Epiphanies
- What, from previous sessions, has come back around to speak to you?
- Which of the homework exercises have had an unexpected impact on your outlook?
- Where is this path leading you?
Permissions
- You are invited to engage at whatever distance feels right today
- You are not required to speak, share, or explain anything
- Noticing is enough — meaning can come later
- Silence, confusion, and resistance are valid participation
- Take what is useful and leave the rest
- The Questions for Discernment and Homework are optional and meant to serve you, not pressure you. Do as much or as little as feels right.
Video Presentation
https://www.ted.com/talks/america_ferrera_my_identity_is_a_superpower_not_an_obstacle
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story
Questions for Discernment
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Where do you feel pressure to hide, soften, or change parts of yourself in order to be accepted or understood?
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Where have you noticed a “single story” shaping how you see someone else — or how you see yourself?
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When does being authentic feel freeing for you, and when does it feel risky or unsafe?
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How do you currently discern the difference between healthy openness and the need to protect your boundaries?
Homework Exercises
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List three spaces where you feel most yourself and three where you feel you must perform or shrink. Note what feels different in each.
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Practice one small boundary this week (decline something draining, name discomfort, stop over-explaining, or step back from a harmful dynamic).
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Choose one conversation to listen without persuading or defending. Invite someone with a very different view to share what shaped their perspective. Listen with curiosity only — no correcting, debating, or explaining your own position.
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Write three reframing statements: When I protect my own well-being, I am not being ____; I am being ____.
Side Trails
https://www.ted.com/talks/bevy_smith_how_to_discover_your_authentic_self_at_any_age