And on the current season, one of the cast member’s title is “Motivational Speaker.” Now this dude is anything but motivational. It’s quite a contrast, between his title and his actions.
Coincidentally (or, you know, not), I recently came across this quote:
“Were I to crown myself King, should I be King? Rather should I be an object of disgust or pity.”
[Austin Osman Spare]
The words echo: “Were I to crown myself King.” How often do you choose the labels you want? Sometimes, often – pronouns come to mind. It’s your right to choose your pronoun, no one else’s. (If you wanna fight me on this, just unsubscribe now.)
Other times, you take on labels from others – employer’s job titles, for example.
Then there’s those tricky ones in between.
The ones you’re trained into as a kid. “Procrastinator,” “workaholic,” “too serious,” “too silly,” all labels you probably didn’t choose for yourself.
Or the ones you know belong to you, but you struggle to say.
Maybe it’s something you want to be. Or know you’re growing into. Maybe it’s something you’ve always been, but have been afraid of what other people would think. (*cough* like “psychic.”)
For me, putting “psychic” on my work profiles was hard. That’s why I put it there. It’s my edge boundary – if I can put “psychic” out there as a title, literally any other title I might reasonably consider will feel fine. And it took years of many people calling the work I do “psychic AF” for me to even consider it.
Because as the quote continues, “…should I be King? Rather should I be an object of disgust or pity.” You have to live up to your label, or suffer the wrath of those who see you wrongfully wearing it. Like, say, an insensitive Motivational Speaker. Just for example.
But you, because you’re here, are not likely the insensitive motivational speaker type. You’re far more likely struggling to wear the label that feels overwhelming, scary … and also amazing. And deep down, true.
What would it feel like to try on that label just for a little while?
What part of you might it set free?