Recently I wrote an article and then made a video presentation of I Am Not a “Label” — Being Our Own Best Cheerleader. In the introduction of the article, I shared how I became aware of how the remnants and the effects of a “label” distracted me. I then went on to speak about the concept of “label” and how “labels” can affect and impact the lives of individuals.
After writing, publishing and creating a video presentation a good friend helped me to consider the question: Are You “Anchored to” and “Limited By” the Label of “Brain Injury”?
After writing and publishing the article, I shared the article and video presentation with several Facebook Groups, on LinkedIn, and on Twitter. In response to posting the article and video presentation, I received several comments thanking me and for the contents of the article. Comments telling me that content of the article and video presentation helped them. Helped them to understand the limits of a “label”.
“One of the comments, from a very good friend of mine, encouraged me to begin to look at “things” in a different way. In a way, that would no longer “anchor” me to the impact of a “label”.
Let me explain. In the article that I wrote in May of 2010, included in I Am Not a “Label” — Being Our Own Best Cheerleader, I shared that I no longer wanted to identify, individuals such as myself, as traumatic brain injury survivors. At the time of writing the article in May 2010, I said that I would start referring to individuals, like myself, as individuals living with brain injuries. In the comment that I received from my friend, he helped me to see that I had, in reality, replaced one label, with another label. From “brain injury survivors” to “individuals living with brain injuries”. My friend helped me to realize that by identifying myself with a brain injury, that I was still, in effect, identifying myself with a brain injury.
By doing so, I anchored and limited who I am to my brain injury.
As I thought about what my friend shared with me, I thought about a quote. I thought about the quote in the context of what I need to do differently. I realized that I needed to look at the way that I identified myself. I realized that I need to stop identifying myself with my brain injury. Not that I deny the impact of my brain injury, but that I stop anchoring and limiting myself to the beliefs often associated with the “label” of brain injury. What my friend encouraged me to do is to stop referring to myself as an individual living with the impact of a brain injury. What my friend helped me to realize was that I could cut the “rope” that keeps me tied, anchored and limited to the “label” of “brain injury” and consider the immensity of possibilities.
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
You have my permission to share my articles and or video presentations with anyone you believe could benefit, however, I maintain ownership of the intellectual property AND my articles, video presentations and eBooks are not to be considered OPEN SOURCE. Please also provide a link back to Second Chance to Live. In the event that you have questions, please send those questions to me. All questions are good questions. I look forward to hearing from you. Copyright 2007 -2017.
brettbum says
Excellent and love that Antoine de Saint-Exupery quote at the end of the article!
Second Chance to Live says
Thank you Brett. I agree. I like that quote too. Thank you for your kind encouragement, my friend. Hope you are doing well. Godspeed to you Brett. Craig
Valmai Muckow says
This is a good article. I to feel the anchor is holding me back. It’s nice to know the rope is there when we need it but we have to learn to swim again! I could read more of your articles because you have brought out to my attention how we limit ourselves with labels. Thank you!!! Val
Second Chance to Live says
Thank you Valmai. I agree. We are not our brain injuries. We are so much more. I agree. It is good that we have a support system that encouraged you and I to not give up. Keep moving. More will be revealed with time. Thank you for leaving a comment and for what you shared with me. Have a pleasant and peaceful rest of your day. Craig
Ken Collins says
Good Job Craig – You are a light in the darkness for many people with brain injuries. Keep on the LIGHT!
Second Chance to Live says
Thank you, Ken. Shine on too, my friend. Craig
Jeff Shaw says
Very true!
I too am struggling with this very thing. So I had better write something.
I am a Tradesman of over 2 Trades and with over 25yrs experience. Then I had a Stroke!
It damaged my Cerabellum, fine movement and my speech and Balance.
The Stroke has only really affected the physical out puts of my Brain. I struggle to control the muscles in my mouth to talk
I still think the same but not as much at once now, still problem solve the same.
Same memory! But I can’t talk out loud to tell u this.
I am Labled as a TBI or ABI Suffer/Suviver.
So after u are labled, no one will give u any much thought anymore. Some how everything now is good enough, he won’t notice. It’s good enough for him etc.
Everyone thinks u don’t notice things because u don’t say anything. We all take our time to get around to noticing most things. It can take us Days.
I must stop
Oh the point, I’m sitting there , way more qualified in doing something than the Support Worker u are with. But because u have a ABI or TBI. Nothing much is expected from u. U are useless, unless u say something. But if u can’t talk? Around we go!
Jeff
Second Chance to Live says
Hi Jeff,
Thank you so very much for writing to me and for what you shared with me. I understand. What I have found is that no matter how much I say, which I have said a lot — through my nearly 1600 articles, 313 video presentations, and 10 eBooks — over the nearly 10 years many people still want to keep me in a “box”. The “box” of a label and a stereotype. Societal Stigmatization keeps me in the “box” or seeks to keep me in the box, but the good news is that I have realized that I do not have to stay in the “box”. Sounds like you, like me, have come to realize that you still are the same person you were before your stroke and ABI.
You have just found that you are now limited in ways. What I discovered through my recovery process is that, although I have limitations those limitations do not have to limit me. What I discovered was that although I may not be able to do somethings anymore, I can learn how to do those things in other ways. I can learn to think and live out of the “box” of other people’s expectations of the label that they may want to place on me. Having this awareness gave me tremendous hope Jeff. Although I had been deemed to be unemployable after 2 Department of Vocational Rehabilitation evaluations and declared disabled by the Social Security Administration, I still had a desire to be of service.
So I set out to find ways to use my gifts, talents, and abilities in ways that would work for me. To read about my process of finding my way to using my gifts, talents, and abilities click on these links: https://secondchancetolive.org/2013/09/24/back-story-of-second-chance-to-live-part-1-the-process/ and https://secondchancetolive.org/2013/09/25/back-story-second-chance-to-live-part-2-process/. To watch the video presentations of the 2 Part article, you may click on these links: https://youtu.be/9GYZdIqfEqI and https://youtu.be/9GYZdIqfEqI. What I discovered was that although I was told I was unemployable and disabled, I found hope. A way to create hope in my life and be of service Jeff.
Although you may have people in your life that do not “believe” in you, the reality is that you can still believe in you. What I discovered was that my passions did not die because of my brain injury. What I discovered was that I just needed to find a way to express myself, in ways that would work for me. My suggestion would be that you search for ways to use your passions through your gifts, talents, and abilities in ways that will work for you. Work for you given your awareness of how your limitations may limit you in the way that you used to express your passions. What do you think Jeff? Any questions, ask. All questions are good questions and welcomed.
I will say so long for now.
Make it an awesome day my friend.
Craig