Dr. Anna Lembke

I mean, I guess, well, what do you mean by positive?

I mean, I guess, well, what do you mean by positive?

Yeah, I mean, as I said before, how we narrate our lives depends is important, right? It's not trivial. And there are healthier narratives and there are not healthy narratives. And I would argue that the victim narrative, where it perpetuates victimhood, you could make the same argument that the hero's journey narrative perpetuates herohood.

Yeah, I mean, as I said before, how we narrate our lives depends is important, right? It's not trivial. And there are healthier narratives and there are not healthy narratives. And I would argue that the victim narrative, where it perpetuates victimhood, you could make the same argument that the hero's journey narrative perpetuates herohood.

Having said that, if we get too stuck in any fixed identity or any narrative, I think that can become its own trap, right? And then we wall ourselves off, feeling like we have to show up in a certain way or be a certain person. And I wonder if you have that experience. Like, I know you have this hero's journey and now you've got to be this hero.

Having said that, if we get too stuck in any fixed identity or any narrative, I think that can become its own trap, right? And then we wall ourselves off, feeling like we have to show up in a certain way or be a certain person. And I wonder if you have that experience. Like, I know you have this hero's journey and now you've got to be this hero.

And I mean, I can imagine that that would be burdensome at times.

And I mean, I can imagine that that would be burdensome at times.

When you say you don't understand, you mean when they praise you?

When you say you don't understand, you mean when they praise you?

Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yes. Yeah. So when I think about, you know, your experience of feeling like people must be lying to you. I mean, sometimes we call this something like the imposter syndrome.

Yes. Yeah. So when I think about, you know, your experience of feeling like people must be lying to you. I mean, sometimes we call this something like the imposter syndrome.

You know, a projected personal persona that is, you know, true in a way, but also doesn't capture the fullness of who you are, or maybe is so extreme in terms of looking good, that it's inevitable that you'll feel some dissonance with that kind of heroic figure.

You know, a projected personal persona that is, you know, true in a way, but also doesn't capture the fullness of who you are, or maybe is so extreme in terms of looking good, that it's inevitable that you'll feel some dissonance with that kind of heroic figure.

And I think the way to think about that and also, you know, not become like cynically suspicious of people who praise you when they meet you is just to recognize that, you have become a kind of cipher or a vehicle for their projections. So they've listened to you.

And I think the way to think about that and also, you know, not become like cynically suspicious of people who praise you when they meet you is just to recognize that, you have become a kind of cipher or a vehicle for their projections. So they've listened to you.

They've had a very positive experience or maybe they learned something and it meant a lot in their lives and you were the vehicle for that. And so you're a symbol for them and they're projecting positive feelings onto you because you're now integrated in their mental tapestry and As kind of a, you know, a totemic figure or a token, something important and symbolic.

They've had a very positive experience or maybe they learned something and it meant a lot in their lives and you were the vehicle for that. And so you're a symbol for them and they're projecting positive feelings onto you because you're now integrated in their mental tapestry and As kind of a, you know, a totemic figure or a token, something important and symbolic.