It took me years to notice it.

I noticed it was slowly draining my focus, peace of mind, and decision-making ability.It wasn’t a big mistake or an obvious bad habit. It was something so small that it seemed harmless. 

Here’s what it was: whenever life got hard, my first reaction was to give it a name, a “setback,” a “crisis,” a “failure,” or sometimes something even worse.

At first, I thought I was helping myself by naming the problem.

But after a while, I saw a clear pattern. My quick labels often made situations feel worse than they were. That made me question whether this habit was useful.

When Labels Cloud Your Mind

One stressful afternoon at work, I told myself, “This won’t work.” As soon as I thought that, I lost confidence. It was difficult for me to even consider attempting to make things better since my brain operated in a way it had already lost and put an imaginary "IMPOSSIBLE" sign in front of me.

That’s when I realised:By naming the situation so quickly, I wasn’t helping myself think; I was making my mind panic.The label didn’t just describe the problem; it changed how I saw it.And when your view becomes too narrow, you stop seeing possible solutions.

The Brain’s Reaction to Labels

Calling something a “crisis” or “failure” makes the brain think, “Danger!” This triggers our fight-or-flight mode. That’s useful if we’re unsafe, but it shuts down the calm, creative thinking we need for solving everyday challenges.

Instead of calmly seeking solutions, the brain begins searching for evidence that the label is correct.

We stop asking, “What can I do?” and start asking, “Why is this happening to me?”That small change in thinking can change everything.

Observing Instead of Labelling

When I realised how harmful this habit was, I decided to try something new: I stopped labelling situations right away. Now, when something stressful happens, I pause and take a moment. Instead of calling it a “problem” or “setback,” I just look at it for what it really is.

• What really happened?
• What do I know for sure right now?
• What can I do next?

I try not to quickly put the event into a mental box with a dramatic name.

I’m not pretending the problem isn’t real or making it seem easier than it is.

I just focus on the facts long enough for my mind to work on them, instead of letting fear take over.

Responding, Not Reacting

When I stop myself from quickly naming a situation, I have more space to breathe and think. That pause makes it easier to deal with challenges in a calmer, more effective way.

That short pause helped me:

1. Gain a better understanding of the problem. Without the overwhelming emotions associated with a label, I can analyse possibilities or solutions.
2. Stay in touch with reality. I deal with what’s happening, not what my mind has made it seem like.
3. Save my energy. Panic uses up problem-solving power, but staying calm keeps it.

The Story We Tell Ourselves

Often, what throws us off isn’t the real situation; it's the story we tell ourselves about it.

The moment we call something a “crisis,” our mind starts creating a story that matches that word.

For example:

• “This is a crisis” → “If it’s a crisis, then everything must be going wrong.”
• “I’ve failed” → “If I’ve failed, then I must not be good enough.”

These stories might not be true, but they feel real because we’ve used a word that has strong emotions attached to it.

By not rushing to label things, we stop adding to that story.

We stay closer to the truth, where the problem is usually much easier to solve than it first seems.

A Simple Practice to Try

Next time you feel stressed or under pressure, try this:

1. Stop and think before you name the situation.
2. Notice the first word that comes to your mind. (“This is bad,” “This is hopeless.”)
3. Change that word into a fact. (“I have three deadlines this week, and I’m late on two.”)
4. Ask yourself, “What can I do now?”

This helps you focus on solving the problem instead of panicking.

The words we use can change how we see the world and ourselves.When we quickly give a name to every problem, we make it seem bigger than it might be.We can deal with situations more easily and clearly if we consider the facts and consider our options before making decisions.

This doesn’t mean we ignore real problems.It means we face them with a steady mind instead of letting fear take over.

With practice, we start to see that most challenges aren’t as impossible as they first seem.

We can make informed decisions before making any important ones when we pause between what has happened and what we have named it.

The next time challenges come your way, will you name them right away, or will you take a breath and see the facts? That moment of clarity can help you make better choices, rather than letting fear or assumptions guide your decisions.