before labels, love

Sometimes people are offended by the notion that happiness is much more within our power than we allow.  (But we've all needlessly wallowed at some point, right?)

Part of the challenge is label-love, and I don't mean Dior.  Having firmly affixed labels to ourselves and others--depressed, Latina, oppressed, right-wing, Canadian, left-wing, etc.--we can't generally wrangle ourselves and others from that closed box for a brighter, more expansive view.  Descriptors from a previous us/other leave no room for delightful upgrades.  Labels block the view of RIGHT NOW.

The trick is to rethink our prejudgments. Do labels support a broader goal of, say, of seeing Big Love everywhere?  Of not worrying about every possibility?  (Not likely.)  That may sound woo-woo, but our brains will be better for it:

• Our prefrontal cortex can gain strength over the amygdala and reduce fear/bias responses.

• We can increase activity in our anterior insular cortex, which is great news for empathy.

• Our nucleus accumbens will feel rewarded and stronger by beginning to form new, positive impressions.

These are just a few benefits of deciding to decide with joy, and stop schlepping past prejudices everywhere.  Labels might feel easier in the short term, but they are joy-stranglers.