Day 19 Self Love February:

Labels aren’t all bad. They’re used to identify people of the social economical group, what part of the family unit you are, ethnic backgrounds, government affiliates, sexual orientation, etc.

For instance, at work, my rank (label) as Master Sailor Norton, people automatically know a few things about me:

• I’m a junior NCM
• I’m in the Navy
• I’ve likely been in for 8-15 years
• I’m likely in a junior leadership role with subordinates

What doesn’t it tell you?

• My age
• My gender/sexual orientation/preferred pronouns
• If I’m regular or reserve force
• My trade
• My military experience

See where I’m going with this? Now, another label for me could be bisexual; so some things you can assume about me is that I like the same gender and I belong to the LGBTQ+ community.

However, the perception of the label can be skewed by the person. For instance, if someone doesn’t agree with my sexual orientation, they may label me with something not as nice.

Another way to assign labels is with brands.

I remember, YEARS ago now – like, we’re talking 18-20 years ago – we went on a trip to Toronto. One of the things we wanted to do was get a Mustang convertible and drive down to Niagara Falls. We didn’t actually get the Mustang that day due to the rental company screw up, but we did get it later during the trip. We loved it; top down, music blaring…. and so many strangers talking to us about our car. We had another Mustang driver pull up beside us at a light and start chatting. Having a Mustang was an automatic membership to a club we didn’t know existed.

And we’ve seen it with other vehicles – Jeeps have this unspoken club, as well as motorcycles – Harley is a perfect example, but even when we had our Versys, it was this automatic club we belonged to because of the brand – the label – we associated with.

This is why kids are so obsessed with brands – whether they are conscious of this or not – they recognize that certain labels have them accepted by certain cliques. That certain brands were/are a status symbol.

So what are your labels?

Mine are: wife, daughter, sister, friend, survivor, warrior, mental health advocate, cat mom, depression sufferer, military couple, writer, artist, environmentalist, geek, movie lover, music lover, open minded, intuitive, empathetic, spiritualist, Buddhist witch… honestly, the list can go on and on!