The Minor League: IdentityThe Minor League: Identity
Addict II Athlete Podcast
Savannah and Coach Blu talk about teenage identity using Erik Erikson’s stages, sharing seven practical ways to build a stronger sense of self. Their conversation covers values, saying no, people-pleasing, mindfulness and beginning to sense a personal purpose.
34:11•19 Oct 2020
Finding Yourself: Identity, People-Pleasing and Saying No with Addict II Athlete
Episode Overview
- Clarify your own values instead of borrowing those of friends, family or society.
- Practise saying no so you stop lying to yourself with constant yeses you don’t mean.
- Notice when you’re people-pleasing and ask whether you’re acting for yourself or for others.
- Build self-acceptance by listing things you like about yourself and challenging negative self-talk.
- Use mindfulness and time alone to hear what you genuinely want and to sense your longer-term purpose.
“If you say yes to too many things you don't want enough times in a row, you can become so far removed from knowing what makes you really happy that you'll have no sense of self.”
What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery? This chat between teenager Savannah Robinson and her dad, mental health therapist and addiction counsellor Coach Blu, zooms in on one huge one: identity. Using Erik Erikson’s idea of “identity versus role confusion”, they talk straight to teens and parents about how those ages 13–19 can feel completely lost in who they are.
The tone’s light and funny at times, but the message cuts deep: if you don’t know yourself, it’s easy to drift into people-pleasing, burnout and even depression. Savannah brings seven practical ideas for building a stronger sense of self. They start with values: what you truly care about, not what you’ve “cherry‑picked” from family, friends or politics.
Coach Blu points out the mixed messages that happen when families claim to value honesty or connection but behave very differently behind closed doors.
From there, they talk about learning to say no, with Savannah warning, “If you say yes to too many things you don’t want enough times in a row, you can become so far removed from knowing what makes you really happy that you’ll have no sense of self.” Real-life examples of hated sports, forced activities and copy‑cat friendships show how quickly identity can get blurred.
They also cover the pressure to please others, the difficulty of accepting yourself, and how hard it is for both teens and adults to list even three things they like about themselves.
Mindfulness pops up as a simple but powerful tool: slowing down enough to ask, “Is this a thought, or a genuine feeling?” Finally, they touch on being okay with time alone and beginning to sense a “soul purpose” – the kind of work or service you’d happily do just because it feels like you. If you’ve ever felt lost in other people’s expectations, this conversation might prompt you to ask: who are you really, underneath all the noise?
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