Emotional Authenticity: No Warning Label Required

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Permission to feel shouldn't be something we need to ask for, yet we've created a culture where expressing authentic emotions feels like crossing a boundary. Why do we apologize before sharing our sadness? Why do we preface vulnerability with disclaimers? This episode dives deep into our collective discomfort with the full spectrum of human emotion.

We've constructed a tiny, polished box where only happiness and productivity fit, making "okay" mean something artificially limited. But what if "okay" could be bigger? What if feeling sad was simply information, fear was your nervous system doing its job, and overwhelm was just a natural response to a complex world? When authenticity becomes radical instead of normal, we've lost something essential.

The most powerful realization is that everyone struggles—even those who seem to have everything together. The person who appears perfectly composed also cries in parking lots; the one who always seems fine also lies awake at 3AM with racing thoughts. We're all pretending to be the polished version of ourselves when what we truly need is to remember that messy is okay too. This episode offers a practice for giving yourself permission to experience your full humanity without apology, without explanation—just truth. Because your humanity doesn't need a hall pass. It just needs space to exist.

Take a moment to check in with yourself. Notice what's happening in your body without trying to fix it. Remember: be kind and gentle with yourself. You matter, and time is a tool, not a toy. Use it wisely.

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Music by NaturesEye

Opening Music "Whip" by kontraa
Opening music Prazkhanal
Opening music SoulProdMusic
Meditation music Saavane

Episode Transcript

NatNat (00:05):
Hey love, welcome back to the Lift One Self podcast.
I'm your host, nat Nat, andI've been sitting with something
that's been bugging me forweeks.
Actually, let me be more honest, it's been pissing me off.
Why do we need permission tofeel?
I mean, really think about thatfor a second.
We ask permission to be sad, weapologize for being overwhelmed

(00:29):
, we warn people before we shareanything real Like our humanity
is some kind of inconvenience,like phrases like sorry I'm
being emotional today, or Idon't want to be a downer, but
or I hope it's okay that I'mstruggling right now.
What the hell is that all about?

(00:49):
Here's what I'm learning.
Our definition of okay isbullshit.
We've made it this tiny,polished box where only
happiness and productivity fit.
But what if okay meantsomething different?
What if okay meant I'm feelingsad today, and that's
information.
I'm feeling afraid, and that'smy nervous system doing its job.

(01:14):
I'm feeling overwhelmed, andthat means I'm human in a world.
That's a lot.
What if okay was bigger thanfine?
What if it included the wholemessy spectrum of being alive?
Here's the thing that reallygets me.
We've made authenticity.
This radical act Like sharingour real feelings is some kind

(01:40):
of rebellion.
Instead of just Tuesday.
We live in a world where howare you is basically code for
please say you're fine, wherevulnerability needs a content
warning, where showing up asanything other than pleasant
requires an apology.
I was talking to a friend lastweek and I shared something with

(02:03):
them that stopped them cold.
I said I feel like I need yourpermission not to be okay and I
thought what have we done toeach other, what have we done to
ourselves?
When did we decide thatstruggle was shameful, that
sadness was selfish, that beinghuman required a disclaimer?

(02:28):
Here's what I want to try.
What if we just stopped askingpermission?
What if we started showing upreal, without the apology tour?
What if we normalized the fullrange of human experience in our
everyday interactions?
Not trauma dumping there is adifference but just being honest

(02:53):
about where we are.
Like I'm having a rough day,I'm feeling scared about this
thing, I'm feeling overwhelmedand need some space.
No, sorry, no permission slips,no warning label, just truth.
Because here's what I think thereason we're all walking around

(03:16):
feeling like we need permissionto be human is because we've
forgotten that everyone else isalso trying to figure it out,
that the person who looks likethey have it all together also
cries in the grocery storeparking lots, that the one who
always seems fine also liesawake at 3am with their thoughts

(03:38):
.
We're all just peoplepretending to be the polished
version of okay, when what wereally need is to remember that
messy is okay too.
You know what?
Let's practice this right now,not because I'm trying to fix
you, but because sometimes weneed to feel what permission

(04:01):
actually feels like in our body.
So, wherever you are walking,driving, folding laundry,
probably pretending to work,just notice what's actually
happening in you right now, notwhat you think should be
happening.
What is happening.

(04:21):
Maybe there's tightness in yourchest is happening.
Maybe there's tightness in yourchest.
Maybe your shoulders areholding the weight of the world.
Maybe there's this low levelbuzz of anxiety that's just been
background noise for so longyou forgot it was there.
Whatever it is, you don't haveto change it, you don't have to

(04:47):
fix it.
You just have to let it exist.
Take a breath that says yeah,this is what's here right now.
Not a deep, perfect breath,just a real one.
Feel that.
That's what permission feelslike Not asking, not apologizing

(05:15):
, just being with what's true.
So here's your permission slipif you need it.
You're allowed to not be fine.
You're allowed to feel yourfeelings without explanation.
You're allowed to show up asyou are, not as who you think
you should be, and maybe, justmaybe, if we start giving

(05:38):
ourselves permission, we won'tneed to ask for it anymore.
Take a breath with me.
Your humanity doesn't need ahall pass.
It just needs space to exist.
Until next time, be real, behere, be unapologetically human.

(06:03):
Please remember to be kind andgentle with yourself.
You matter and remember.
Time is a tool, not a toy.
Use it wisely.