I am reading Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, or, perhaps I shall say, attempting to read. I understand the individual words, but the ideas and concepts put forth hurt my brain at times. However, every so often there's a nugget that strikes a chord and actually makes sense.
In the second chapter, Tolle discusses how the body's physical appearance greatly contributes to an individual's identity and self-worth, and how many people "feel a diminished sense of self-worth because they perceive their body as ugly or imperfect". Similar to people with "good or near-perfect bodies" who equate it with who they are, people with "problematic" bodies can as easily turn their illness or disability into their identity. Tolle says, "You then unconsciously cling to the illness because it has become the most part of who you perceive yourself to be." This hit a nerve with me.
Medical experts have labeled me as "functionally non-verbal". A label I never fully understood since I can speak; people only need to take the time to understand me. Once individuals master Glenda-ish, I can talk their ears off for hours. However, I confess I have clung to that label and have used "being non-verbal" as an easy way out, as a crutch. All through school and university, I was never expected to give a class presentation because, after all, I'm non-verbal.
My identity began changing a few years ago when I was asked to speak at a day-long dialogue on accessibility. My initial thought was "But I am non-verbal, I can't do public speaking." Can't is a four-letter word to me, so I quickly turned my focus to how I could possibly do this. After some thought, I figured I could use a text-to-speech software on my laptop to present my speech. The technology worked great and being heard for the first time was an amazing feeling!
Since then I have given a few more presentations. And I am now working towards becoming a motivational presenter. I have morphed from being non-verbal to having a speech impairment, a label I have chosen for myself rather than accepting one imposed on me by others.
Are labels or your identity limiting you? What changes are needed so that you may become all that you can be?
