Labels R Us

 First let me premise this post by apologizing for my absence last week.  Fall semester has started and I was wrapped up in getting prepared for my classes.  Now that we have addressed that issue, we can move on to today’s topic: Labels.

At 17 years old I decided to become an accountant and everyone, including myself, labeled me as the future accountant.  Some even imagined the wealth I would acquire during that career.  I attached the label “Accountant” because it combined my love of math and tracking money; however, I neglected to consider whether or not it could be my passion.

During my sophomore year of school, I began to question the label. Did it fit me, my goals, and my preferences? In spite of all doubts, I hesitated to update the label. It had become ingrained in my skin, my thoughts, and my way of being.

For three years the “Accountant” label misrepresented my interests and what I wanted to offer to the world. One day I decided that I was done trying to convince myself that accounting is right for me.  Once I made the change there was some backlash from family as well as increased uncertainty about my future.  Despite these drawbacks I have never been happier or more comfortable with uncertainty.

You will come to points in your life where the labels you once affixed to yourself no longer reflect you.  In these moments challenge yourself to be honest about your feelings. The late theologian/ activist Howard Thurman once said:

There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls.

This quote describes how I felt for years wearing the accounting label and some of you may feel the same way.   If you decide that a change is necessary, plot the steps to arrive at your new desired destination. Go towards this goal and do not allow the daze of fear to hinder your progress to it.

 Labels are useful when they accurately portray what something is. If yours is out of date, change it.  No, the Federal Trade Commission will not investigate you for false advertising  if you misrepresent your interests, but happiness may elude you if you do.

The journey from clueless to capable starts with knowing yourself. Find the internal guide that Howard Thurman suggests everyone possess.