How Do You Label Yourself?

I don't know if this happens all over the world, but in America it is all about categories and labels.  I remember when I first moved to LA, I was trying to see if acting was for me, and I realized that I did not look like people on TV, I have a look that would fit only certain parts, and now you see many more nationalities in regular roles.  It is interesting that when you audition, they want basics, hair color, eye color, build, height, dress size, and they already have an idea of what they want the character to look like.  I have had fun dressing up as all kinds of characters, love transformation, and love having fun.

Recently I am hearing people labeling themselves and believing it.  Life keeps moving forward, things will keep changing, it is up to each individual to choose the direction that it goes.  A young girl who was overweight called herself fat to the whole class, when I was speaking about nutrition.  I was telling her that it is important not to put yourself in a category, we could all get healthier, but just stating what you are now, believing it, and labeling yourself for the world to hear, unfortunately sets it in stone.

What do I like set in stone?

I am a Wife
I am a Mother
I am a Yoga Teacher
I am a Doula
I am Coach Yulia

I would say none of those are positive or negative, they are facts of who I have become over the years, and I am so blessed to feel complete in every area of my life.  I was talking to a group of women of various ages that were saying they are "GETTING OLD."  I feel that is also a state of mind, my parents who are 75, father and 70, mother are not old.  They work out every day, look and feel amazing, live life to the fullest, busy with so many fun things, projects and grandchildren.  My Yoga teacher is 82, he is probably healthier than most people I know, he is my inspiration with his health and his outlook on life.  In Russia a birthday is all about celebration, people do not say "over the hill," they just pour a shot glass of vodka and make toast after toast.  There is a point in Russian society however, where a person decides that they are old now, and everything changes, they become old.  Of course we age, of course things change, but these one word explanations could mean so many things.

Love has so many meanings,
Pain has so many levels.
Love Unconditionally,
Pain could be managed, but suffering is unnecessary (this is Doula talk)

I feel so amazing with 42 around the corner,
I recently got a mind blowing massage, the best deep stretching, it felt so good to feel healthy, agile, and full of life at 41,

Choose How You Want To Feel,
Choose Who You Are,
Only You Can Make That Choice.

Another area of labeling is on any form that you fill out that wants race and ethnicity.  I saw an article recently about Jewish people not being officially white at some point in American history. This web page had some interesting comments, click here to read all of them.

"Until 1878, Jews and Arabs were not considered white. The office of Management and Budget (OMB)'s Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 changed the definition of "white" to expand, partly to make sure that Europeans would not ever be considered anything but white again, and due to an intense Jewish lobby which did not like the notion of Jews being classified in the same distinct group as Arabs. 

Today's ethnicity's are yesterday's races. In the early 20th century in the US, Italians, the Irish, and Jews were all thought to be racial (not ethnic) groups whose members were inherently and irredeemably distinct from the majority white population."

"That is because the definition of "White" has deliberately become confused by some racists lately. Jews are members of the Semitic branch of the Caucasian race that used to be called White. So how do you define "White"? If it is defined as any Caucasian, then Jews are white, but if you define it as only Nordic Caucasians, then Jews are not White. The ancient Egyptians showed four colors of humans in their paintings- Red (Egyptians), White (North Europeans), Yellow (East Asians) and Black (South Africans)."

Here is an amazing article about ethnicity's of all types, and how categories have changed over the years, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_whiteness_in_the_United_States.

JUST BE YOU,

CHOOSE TO RENEW IN A POSITIVE WAY,

HAPPY JEWISH NEW YEAR,

Coach Yulia