, with labels, Sometimes we tell ourselves the wrong story before the world even gets a chance to impart it’s labels on us too.
Labels are mental shortcuts. They help us make sense of the world quickly, and our brains love efficiency. But when it comes to self-labeling, we often over-identify with certain traits, creating a narrative that shapes our lives or protects us from fears, either imagined or real. For Carl Jung it was that schoolwork made him shut life down. Research in psychology shows that labels can become self-fulfilling prophecies. If you believe you’re ‘bad at math,’ your brain will naturally steer you away from math-related activities, reinforcing the belief.
Let’s take a moment. I want you to think about a label you’ve been carrying for a while. What’s the first one that pops into your head? [Pause for reflection] Now, ask yourself:
* Where did this label come from?
* Is it still serving me?
* If not, what’s one label I could replace it with?
If you’re listening later, feel free to jot it down. For those with me now, drop it in the chat or just sit with it for a moment.
So now that we recognize some labels and where they’re coming from—how do we let go of these limiting labels? Science offers a few clues:
* Neuroplasticity: Our brains are constantly changing. Even if you’ve told yourself for years that you’re ‘not confident,’ your brain can rewire itself through intentional practice.
* Mindfulness and Self-Awareness: A study published in Frontiers in Psychology showed that mindfulness reduces the impact of negative self-labeling by increasing present-moment awareness. When you notice a limiting thought, pause, and observe it without judgment.
* Behavioral Experiments: Try acting against the label. If you think, "I'm not social," challenge that by starting a conversation with someone. Each small action rewires your brain.
Instead of letting the world—or an old belief—define you, why not choose empowering labels? Here are some ideas:
* Instead of “I’m anxious,” try “I’m working on my courage.”
* Replace “I’m not creative” with “I’m curious and exploring.”
* Instead of “I’m not good enough,” say “I’m evolving.”
Labels are meant to be flexible, not final.
Next, I invite you to think of a new label you’d like to wear, just for today. Maybe it’s 'learner,' 'kind friend,' or 'adventurer.' What label would you like to give yourself right now?
Take a deep breath, write it down, and carry it with you today.
As we close, I want to leave you with a thought : The labels we choose, or reject, shape our stories. and our lives. Choose them wisely, with compassion, and with the knowledge that they can always change.
Thank you for being here today, and remember: you are more than any label you’ve ever been given or that you’ve given yourself. You’re a complex, beautiful soul and you are worthy simply because you exist.
