How we view ourselves matters. Whether we realize it or not, we have strongly held ideas about our abilities and bodies. In other words, we have applied labels to ourselves which in many cases contain a judgement such as, I am a good driver, I have a bad shoulder, I perform at a high level in [fill in your activity], I am an accomplished gardener, and on and on. These labels which can be positive or negative can come to define us. In essence, they shape our identity and how we perceive ourselves.
As a result, we can become attached to these personal conceptions and feel annoyed when they are questioned. Likewise, when confronted with an opposing label of yourself doubt may creep in about the firmly held view you have of yourself and your talents or limitations. Depending on the quality of the label, this could work in your favor or to your detriment. And besides affecting your emotional state, the conflict between your personal notion and that of another person can influence your behavior, including well refined sports skills. The following recent example from my life demonstrates this point.
How Labeling Impacted My Golf Game
I golf and am going to play in the Ladies League this season. To participate, I had to call the pro shop and set a tee time for the first round of league play. While talking with the golf pro, I also inquired about the upcoming Ladies Clinic. After gathering the clinic information, I told her I was not ready to commit to taking the clinic and would let her know if I would join the following week.
In the intervening time between making the call and before the start of Ladies League I went to the course to play. Upon checking in for the round at the pro shop desk I noticed a clipboard with the title “Ladies Clinic.” Curious, I looked at the list to see how many people had signed up. I was surprised to see my name though it did have a question mark next to it. What was even more jarring, however, was the label next to my name, “Beginner.” This was not the first time I had been designated as a beginner in the last few years when taking a golf clinic. Granted, most people who seek instruction are new to the game. I pointed it out to my husband and shrugged it off (or so I thought). Clearly, having played golf nearly my whole life, I had a different view of my skills. Off to the first hole. . .
Although I was not focused on the beginner label when I began my golf round, my level of play surely reflected the description. It was ugly! My erratic shots went everywhere except into the cup. Admittedly, I had been working on my swing which tends to adversely impact your game until the changes are integrated, but this miserable display of poor play went beyond that. Every aspect of my game fell apart regardless of my attempts to correct the errors. I was so glad we were only playing nine holes!
Reflecting on my round the next day is when I made the connection between seeing the beginner label and my diminished golf performance. It seemed that my subconscious mind had accepted that assessment of my skills from a brief conversation with someone who had never seen me swing a golf club. Nonetheless, the judgement came from a golf pro which gave it credibility and added weight to the label. It defied logic that I would absorb this characterization despite my many years of golf instruction, but I had no other explanation. I had given my power over to a stranger that I saw as an authority figure despite my personal knowledge.
Has this ever happened to you? Where you allowed someone else to define you regarding your sports or your health. . . Perhaps someone suggested that you could or could not do something which was counter to how you labeled yourself. This happened to me concerning running, which I relate in this blog.
On the bright side, if a label can have such a dramatic effect on a positive self-perception, perhaps it can work as effectively on a negative one, like chronic pain.
You are Not Your Pain
When you have pain, do you refer to yourself as a chronic pain sufferer or as a person who sometimes or frequently suffers from pain? Despite the words being similar the meaning is significantly different. This sentiment is well illustrated by Benjamin Boyd, PT DPTSc at the beginning of his book Bodily Relearning. In reference to the language used in the book he writes:
People-first language, such as “a person who is dealing with persistent pain” compared to a chronic pain patient or a fibromyalgia patient is purposeful. Thus, the label is intentionally phrased as a noun (something that someone experiences or deals with) and not an adjective (something that describes or defines them). The language we use should match the respect the person deserves; to be treated as a person first, someone who may have a pain condition but is not defined by their pain. The hope is to avoid implying pain is part of a person’s identity.
Therefore, changing how we label ourselves in relation to our pain can influence if chronic or persisting pain becomes our identity. Take a moment to review the opening question in this section and notice how it feels in your body and brain to adopt a chronic pain identity by saying (out loud if possible): I am a chronic pain patient. Ask yourself: What emotions arise? What self-talk surrounds this statement? Now, embrace a chronic pain label by saying: I am someone who experiences pain from time to time. And ask yourself: What is my reaction to this phrase?
Hopefully, you felt a reduced personal connection to your pain during the second statement, when you were using the labeling language. Further, labeling your pain instead of identifying with it creates space between you and the pain, reminding you that pain is something outside of you. It is an experience that you have, but it is not you. And labels along with pain and sports skills can be changed.
Conclusion
I wonder how my golf game would have been if, when I looked at my name on the list for the Ladies Clinic, I saw Intermediate or Advanced penciled next to my name? My guess is that my play that immediately followed would have reflected the elevated designation. Similarly, I wonder if your pain would be different if you saw yourself not as a chronic pain patient but as a person who experiences pain on occasion? My guess is that your world would broaden. Because viewing yourself as someone who experiences pain would open up the possibility of many activities that you may consider are not appropriate for a chronic pain sufferer. Thus, self-imposed limitations would be lifted. It is within our control to choose our labels and identities. So, choose well.
