What roles do we play in our lives, and how do we choose them? Are they imposed on us, and can we escape them? In this conversation we explore social conditioning as both a cage and a mirror — from family expectations to cultural norms, from gender roles to invisible leashes we carry inside. What lies beyond these layers, and how can we return to our essence while still living in society?

📍Chapters

00:00 – Welcome to Life in Flow

01:42 – What shapes us? The unseen force of conditioning

03:11 – The Zoo Game: how environments train us

07:17 – Are we living in invisible cages?

08:33 – Instinct vs. obedience: the “leash effect”

12:52 – When love becomes a role you must perform

16:38 – Family scripts: responsibility, success & pressure

23:25 – The inner check: “Is this actually me?”

25:04 – The motherhood story: desire, biology, or expectation?

29:49 – Identity at the crossroads of culture and biology

37:22 – Beyond roles: touching the essence of who we are

43:57 – Gender and identity: the fluid self beneath the labels

48:42 – Rediscovering the wild self through nature

1:04:57 – You’re always conditioned by something—so what frees you?

1:06:32 – Choosing your way: awareness, fluidity, and self-trust

Find us here:

* Life in Flow Podcast

* Yulia Bogdanova

* Polina Khodova

* Irina Mishina

💌 Resources used under Creative Common license:

Music “Echolocation” by airtone, source: CcMixter

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lifeinflowgroup.substack.com