In this episode of Flashback Files, I go all the way back to ages 6 to 12 — before careers, before confidence, and before any of us had words to explain how we felt. These years shaped how I saw myself, how I tried to fit in, and how early patterns of insecurity and approval-seeking began.

I talk about:

• What it felt like to be mixed-race in spaces where I stood out

• Trying to fit in by being the “funny one”

• How anger, jealousy, and insecurity started way earlier than I realized

• The first moments that shaped how I handle pressure, friendships, and fear

• The roots of perfectionism and why I was so afraid of being wrong

Even if your childhood looked completely different than mine, this episode is about something almost everyone carries into adulthood without noticing: the stories we start telling ourselves about who we are and what we’re worth.

This isn’t about blaming parents or the past. It’s about understanding how much of our behavior today started long before we were “grown.”

The goal of this episode is simple:

 to help you feel less alone

 to help you recognize what shaped you

 and to help you move forward with more confidence and self-awareness

Thanks for listening, and welcome to Flashback Files.

Real stories. Real lessons. No perfection required.