Labels To Belong

I find that I don’t often fit into a specific category. Maybe everyone deals with this, I don’t know. I feel like others have a label that becomes a part of their identity, and often, there is no in between or alternate option. I suppose that’s why I like the MBTI system so much. It finally explains the nuances of who I am while also giving me a label to define myself by.

Don’t take that the wrong way, my INFJ status is not everything to me, but it is important. Most of the time I dislike labels, but I want a place to belong. Labels define where we belong and most groups define who belongs based on their labels… So it’s the great paradox. Without labels, how will I belong? With them, we’re all the same and I’m left wandering and alone.

Of course, there is a flip side where we can be labelled with something that doesn’t fit who we truly are and it can cause a lot of damage and insecurity.

Sometimes I wonder why there’s so much division. I think we all want a team we can identify with, it makes us feel like we belong, like we have an army beside us, willing to fight for our cause. Unfortunately, that often means choosing sides and it means creating enemies to fight.

The most important thing I’ve learned is to be content with who I am, regardless of whether or not I fit into a category or have a label I can proudly display. I need to be true to me and who God made me to be.

So I choose a different path, even if it’s venturing into uncharted waters. I choose to embrace both sides and see the good and the value that each has to offer. I choose to live undefined.

Do you find that you can easily identify with a specific group or label? Do you think labels do more harm or good? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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