LABELS

Louis Vutton; Dolce and Gabanna; Gucci; Valentino; Armani; Levis; Guess, Diesel; True Religion, Nike, Puma, Addidas, Reebok. We define ourselves by material things. We define our world with specific brands. Our world is characterized by titles behind our names. Our worlds are separated by labels that define our social class, our personalities and our characters.

Lawyer; Accountant; Doctor; Banker: Plumber: Nurse and nanny. We look down on our own kind based on their careers. We associate ourselves with certain people because of the status they have. We are blinded by the profession of a person rather than the heart they have. We are fascinated by the car a person drives or their holiday destination rather than the type of man or woman he or she is.

Black; White; Chinese; Zimbabwean; heterosexual; bisexual; homosexual… We hate without thinking. We kill without compassion. We label… we ignore… we inflict pain simply because of a label. Our world is defined by where we come from, and who we know. The service you receive is based on the title you have. The attention you attract depends on what you wear- who you are with and where we live.

Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we looked beyond the race of a person? Wouldn’t there be more peace and harmony if it did not matter where we came from? Wouldn’t there  be less hatred if we took the time to know the person rather than their sexual preference? Wouldn’t our world have more understanding if we stopped to listen, to appreciate and to respect different cultures, religions, beliefs?

A label is simple but the implications are severe. A label sets to differentiate –tearing apart societies. A label serves as a bench mark- a measure for success- an association… but what good does having standards have when we look down on people- undermine others because of their title or profession? A label restates class and sophistication- but what is the purpose if people die brutally at the expense of social class and background?

We are human- each a unique and special brand. Why do we go on to label each other beyond the boundaries of our last names? Why can’t we choose to limit the label to just “Smith”; “Ferguson” or “Martin”…?

EXAMS

The cold winter chill is upon us and we all dig deeply into our closets for warmer items. We fill our thermal mugs with coffee, hot chocolate and tea to fight the frost bit. We create our own catwalk and strut our way to campus in our boots, scarves and beanies. This is what we call winter couture and it is amazing.

Sadly many of us strut our way to the library to do the ever so daunting task of studying for exams.  And more often than not, we are consumed with panic, stress and are deprived of sleep. It all seems so unfair. It all seems so difficult. It all seems so impossible.

Exams have a way of bringing out the worst in us. The stress and the overwhelming workload can terrify us to a point of break down. The fear of failing, the pressure of getting that distinction can wear us out completely. So how do we stay motivated? How do we keep going?

For me, exams are a journey… not necessarily smooth sailing but it’s a journey nonetheless. It is in my best interest to make this journey as pleasant as possible. It all starts with my attitude.

John Maxwell said; “ teach ability is an attitude, a mindset that say no matter how much I know or think I know, I can learn from this situation.”

I do not see exams as torture or unbearable. My reason for being here is to learn, to learn as much as I can. So I view exams as an opportunity to learn and empower myself. It is an opportunity to reflect on how well I have done or how much I can still learn. Through this, I change the negative stress into confidence to excel.

John Maxwell further continues by saying; “this kind of thinking can help you turn adversity into advantage. It can make you a winner even during the most difficult circumstances. “

As terrible as exams seem, it is entirely up to me to make them bearable. I make them bearable by dreaming big… I set targets that I want to achieve and draw motivation from the targets. When you have a goal to strive towards, you are more motivated to work harder to achieve the goal. 

And lastly, I look in the mirror each morning and remind myself that I am a winner, that I am the best and that I was born to succeed. This helps with the confidence levels which can help a lot when it seems like you know absolutely nothing.

How you approach exams can result in a break down or a break through. The choice is yours. Choose to be a winner- choose the distinction and not the 50%- choose to succeed and be the best!

All the best!