Hi Everyone! Welcome back to another episode of the M.E.O.W. Podcast! In today's episode, we dive deep into toxic shame, the causes, and the consequences of growing up in environments where our identity was neglected, ridiculed, or put down. Shame-based thinking is derived from feelings that make you believe something is wrong with you. It's the belief that being exactly who you are is not enough to be accepted, celebrated, and loved.
Shame is something that we learn from other people. It is not who we are. We learn from our families, peers, and environments that if we make a mistake, we must be a mistake. This toxic-rigid way of thinking hurts children who grow up to perpetuate the shame-based system. The goal is to move towards a guilt-based mindset that promotes growth and keeps the promise of love after we've made a mistake. I made a mistake; this is an opportunity to grow, learn from, and move forward. Letting go of shame allows us to become validated people who understand that we are inherently worthy of love and acceptance for being exactly who we are.
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