Who are you without your name?

Do you want to know the best question I have asked myself in the last 6 (long) months? It was my mentor's question for me: "Who are you without your name?"

Who are you without your name?

At the beginning I answered to myself:  "I am [the list*]!"  (*see below my list of labels) 

Moreover, on 25th of October 2024 I have added an extra label, by writing: "Hello, my name is Lucian Stan and I want to become a Dance 'Jedi'!".That was the 'oficial' start of my journey to my personal transformation. Since then, I came across all sorts of personal beliefs (empowering or limiting), thoughts, perspectives, paradigms, convictions, emotions, memories, inner drives, motivation, inspiration, willpower, projections, behaviors, actions, imagination, wishes, dreams, vision... 

All my aforementioned states were somehow intrinsically connected to all sorts of labels I was not aware. These labels were glued to me so tightly, I strongly felt I have no capability, nor right to peel them away. Can this glue be transform into velcro, and use effectively my labels? My brain was frozen: "Who AM I without my labels?" What do you mean? It's obvious: "I do this, and this, and that, and also..." I used to define myself by all the instances I selected throughout the day and what that 'persona' was doing!  

But one day (very recently), the answer stroke me: I definitely am NOT what I do/ I have/ I want/ I wear/ I think/ I write/ I love/ I behave/ I dance/ I teach/ I inspire or dissapoint! 

The only identity that permanently stays with me is: "I AM." Fullstop. And this identity comes with the greatest gratitude of being perfect, being loved, being enough. This identity is home, because it comes from Home, the intelligent Source of all-that-is!

When I realised this, my mentor's words continued to echo in my cleared mind: "99% of people's insecurities come from their labels.Only when you get comfortable with the <<I AM>>, can you be free to choose whatever velcro labels make you grow."

Now I am smiling over my past struggle, knowing I can always choose my own constructive labels. I have even called this process the "99/1 Principle" to remind me that 99% of insecurities come from labels (own or inherited), but there is only 1 true identity: I AM.

More insights, in the week28 to come...May the Force be with me!

Hugs from the path, Lucian 

[*the list of my 100+ labels: I am a human being; man; husband; lover; father (of two kids); son; engineer; officer; dancer; dance teacher; dance coach; choreographer; maestro; somatic student; trainer; friend; colleague; peer; Romanian; foreigner; white-man; religious; family-man; married; event organiser/ participant; service provider/ consumer; NGO founder; NGO CEO; volunteer; former employee; retired; master degree owner; ITC specialist; programmer; LM-ist (Military College graduate); soldier/ military; artist; performer; pedagogue; to-be coach; mentor; blogger; vlogger; content creator; entrepreneur; business man; investor; athlete; fitness sports-for-all; taekwondoka; runner; marathonist; guide; facilitator; tango therapist (certified); fascia trainer (certified); theta healer (degree); digital creator; web-designer; relative (cousin, uncle, nephew); short in height; anxious; stupid/ smart; energetic; creative; honest; disciplined; passioned; too young/ old for some things; procrastinator; friend; confident; critique; judge; saboteur; observer; custodian; fan; referee; cheer-leader; researcher; explorer; dance Jedi; journey companion; peer-mentor; visionary/ lost; slow learner; sovereign/ warrior/ lover/ magician, sheep/ wolf/ fox/ gorilla; inner child; boy; adult; mature; shadow/ light bearer; luminous perfect being; child of God etc.]       

JediJurnal - Week 27 (May 07th, 2024)