It seems I am a collector of labels.
I have an anxiety one, an impostor one, a fear one, a trauma one, an ACE one, an adult child of an Alcoholic one , a sister one , a daughter one, a wife one , a mother one , a friend one , etc, etc, etc.
The one I hated with a passion was when I was labelled with Fibromyalgia and then another label CFS. I remember feeling so angry; why me? What’s that all about? As I angrily made a vow ‘I’m not going to let this define me. I was told at the time when I was diagnosed with these chronic conditions that I would probably end up in a wheelchair, with no quality of life and not to expect too much. I clearly remember sitting on the edge of the consultation couch looking at the leaflet and the description.
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain.
It’s not life-threatening or progressive but it can still have a major impact on your quality of life.
Such a simple sentence that didn’t equate to the feelings of loss and grief that I had at that time.
It didn’t describe the nights that I sat on the edge of the bed in the spare room as I couldn’t bear even the weight of the covers on my body, the pain was so great. It didn’t say anything about losing my job because my employers had lost faith that I could do the job required. It didn’t mention about my relationship crashing through the floor as my husband struggled to come to terms with the fact that his wife who ‘never’ let anything stop her or hadn’t got the solution to a problem turn into a person who couldn’t hardly string two words together as her brain fog was all encompassing. It didn’t say about people’s perplexed look and the sound of exasperation as I said ‘I can’t’ or, ‘I don’t know’ before collapsing in tears.
Such a simple sentence and underneath lay the label of devastation.
Since that time, I have spent my life collecting new labels.
My health is at the heart of my decision making, I believe in myself, I’m ‘ok’ as I am, today I have done my best. I am less anxious, I have worked hard to understand my sense of self, I am resilient, I am strong, I am kind, I can admit when I need help and support.
To get your labels on the table and find out who you are, takes, courage, vulnerability, trust, support from others, and belief that things can change, this too will pass and trust from your lowest point great things will grow.
Labels shouldn’t define us; we don’t belong in a box because other people have told us and taught us that we have limitations. We have no limits, the only limits we have are the labels that we give and accept about ourselves.
I hope that this blog has opened up your thoughts to what else is possible, we live in a world of infinite possibilities and just have to take courage and conviction with us, it is a skill that once learnt cannot be undone.
If you have been affected by any of the content in this blog and you would like to reach out for support, please get in touch with one of our practitioners at the clinic. Click here to book your 30 minute discovery call.