Minisode 640: 10 ways we take things personally, when we shouldn't (Part 1)

Make Some Noise with Andrea Owen

Another minisode for you! This week, I’m diving into the habit of taking things personally—something I’ve covered in my book How to Stop Feeling Like Shit. This is part one of a two-part series, where I focus on how we tend to internalize feedback, silence, rejection, and even others’ successes as reflections of our own worth. Taking things personally can chip away at our self-worth and confidence over time and lead us down a path of shame. So in this episode, I talk about why awareness is the first step in breaking these patterns.

I also discuss why the advice to "just stop taking things personally" often doesn’t help. It’s so much more nuanced than that, and this work is unique to each person. So today, I’m identifying 10 specific ways we commonly make things personal—even when they aren’t.

What you’ll hear in this minisode:

• Why self-awareness is key to understanding personal triggers
• How we assume criticism means "I’m not good enough"
• Taking silence or short responses as signs of rejection
• Overinterpreting others’ moods as something about us
• Comparing ourselves to others’ praise or successes
• Feeling rejected when others set boundaries
• The impact of social media comparisons

I hope this episode brings some clarity on ways you might be personalizing situations that don’t actually reflect on you. Next time, I’ll be diving into practical solutions for letting go of this habit. Thanks for listening, and remember—our life's journey is to make ourselves better humans, and our responsibility is to make the world a better place. See you in part two!

Resources from this episode:

Daring Way Retreat is opening SOON!

How to Stop Feeling Like Shit

Book recommendations:

I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!

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Episode link:

http://andreaowen.com/640

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