What do you want your name to be?

March 1st, 2013 by Agent Kevin Miller

You didn’t choose your name, your parents did.
You didn’t choose the upbringing that equipped or crippled you and created your good or bad self-image.
You may not have chosen your course in life. Someone or circumstances did.
Today you are…where you are. You can’t flip a switch and change your life reality overnight, but…

You can change your name.

Literally and/or figuratively. We tend to live up to ‘our name’.

My one blood brother’s name was Jared Miller. He was born into a caucasian body here in the U.S.A. But it never fit him. He found his heart and home and wife in Africa (his wife Ilea was also born stateside, but likewise found her heart and home in Africa where they met). To fully adopt their heart-heritage, they legally changed their last name to Angaza, which in Swahili means “to bring light”. [Check them out at www.JaredAngaza.com]

Now, you may not desire to change your literal name. While I would dig having a more unique name, I’ve no plans to change what I go by. But I’ve been on a journey this year (which I’m smack-dab in the middle of today) toward changing how I see myself, and from that…who I am, how I am and what I do.

There are some big, core aspects of my life circumstances, character and behavior I want changed. On a bit lessor level, but relevant for this topic…I’m an endurance junkie. I raced BMX from age 10-16, then at age 18 left home before my senior graduation to become a full-time cyclist (10-speeds back then!). I raced at the elite level till age 32, then took up running. So at age 41 I found myself with lungs like the elk whose trails I run on, but 6′ and dipping below 155lbs. I went from being referred to as strong and fit to…slim. A nice way of saying “skinny”. I don’t want that to be my name. So on July 17th of 2012 I began weight lifting. I’m now 6-months into lifting 6-days a week. And guess what, I’m no longer skinny. It’s fairly remarkable.

I’ve changed my name from ‘skinny’ to…well…my family says ‘buff’. My 8 year old boy Ian said when I was in the middle of a workout, “Daddy, you look like the Hulk!” I shifted 100% of the kid’s inheritance to him later that afternoon…

Again, this is on a lower level than other areas I’m committed to ‘changing my name’ in. But it’s worthy. I’m changing my ‘name’ in regards to my physical stature, and it’s for life. My little kids will never know ‘skinny Daddy’.

*Pictured…I couldn’t quit get myself to post a before-and-after pic, but here’s me modeling a t-shirt that benefits The Exodus Road, run by my friends the Parkers and Justin Lukasavige; “A non-profit organization that fights modern day slavery through covert investigations. Our coalition of operatives work together to gather evidence and conduct rescues for those trapped in sexual slavery.” Check them out here. On the note of ‘changing your name,’ check out Justin’s blog today where he is changing his name in a big way, “Why I’ve Never Accepted Donations, And Why I’m Starting.”

Now, I’m not throwing out some pithy message of “You can be who and what you want to be, simply name it and claim it!” No. Changing our reality in any respect is ridiculously hard. Which is why few do it. We generally resign ourselves to the hand we’re dealt.

But changing our name is a big start. What we call ourselves, what we believe about ourselves, how we see ourselves. It’s a destination which redirects our vision. And we can become what we can see. What we see with our mind’s eye. What we can believe for the future.

Interestingly, I’ve had this blog in mind to write since I watched ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ a few nights ago. Prior to this scene, Wolverine’s girl was murdered and he had a new vision for himself (revenge). In this scene they are making Wolverine’s body indestructible (I bolded some sections):

Dr. Frost: When it starts, whatever the reason is that you’re doing this, focus on that. Maybe it will help.
Wolverine: Trust me. I’ve been through worse.
Dr. Frost: No you haven’t.
William Stryker: (to Wolverine) We’re gonna make you indestructible. But first, we’re gonna have to destroy you. You remember what we were looking for in Africa?
Wolverine: I remember.
William Stryker: Well, I found it, it helped us to create a metal compound so strong, that you’ll be able to withstand virtually anything. It’s called adamantium. I can’t put Victor down myself, Logan, to kill him, you’ll have to embrace the other side, become the animal.
Wolverine: Let’s do this.
William Stryker: Oh, I almost forgot. (brings out Wolverine’s old dog tags.)
Wolverine: I want new ones.
William Stryker: What do you want them to say?
Wolverine: Wolverine.

His original dog tags had his literal name ‘Logan’ on them. He changed his name to reflect a direction he wanted to go. The scene inspired me.

This morning I pull up my computer to write and found my wife had written a blog where she is in essence…giving herself a new name. It’s an incredibly profound post, I highly recommend you check it out:
“Unremarkable Me”

Anyone else desiring a new name for a better destination?