Not labeling your life experiences

Life is a constant stream of happenings. Most are out of our control.  We attempt to feel more in control of what is happening by giving it a label. If you listen to the voice within, you will find yourself labeling almost every event.  Labels such as good, bad, happy, sad, unfortunate, pitiful etc..  We label what happens and we label our reactions to what happens.  We label what others do and our reactions to what others do. 

What is interesting to me, as I watch my own labeling process, is that I notice my mood is in constant flux depending on the "flavor" of the labels at that moment.  If it is mostly negative, my mood begins to sour.  If the "flavor" of my labels is more positive, I begin to feel happier.

So, a step towards a happier me is to have happier labels.  Right?

Well, maybe.  I'm also very interested in holding onto my authenticity.  If I were to label something "good" that I really didn't feel very good about, then I'm not being as authentic as I'd like to be.  I would also be buying into the Ferris wheel of life where there is no "up" without a "down."  That's OK and that's how most of us live but I want to strive toward more than that....a mindful life, a peaceful life. 

And it seems there is much peace when the labels go away completely.  Even if they only go away for a few minutes, I find a few minutes of peace.  Try it.  A moment without labels.  See how that feels for you.

Namaste