How to Stop Pretending and Start Being Yourself — Dr. Julia Garcia

Negotiate Anything

American Negotiation Institute

Education, Business, Self-improvement

4.7 • 748 Ratings

🗓️ 20 November 2025

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Most of us spend years pretending — acting like we’re fine, performing for approval, or hiding the parts of ourselves we don’t think are “good enough.” But what if the real breakthrough happens the moment you stop pretending? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Julia Garcia sits down with Kwame to unpack what it truly means to be yourself. Her story is raw, courageous, and full of practical wisdom about hope, identity, and rebuilding your confidence from the inside out. Connect with Julia ⁠Buy the book the 5 Habits of hope - By Julia Garcia⁠ www.drjuliagarcia.com https://www.instagram.com/drjuliagarcia/ https://www.youtube.com/@DrJuliaGarcia https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjuliagarcia/ Julia opens up about: The moment her life collapsed — and why it became the turning point How pretending, perfectionism, and worthlessness quietly shape our identity Why hope has nothing to do with happiness (and why that matters) The emotional habits that can transform your entire life How a single word — maybe — changed her future If you’ve ever felt stuck between who you are and who you pretend to be… this episode will help you reconnect with the real you and take the first step toward the life you want.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Most small business owners only think about insurance after something gets wrong.
0:04.6	Don't be that person.
0:06.4	With Next Insurance, you get fast, affordable coverage in minutes.
0:10.3	No calls, no waiting, and no nonsense.
0:13.3	Protect your business today at nextinsurance.com.
0:17.3	There's a moment in life when you stop trying to be the one everyone expects and starts figuring out who you really are.
0:24.2	We all wear masks to fit in, at work, with friends, and even with ourselves.
0:29.1	But after a while, pretending gets heavy.
0:32.3	You start to wonder what would happen if you actually started to show up as yourself.
0:37.4	No filter, no performance,
0:39.5	just truth. And that's what today's conversation is all about. The courage to be real,
0:45.7	the power of self-trust, and how to rebuild your confidence when you've lost it along the way.
0:52.7	Dr. Julia Garcia knows this journey firsthand.
0:55.7	She's a writer, speaker, and a founder who helps people reconnect with their story
1:00.4	and turn pain into strength.
1:02.8	Her message is raw, real, and full of heart.
1:05.8	And with that, let's get into it.
1:09.8	I was, I think I was reading Billy Jean King's book, The Dollar Rebellion,
1:15.7	and she brought up a statistic.
1:18.2	It's something like 90% of women in the C-suite were former athletes,
1:24.1	like a disproportionate amount.
1:26.4	And so that makes me wonder for you, when you think
	...

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