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May 2023
38m 1s

#49 - Opening up to people is hard

Rowena Tsai & Vivian Van
About this episode

Fear of intimacy can show up in our lives in many different and unexpected ways. Connection is so important to our human experience, yet we are often afraid of it.

In this episode, Ro and Viv dive into a listener’s question of why it's difficult to truly open up, and why it's often harder to open up to strangers than it is with ourselves. In order to connect, we must first want to connect and be ready to do so!

Ro shares how experiencing loss at a young age led to her fear of disappointment which kept her away from forming connections in her 20s. Viv shares her realization that her fear of abandonment may stem from a deeply rooted belief that she's a "bad" person. They explore the concept of learning to judge the “bad” or “less desirable” parts of ourselves less, and instead try to see why it exists so that instead we can turn it into a superpower! (rather than something we’re guilty or ashamed of).

Finally, the duo discuss the importance of creating a safe and intimate space for ourselves because the fear of intimacy isn't just with others, but also within you.

Thanks for staying with us til the end on this one! It was a harder episode for Viv to record and the resistance was real hehe

We appreciate all of you for being here! ❤️ Say hello, give us feedback, or share any topics/questions you’d like to hear in future episodes. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast or rate us on Spotify or Apple - it really helps and your support means so much!

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