By The Power Invested in Me: Vice, Virtue and The Ways We Attempt to Signal Superiority

When J. Stamatelos confronted his anxious insecurity; he discovered the underlying power of self-acceptance and the vicious cycle of validating oneself through the love and acceptance of others - creating a central conflict between self-validation and external validation. Courage. Perhaps it is the virtue that enables the existence of all others. True virtue is knowing the self - not by intellectual knowledge - but by pure silence. Seeing things with new eyes requires courage and uncertainty. Yet, we live in a world that forces us to constantly compete with others in order to achieve what we want. As we journey throughout our lives, may we arrive at better, yet still - no better than… There's no doubt that each of us is fighting to be, and to do, our best. We seek that space where we thrive. But what happens when this battle is within ourselves - one that rages on between your self-concept and true identity? The result - a mask we wear each day in front of the world that hides that light inside. A mask that hides our true brilliance behind that veil of insecurity, and maybe even a touch of envy. A mask that makes us feel “less than…” We bring you this exploration of the superiority complex, one of the results of such a mental battle, detailing how A conflict between self-validation and external verification is created when anxious insecurity plays a role in a person's life. Our guest J. Stamatelos shares his insights on the effects of Anxious Insecurity & The Search for Love & Belonging. Here's what J. Stamatelos and I cover: 1. What is the impact of anxious insecurity on our lives? 2 How do we create a sense of belonging in a fragmented society? 3. How can we create a healthy self-concept while still achieving self-actualization? J. Stamatelos is a trauma modality expert and mental health practitioner who specializes in helping people break free from anxious insecurity and the cycle of feeling not enough. JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM: @thelightinsidepodcast SUBSCRIBE: pod.link/thelightinside FEATURED GUEST: J. Stamatelo Credits: Music Score by Epidemic Sound Executive Producer: Jeffrey Besecker Mixing, Engineering, Production, and Mastering: Aloft Media Studio Production Manager: Anna Getz