You are more than your labels. You are more than your appearance, your past, your addictions, your grades, your illnesses and your mistakes. You are worth so much more than those. Regret is something that is important, but it can be so painful. It is good to realize mistakes, but don’t let it consume you. There is so much more to life than whatever you are caught up in. Realize your mistakes and learn how to make yourself a better person from them. Every day is a new opportunity to change.
I recently had the chance to meet some people who know what it is like to be caught up in past decisions. I met a man who murdered somebody in his past and has spent most of his life in prison. While talking with this guy, I did not see a murderer. I saw a quiet, humble, and intelligent man with a heart just like the rest of us. I did not see a criminal, yet a real person who has feelings and emotions just like you and I. I could see the remorse in his heart and the repentance of his past mistakes, but he is in the process of healing. He made the decision to get help and is doing what he can to move forward with his life, trying to leave his past behind and not let it define him as a person. I saw the desire for hope, the reach in faith, and the regrets of their past mistakes in all of these people.
For the longest time, I was afraid to come out about my anxiety and depression. I hid it for so long, afraid that people would label me once they knew. I feared that people would see me differently if they knew how much I was really suffering. This made me afraid to even go to the doctor to get myself help. I finally reached my breaking point and took myself to the doctor, began taking medication, and I see my therapist on a regular basis. I am not afraid to tell people about my mental illnesses anymore. They can label me all they want, but I will not let those labels define me. I am more than my mental illnesses. I am more than my labels.
There is a song by the popular Christian band, Tenth Avenue North, titled “You are More”. Some of the lyrics include:
“You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.”
I absolutely love the chorus of this song. It reminds you that no matter what has happened in the past, you have been forgiven. You are not defined by your mistakes. You are a person with feelings and emotions that are validated. Don’t let faults and errors determine your self-worth.
