In this episode of Top Self, Shanenn sits down with Dr. Greg Stewart, counselor, executive coach, and author to explore why insecurity might be the most valuable emotion we experience. Dr. Stewart shares his powerful framework for understanding emotional triggers and reveals how owning our insecurities can be the key to personal freedom.

From his concept of "the house of your heart" to practical techniques like "embrace the digs," Dr. Stewart offers a refreshing perspective on emotional intelligence that can transform how you experience your relationships.

Golden Nuggets:

💎 "The plain and simple fact that you can't stand it when you fail proves it's not who you are at your core." - Dr. Greg Stewart

💎 "What happens when we take things personally? The insult is impacting our value and worth. And it should not."

💎 "Your identity is you at your best. This takes the impact of failures and weaknesses down from devastating to just disappointing."

💎 "I don't need my partner to validate or pursue me. I want them to, but I don't need them to."

💎 "When a strength is taken too far, it becomes a weakness—especially when we experience negative emotion."

About Our Guest:

Dr. Greg Stewart is a counselor, executive coach, and consultant who spent 15 years as a pastor and 3 years in organizational development. He's the author of two books: "I Cubed" for individual growth and "I Cubed for Couples," with a third book "I Cubed for Leaders" in development. Dr. Stewart completed his PhD studying emotional intelligence and brings a unique perspective on healing from insecurity and developing healthy relationships.

Resources Mentioned:

• Dr. Greg Stewart's book "I Cubed" for individual growth and development
• Dr. Greg Stewart's book "I Cubed for Couples" for relationship development
• Coming Soon: "I Cubed for Leaders" (Fall release)

Perfect for listeners who:

• Struggle with jealousy or insecurity in their relationships
• Want to stop taking things personally and being easily triggered
• Need to break free from seeking validation from others
• Are working on building confidence and self-worth
• Want to understand the deeper causes of their emotional reactions

Action Steps:

1. Identify what lies you believe about yourself that cause "inflation of emotion"
2. Practice "embracing the digs" by owning truthful criticism instead of defending
3. Evaluate whether your need for validation is making you emotionally dependent
4. Recognize when your strengths might be taken too far and becoming weaknesses
5. Ask yourself "What did I lose?" from past trauma that you need to reclaim

Episode Highlights:

[00:01:16] Why insecurity is the "richest emotion" for what it can reveal about ourselves

[00:02:49] The concept of "inflation of emotion" and why we often react more intensely than situations warrant

[00:04:08] The three main reasons ou

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