Is this who I am? Escaping the boxes we’re put in
- Author
- Mums At The Table
- Published
- Sat 31 May 2025
- Episode Link
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/32fa64da
Have you ever been labelled something—like “not a morning person”—and then felt like people stopped seeing anything else about you? In this episode, Melody vents about a friend who just won’t let go of the “night owl” label, even though she’s up at 6am most day. And Faith shares the time a doctor didn’t believe she could be struggling with mental health . . . because she had make-up on. Together, we explore how labels and stereotypes—even the ones that seem harmless—can box us in, shape expectations, and sometimes stop us (or others) from seeing our full potential. But are labels always bad? Can they sometimes help us access the support we need? We talk about the grey space between helpful and harmful, the danger of self-fulfilling prophecies, and how adopting a growth mindset can change the narrative.
Related links:
- Article: "The hidden danger in saying 'He’s just shy'"
- ABC news article “Giving people with mental health issues a diagnostic label could do more harm than good”
✨ Ready to be a little kinder to yourself? Download our free 5-day self-compassion challenge—with daily prompts, gentle exercises and tools to help you stop the spiral of self-criticism and start speaking to yourself like a friend.
