战胜自我(The Label I Wore)

详细内容

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战胜自我(thelabeliwore)

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

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

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

neverhadifoundthelabelsoannoyinganddetestableasonthoseoasions.aninnervoiceagainandagainclatteredinmybrain:you'renotinferiorordull.whycan'tyoujusttalkfreelylikethetalkative?ifyouwannahaveachange,it'suptoyouyourself.thebiggestobstaclelayinsideme.aslongasicouldoveremytimidity,therestwouldtakecareofitself.

andinthoseyears,neverhadistoppedthispainstakingyetextremely  rewarding  shift  from  speechlessness  to  verbalstrength.atthebeginning,ipromptedmyselftogivesimpleyesornoquestions.inastepbystepfashion,iwasthensupposedtotalkinlongsentences,todiscussandtopresent.urgedbyaninnerdrive,itookpainswiththetransitionandwitnessedwiththeutmostjoythechangeiwasgoingthrough.  forthefirsttime,ididn'tfeeluneasyunderpublicattention.forthefirsttime,myresponsetoteacher'squestionwasapplauded.irejoicedineverybitofprogressimade.confidencebegantosetrootinmeandi,likeastrayingchildwhocatchessightofhome,wasgraduallyledbacktomymesmerizedeloquence.ifinallyrecoveredwhatihadbeencravingforsolong.

nowyearshavepassedwhenthelabeloftimiditynolongerhauntsme.ifindthisexperiencemostvaluableandinterestinginretrospection.nodoubt,labelingexertsprofoundinfluenceon

individual'sdevelopmentandthemonbeliefisthatpeoplewillliveuptotheirlabels,implyingthatpositivelabelsinspireandencourageuswhereasnegativeonesonlyworsenthesituation.butafterall,nomatterhowdisheartenedorfrustratedwefeelabouttheprejudice,wearethesolemastersofourowndestinies.whyfallvictimstothelabel?asfranklind.rooseveltsaid,"theonlythingwehavetofearisfearitself."thepointistofreeourselvesfromthefearfornegativelabelsandcheerupinsideustheunrelentingwilltooverthrowthem.thelabelissomethingofamirror.aslongasweadjustourselves,thereflectionsinthemirrorwillaltertoo.inthissense,negativelabelingmayaswellbeesomethingextremelypositiveandrewarding,justasi'veexperienced.