战胜自我(The Label I Wore)

战胜自我(thelabeliwore)

today,mostofmyfriendswillprobablydescribemeasanoutgoingandsomewhattalkativegirl,displayingherboldnessinstudyaswellasvarioussocialactivities.butseveralyearsago,wheniwasinmiddleschool,thingswerequitetheopposite.despitemyoutstandinggraderecord,ioncebelongedtoagroupthatdemandedlittlenoticeduetomychildhoodpersonality.peoplearoundlabeledmeas"timid",andthatlabel,regardlessofthesomuchbitterfeelingitaroused,hasbecomesomethingofalifetimeinfluenceonme.

asachild,itookaftermymotherandwasquiet,shyandsomewhatclumsyatverbalexpression.theproblem,asioftenreflectedupon,wasnotthatiwasunsociableoreccentric,forallofmyclassmatesandteachersmingledwellwithme.itwasthatiwouldblushandfeeldizzywhenmanypeoplelookedatmeatthesametime.iwassouneasyinpublicthatiaminclinedtoshutmymouth,whichsadlyresultedinmylabel"timidity".

bearingsuchalabelwasanythingbuteasyformetotolerate.everytimeifinallypluckedupenoughcouragetoraisemyhandandtriedtoairmyview,istoodthereonlytofindtherestfiftypairsofeyesfixingonme,allwiththesametraceofsurpriseanddoubtinthemasifaquietpersonlikemewerenotsupposedtotalkinpublic.distressimmediatelyseizedmeandibegantostutter,swallowedupmywellcontrivedspeechandretreatedintomyseat.ifeltabasedandhurt.

neverhadifoundthelabelsoannoyinganddetestableasonthoseoccasions.aninnervoiceagainandagainclatteredinmybrain:yourenotinferiorordull.whycantyoujusttalkfreelylikethetalkative?ifyouwannahaveachange,itsuptoyouyourself.thebiggestobstaclelayinsideme.aslongasicouldovercomemytimidity,therestwouldtakecareofitself.

andinthoseyears,neverhadistoppedthispainstakingyetextremely  rewarding  shift  from  speechlessness  to  verbalstrength.atthebeginning,ipromptedmyselftogivesimpleyesornoquestions.inastepbystepfashion,iwasthensupposedtotalkinlongsentences,todiscussandtopresent.urgedbyaninnerdrive,itookpainswiththetransitionandwitnessedwiththeutmostjoythechangeiwasgoingthrough.  forthefirsttime,ididntfeeluneasyunderpublicattention.forthefirsttime,myresponsetoteachersquestionwasapplauded.irejoicedineverybitofprogressimade.confidencebegantosetrootinmeandi,likeastrayingchildwhocatchessightofhome,wasgraduallyledbacktomymesmerizedeloquence.ifinallyrecoveredwhatihadbeencravingforsolong.

nowyearshavepassedwhenthelabeloftimiditynolongerhauntsme.ifindthisexperiencemostvaluableandinterestinginretrospection.nodoubt,labelingexertsprofoundinfluenceon

individualsdevelopmentandthecommonbeliefisthatpeoplewillliveuptotheirlabels,implyingthatpositivelabelsinspireandencourageuswhereasnegativeonesonlyworsenthesituation.butafterall,nomatterhowdisheartenedorfrustratedwefeelabouttheprejudice,wearethesolemastersofourowndestinies.whyfallvictimstothelabel?asfranklind.rooseveltsaid,"theonlythingwehavetofearisfearitself."thepointistofreeourselvesfromthefearfornegativelabelsandcheerupinsideustheunrelentingwilltooverthrowthem.thelabelissomethingofamirror.aslongasweadjustourselves,thereflectionsinthemirrorwillaltertoo.inthissense,negativelabelingmayaswellbecomesomethingextremelypositiveandrewarding,justasiveexperienced.