Labels

Labels can feel like cages.

For a long time, I wore one that never quite fit—Christian. It was supposed to bring me comfort, direction, and salvation, but instead, I struggled. I wrestled with church attendance, with reading the Bible, with the expectations placed upon me. I felt like I was failing at something that was supposed to be my foundation. And then, one day, I woke up.

I mean that in the deepest way possible. My awakening didn’t come from a church service or a powerful sermon. It came from the raw, painful process of breaking free from what wasn’t meant for me. It hurt. Growth always does. But when I stepped out of that label, I felt something I had never felt before—freedom. True, undeniable freedom. And for the first time, I understood what salvation was supposed to feel like.

The journey of unlearning is different for everyone. Some might walk a similar path, while others carve an entirely unique one. But the destination, I believe, remains the same: love.

Before we can truly love others, we must first learn to love ourselves. That love breeds trust, and trust in oneself is an impenetrable shield against outside opinions. When you trust yourself, no one can shake you. No one can define you. No one can limit you.

So if you’re struggling with a label that doesn’t fit, if you feel the pressure of an identity that doesn’t align with who you are—let it go. You don’t have to live up to something that isn’t meant for you. Peel away the layers of expectation and allow yourself to simply be. That is the gateway to understanding who you truly are and what you’re meant for in this world.

Be unapologetically you. The world needs that more than anything.