We often define ourselves by what we do or who we are to other people. But at our core, who we are is often something much deeper, and sometimes wildly different, from the version that the world sees -- or projects onto you.

Maria Shriver was born into the legendary Kennedy and Shriver families, arriving with a script already written for her—an identity shaped by legacy and expectation. From the start, the world had ideas about who she should be. But after decades as a journalist, years as California’s First Lady, and raising four amazing kids, Maria has been on a lifelong journey to peel back the layers and ask Who am I now?—and answer it for herself.

Maria also happens to be my best friend. We talked about how we became each other’s “8-minute friends,” the quiet questions that shape us, and her beautiful new book of poetry—which she reads from in this episode. It’s all about identity, self-reflection, and finding your voice in a world that keeps trying to define it for you.

This…is A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Maria Shriver, check out:

her book, I Am Maria

mariashriver.com

NBC 046: Jim Cathcart: Lessons From a Personal Development Legend