The Power and the Prison of Self-Labels
Labels are tricky. They can be lifelines or cages.
When life breaks us, when pain or trauma hits hard, labels give us something to hold onto. They can explain the unexplainable, give our experiences meaning, and even create a sense of strength. Saying “I am a survivor” can be an act of courage. Naming “I am chronically ill” can be a way of asking the world for understanding. Declaring “I am a mum” gives pride and purpose.
In this way, self-labels empower us.
They help us:
Speak our truth.
Connect with others who understand.
Honour what we’ve endured.
Carve out a sense of identity in a chaotic world.
But here’s the catch: labels can also trap us.
When a label becomes the lens through which we see ourselves and the world sees us it can shrink the possibilities of who we are. “I am a survivor” can subtly shift into “I am only a survivor.” “I am chronically ill” can feel like “I am only defined by illness.” The identity we cling to for safety and meaning can become a barrier to growth.
Labels can:
Keep us stuck in the story of our past.
Convince us that we are permanently “broken” or “not enough.”
Limit our ability to explore joy, creativity, or softness.
Make it hard to imagine life beyond survival mode.
The paradox is clear: what empowers us today can imprison us tomorrow if we stop questioning it.
The real freedom comes from awareness. From asking ourselves:
Which labels serve me?
Which labels have outlived their purpose?”
“Who am I if I’m not defined by survival, illness, or expectations?
Empowerment doesn’t mean abandoning the labels. It means choosing which ones shape our lives, and allowing space for the parts of us the labels don’t touch.
You can still be a survivor. You can still be chronically ill. But you can also be curious, soft, playful, creative, loving, whole. You are not your label. You are the life you build beyond it.
Reflection Prompt
List the labels you use to describe yourself. For each one, write:
How it has empowered you
How it may be holding you back
Mantra
I am more than the labels I carry. I am always becoming.