13: Only You Get to Decide Who You Are (breaking free from the labels you’ve been given).

No one else gets to decide who you are. They have no authority to decide your identity, no place t cast judgement and what they believe about you is simply none of your business. What others think has no power over you, thoughts are just ideas and only carry what meaning you put on them. I always hated being labeled lazy or cold hearted - those didn't feel true to me, but they matched my behaviors, so I believed them... I believed I hated people and was better off alone because I was an introvert. I believed I was cold hearted and lacked empathy because I couldn't handle being around sad people. I believed I was lazy because I couldn't bring myself to do chores as a teenager. I was wrong to believe these things. At one time, I was a bit of a jerk. I blamed that on my introvert. I stayed home and avoided time with friends because I "hated people." Now that I've spent years in self discovery I've learned a few things: I had General Anxiety Disorder, I have Sensory Overload, I need time to recharge alone after spending time with others, and everyone is doing the best they can with what they have and deserve grace and patience. In case no one's told you - being an introvert doesn't mean you should spend all your time alone. It simply means you need to prioritize alone time to recover and reenergize after spending time with people. Guard your energy, guard your heart, but that doesn't mean a life of strict solitude. Just because someone puts a label on you, doesn't mean you have to fit into that box. Read more here: https://brittniclarkson.com/2022/06/29/13-only-you-get-to-decide-who-you-are/