Listener (Aaron)

And this is why I wanted to talk to you about it because you know this about me as well. I hate forced vulnerability.

Yeah, no, thank you. Clearly I like opening up when it's on my terms, but, or if I'm in a safe group, I know that people and everyone's kind of on the same frequency, but when someone else is making me do it and it's part of a formal exercise and there's some kind of expectation that you go there and you have some big experience. No, I just shut down. Yeah.

Yeah, no, thank you. Clearly I like opening up when it's on my terms, but, or if I'm in a safe group, I know that people and everyone's kind of on the same frequency, but when someone else is making me do it and it's part of a formal exercise and there's some kind of expectation that you go there and you have some big experience. No, I just shut down. Yeah.

Yeah, no, thank you. Clearly I like opening up when it's on my terms, but, or if I'm in a safe group, I know that people and everyone's kind of on the same frequency, but when someone else is making me do it and it's part of a formal exercise and there's some kind of expectation that you go there and you have some big experience. No, I just shut down. Yeah.

I felt it more profoundly that day than I ever have ever like every wall in my heart goes up, you know, and I just kind of freeze.

I felt it more profoundly that day than I ever have ever like every wall in my heart goes up, you know, and I just kind of freeze.

I felt it more profoundly that day than I ever have ever like every wall in my heart goes up, you know, and I just kind of freeze.

But it is weird when you don't know the people. And there are a lot of people because there are like 40 or 50, maybe 40 people.

But it is weird when you don't know the people. And there are a lot of people because there are like 40 or 50, maybe 40 people.

But it is weird when you don't know the people. And there are a lot of people because there are like 40 or 50, maybe 40 people.

That's not just a small circle of people. Yes, exactly. So when I tell you that I was dreading my turn on this exercise, like I was in agony. And I was like, dude, what am I going to do? Like, can I fake a seizure and leave right now? I mean, to be fair. That's a great idea. To be fair, the teacher, I just want to give her credit.

That's not just a small circle of people. Yes, exactly. So when I tell you that I was dreading my turn on this exercise, like I was in agony. And I was like, dude, what am I going to do? Like, can I fake a seizure and leave right now? I mean, to be fair. That's a great idea. To be fair, the teacher, I just want to give her credit.

That's not just a small circle of people. Yes, exactly. So when I tell you that I was dreading my turn on this exercise, like I was in agony. And I was like, dude, what am I going to do? Like, can I fake a seizure and leave right now? I mean, to be fair. That's a great idea. To be fair, the teacher, I just want to give her credit.

She was like, if you don't want to do it, just tap the person next to you. You can go, which was nice. But I didn't want to be the guy who's like, I'm not doing it because nobody else declined. Yeah. But I was like, what do I do? What are my options here? Fling yourself from the top of the building. But at that moment, that seemed preferable to what I had to do.

She was like, if you don't want to do it, just tap the person next to you. You can go, which was nice. But I didn't want to be the guy who's like, I'm not doing it because nobody else declined. Yeah. But I was like, what do I do? What are my options here? Fling yourself from the top of the building. But at that moment, that seemed preferable to what I had to do.

She was like, if you don't want to do it, just tap the person next to you. You can go, which was nice. But I didn't want to be the guy who's like, I'm not doing it because nobody else declined. Yeah. But I was like, what do I do? What are my options here? Fling yourself from the top of the building. But at that moment, that seemed preferable to what I had to do.

So sitting in that circle, knowing my turn was coming, you know, when you're sitting in the middle and you're watching each person go and getting sweatier and sweatier. Yes. Yes. Top five worst moments of my life. For sure. Truly. But I was really making an effort to stay open. You know, like I had all these judgments and opinions about what was happening and what

So sitting in that circle, knowing my turn was coming, you know, when you're sitting in the middle and you're watching each person go and getting sweatier and sweatier. Yes. Yes. Top five worst moments of my life. For sure. Truly. But I was really making an effort to stay open. You know, like I had all these judgments and opinions about what was happening and what

So sitting in that circle, knowing my turn was coming, you know, when you're sitting in the middle and you're watching each person go and getting sweatier and sweatier. Yes. Yes. Top five worst moments of my life. For sure. Truly. But I was really making an effort to stay open. You know, like I had all these judgments and opinions about what was happening and what

the people and why were they having these experiences and I wasn't feeling it. But I was like, look, dude, you're already here. You can decide later what to make of all this. Just do your best, participate, try not to judge it. Because, you know, when you judge something before you even do it, just because you're uncomfortable, then you're guaranteed to get nothing out of it.