Dallas Bragg traces how childhood labels like "moody" get internalized as unwanted identities that men carry into adulthood. Shame about these imposed labels can trigger emotional suppression and addiction. He argues you can question these old stories and consciously choose new beliefs about yourself right now.
You know, often I'm seeing men stuck in their life because they're living through an identity that was given to them by their family of origin. Imagine your entire life governed by a story that you didn't even author. This is often called unwanted identity, and these are labels that we come to accept as true that were given to us by family members. For example, mine was moody. You're so moody. Dallas is always moody. Being told that early in my life and then having it reinforced by family members imprinted on me so that I grew up believing that I'm a moody person. That emotional part of myself became part of me that I hated, I hid, and I felt shame around. So often I'd be triggered by any hint from anyone that I was being too emotional or too sensitive because my unwanted identity was that I was moody. Was I really? No. Am I intensely emotional as a person? Sure. Is that a bad thing? Absolutely not. But the shame that comes from hating or rejecting a part of yourself can drive you into addiction because when you are high, suddenly there are no labels. There is no identity. You get to be free from shame and who you want to be. So what is your unwanted identity or label that was given to you And how can you begin to believe differently right now today?
