If you had to wear a warning label, what would yours say? Mine would say that I am an intense, strong and emotional woman. What you may not know is that I am proud of my warning label and it is true. It use to be if someone told me I was intense or strong or emotional, that I would react and feel bad about myself. I saw those three character traits as something negative, especially the intense one. For me I imagined that intense meant hard to be with, unloveable or even difficult. So I saw it as a huge insult and as something that was wrong with me.
The truth is I am intense, strong and emotional. It is what makes me who I am. If I was not intense, I could not have accomplished all that I have. If I was not a strong woman, I would have given up ages ago when things got really hard or even every time they are difficult now. Yes I am emotional. I affected by others joy, sadness, fear or other emotion. I connect with others on an emotional level. That is what makes me a great coach. Yes, those motivational videos make me cry every time and I love it because my heart is filled with joy and hope.
So is it really a warning label or an acknowledgement of those traits? I know that if you are called something and you react to it in a negative way, you might want to look and see why. Most of the time is is our shadow side. That means it is a behavior that we have that we don’t want to acknowledge because we see it as negative. Once I realized that my warning label was actually what makes me successful and propels me forward, I stopped reacting to it.
My challenge to you is to discover your warning label and start to embrace those qualities that make you who you are today.
Excellent article, thank you! Today, my warning label would have said: “Be nice to her; at the end of her rope.”
Normally, I think it would say “Stand up and take charge!”
(Except at 4:17 pm. At 4:17 pm it says: Feed chocolate or don’t expect any more work today!)
My label would be strong, hard worker and supporter. Thanks for sharing this exercise. Anita