In this episode, we dive into the idea that labeling our experiences can sometimes make us wonder if our best days are behind us. We challenge the whole concept of "the best years" by chatting about how we can look at our lives through a more balanced lens rather than just a lowlight or highlight reel. Your best days are not behind you, and, no, you’re not missing them!
What to Expect:
- The expectations placed on phrases like “College is supposed to be the best 4 years of your life” or “golden days.”
- I will talk about a lowlight reel and a highlight reel of my high school and college years.
- Understand how labeling our experiences can create unnecessary pressure and expectations around specific life stages.
- If you’re not having “the best years of your life,” it’s okay. You didn’t miss it.
- We can choose to view our lives through the highlights, lowlights, or a more balanced perspective.
- Both positive and negative experiences can coexist; life is complex.
- Use gratitude lists to maintain perspective; raw feelings lists allow you to name what you really feel. It’s crucial to feel through difficult emotions rather than suppress them.
- Acknowledge that social media often presents a skewed highlight reel, contributing to feelings of inadequacy.
- Recognize that every chapter of life has its own unique challenges and blessings that shape our experiences.
- Reframe expectations to reduce anxiety about the future.
- Use intentional language to reshape our outlook on life to allow for a more balanced perspective.
- Both joy and pain are essential parts of what we experience as human beings.
Call to Action: Embrace a balanced perspective of your life’s experiences and chapters.
Referenced: “We cannot selectively numb emotions. When we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.” -Brene Brown
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Let’s Connect! Credits
What is Life Beyond Labels?
Life Beyond Labels is a space to embrace all the qualities, emotions, and stories that connect us as humans—beyond the labels that often define us. We all have them: jobs, titles, roles in relationships, and other parts of our outer identity. But here, we’re digging into what it means to go beyond those labels and dive into topics that affect us and connect us, regardless of the labels we wear.
Join Kelsey O’Connor as she shares insights from her own life and brings on guests for authentic conversations. Together, we’ll dive into stories and experiences that connect us as human beings, encourage us to live more openly, more authentically, and embrace who we are at our core!