LATE BLOOMERS THE SHAME FILES: Why the things you never talk about are keeping you stuck
May 28, 2025
What secrets keep us stuck? The hosts dive into the heavy burden of shame, sharing personal stories of gambling debts, addiction, and childhood trauma. They explore how shame distorts identity and relationships, revealing the liberation found in honesty. Discover the mental toll of hiding shame and the healing power of connection, community, and self-compassion. They also discuss the importance of releasing the shame that isn’t yours and reframing past actions with kindness. Healing starts with truth—time to open the shame files!
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Shame Vs Guilt: Identity Trap
- Shame is when you believe you are a bad person rather than having done a bad thing.
- It feels physically heavy, isolating, and rewrites your identity into your worst moment.
Hidden Gambling Debt Confession
- Rich hid gambling debt while working as a bank manager and felt panicked daily about bills bouncing.
- Telling his then-wife lifted a weight and let him start dealing with the reality.
Abuse, Masculinity And Longstanding Shame
- Rich carried shame from being sexually abused as a child and felt less of a man because of it.
- He first disclosed at 18 but processed it meaningfully much later in therapy in his 30s.