Things were slow when I was at work at the running store a few weeks ago, so I decided to have the guys take a video of me running barefoot on the treadmill. It had been about a year and a half since I last saw my feet running and I was just curious to see what I looked like running.
I was shocked when I saw flex in both ankles. I knew I had a slight tendency to overpronate in my right foot, but my colleagues agreed that I needed to switch to a light stability shoe. I’ve identified myself as a neutral runner for years, ever since I had my first formal running shoe fitting in January of 2011. The thought of having to give up my beloved Glycerins threw me through a loop for a day or two.
I got to thinking about why switching from being a neutral runner to needing a stability shoe even made me bat an eye. Since being a runner is such a big part of how I identify myself, somehow being a neutral runner had also become part of my identity. It’s funny how something that isn’t good or bad, like pronation, can come to feel like a part of who you are.
When someone asks who you are, you might be tempted to answer “a mother” or “a runner” or your occupation, but we are so much more than those labels. I am more than the sum of the adjectives that describe me: I am all of them, but at the same time, I am none of them.
I’m trying to move away from the labels, especially the ones that tell me who I think I should be instead of who I am. Yoga and meditation help: the mindfulness that comes from focusing on breath and physical sensation instead of thoughts running through my head. Freeing myself from the pressure of labels is helping me find who I really am and what really makes me happy.
When was the last time you had a major paradigm shift?
What labels do you hang on to?
Have you ever redefined who you are?
Great post. It’s amazing how strongly we hold on to those descriptors.
Thanks, E! 🙂
I think that I am in the opposite boat from you, and I had a huge paradigm shift when i finally was able to describe myself as something!
For so long, I was a bit of everything (and I still am) but now I am a marketing director, and I am a runner (with regards to career and sport). For so long I was a b c d e f and g, and when people asked me what I did (especially when I was still a waitress struggling to get a job in my master’s field), I actually got to the point that I would just look at Alex and get him to answer!
When people ask me where I am from, it is never a one word answer.
This reminds me of my post that I did for Prana–the fact that I am this but that. I always have been.
LABELS CAN”T BE TYING ME DOWN
Great point! Labels do help us understand things, so to some point, having a label to put on yourself is good because it allows others to begin to understand you–it’s just trouble when you let it become who you are. 🙂 Keep being an amalgam of lots of labels/things, beautiful!
I could go ON and ON about labels. I will try not to. I think it’s good to move away from them, or not to latch on to one. Because then people only think of you as one thing, and… well, people can think what they want, but it hurts when people only see you in one light.
What is odd though, is I see people wanting to be labeled as certain things SO bad. Like runner. Or vegan (or whatever type of eating), because of the way they want people to think about them. So I guess it boils down to do what makes you happy and drop the labels! LOL! The only one I use from time to time IS vegan, so I can explain what I eat and don’t 😉
I can definitely see where labels like vegan can be helpful. I know you don’t do this, but wanting to fit into a label really badly can definitely lead to trouble when you let that label define you. Thanks for sharing your perspective! 🙂
Mindfulness is so important. Great post about labels…I don’t think I’ve ever thought to label myself a certain way…I don’t like to fix into boxes or conform to what society thinks or wants me to be. And being an African American female there’s always going to be someone who wants to label me…I guess that’s another story. But I’ve kind of always been a free spirit that way, I guess. I try not to let “being a runner” define who I am. It’s a part of my life and health and fitness is a huge passion of mine. I also think being a fitness instructor has contributed even more to that in recent years. But it’s all about balance in life and having other interests as well that make you a well rounded person.
Chelsea, I feel like you have such a great outlook on pretty much everything. Keep on focusing on being you and teaching the rest of us how to do the same. 🙂
I am more than the sum of my parts. This is so great. I know I have identified myself as a triathlete for years but this summer when I was pregnant with my son I was too sick to race or train and I really had to re-identify myself.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been thinking about that a lot as my hubby and I are thinking more about having a baby. I’m glad to know I won’t be the only one having those feelings if/when I do get pregnant!
I could write pages on this topic. It took an eating disorder to let go of labeling myself vegan. Great read.
Thanks, Jill! If you ever do write pages on this topic, I will definitely read them. 🙂