“It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.” ― W.C. Fields

I went on a date once with a guy that said casually “That’s because your hyper” … I thought to myself... Hyper?? Me?? No one has ever called me that in my whole life. I was offended for a second and then asked. “Why am I hyper?” He said "It’s not a bad thing, I am hyper too. You are so full of energy and talk so fast. You’re hyper.” I laughed and explained that I am just passionate about a lot of things and speak fast when I am excited. A few hours later the words came up in my head and I messaged the 3 closest people to me. My sister and 2 best mates. “Am I hyper?” I do this regularly as a check in. Just to see if decision/processing compass is way of track.

Sister: “HAHAHA Yes why?”

BF 1: “No, you are just passionate”

BF 2: “Naaaa you are high energy”

It made me think, 4 different people, looking at the same thing but having different answers. I thought about why I was triggered by the words from the then stranger, but it came down to this.

I was being labelled something that had a bad stigma in society, hyper = hyperactive or unusually energetic but they were all true. I am hyper, I am passionate, I am high energy. It took a stranger to give me the new label, but it took self-inquiry, and love to embrace it.

Why did I care that he called me hyper? Was it because it caught me off guard or was it because it was the truth and I hadn’t heard it so direct before? Either way, I grew a little after that day. I reminded myself that labels are what others call you but do not define you. Your happiness isn’t held in their hands, it is in your own. Every person you meet will teach you something, you must make sure your heart is open to receive the lesson. No matter what it is.