The Label Virus is alive and well and has reached epidemic proportions. In the past few weeks, several experiences have brought my attention (again) to exactly how many people use the Label Virus as an excuse not to do something. I would say literally thousands of people use the Label Virus as an excuse to not be who they are.
Let me share with you one of the events that brought this topic to the forefront yet again. Not long ago I had just finished my “Ice Breaker” speech at the meeting of a Toastmasters group I recently joined. I wore an ankle length skirt with a matching top in one of my favorite colors, purple. And…it matched the purple streak in my hair!
The purpose of the Ice Breaker is to share information about yourself with the other members so they can begin to get to know you. I chose to share my love of singing and my journey from a litany of phrases I heard all my life telling me not to sing to completing my dream of doing a “One Woman Cabaret Show.”
My speech went well but I was surprised at the number of people who, after the meeting, shared with me their similar stories. I heard things like, “I have a terrible voice, so I only sing when I am alone in my car.” “My choir teacher in high school asked me to, please, just mouth the words.” “I sound like a bull frog when I sing.” And the list goes on.
One lady told me a very tragic story. She said she was told as a child she had a terrible voice and so…..she never sang again. She also shared she wore purple for the first speech she did in her club. She lost “first place” by one vote. A man came up to her later and said, “That was a great speech, but I hate purple, so I didn’t vote for you.” She told me she never wore purple again. That was over 20 years ago!
Without going into all the deep psychological stuff and analyzing it to death, one of the main problems for this lady is the Label Virus! This lady had a label she believed and accepted that said “terrible singer.” She had another label that said, “purple loser.” She has a clear case of the Label Virus.
Check and see…..do you carry the Label Virus? Could this possibly be keeping you from what you say you want in life? If your intention is to remove anything that may be blocking you and your success, then remove all those negative labels others or even you have put on you.
Pat Honiotes 10/28/16
