If you're reading this, chances are you're already fairly certain that the cult you escaped from was a flaming pile of fecal matter.

Well... fairly certain

Because knowing the failed prophecies, the abuse scandals, and the sheer absurdity of the story they're selling still doesn't quite squash that annoyingly persistent voice asking:

"Yeah... but what if though? What if they were right?"

Given that absolute certainty isn't really on the menu in this plane of existence, I can't promise to get you too 100%.

But if you're hovering around 80%, give me an hour. Let's see if we can't bump that number into the high 90s by the end of this episode.

In this episode, I explore the strange social vertigo that can follow life in a high-control group, why authentic connection often feels riskier than performance, and how we can shift from to less theater, more improv.

Along the way, I share a few stories from my own attempts to navigate life without a script—some insightful, some awkward, and at least one involving psychedelics and questionable decision-making.

Another underdeveloped muscle in former cult members: Discernment

The cult taught us that every thought and action falls into a neat little black and white category of right and wrong, regardless of the situation.

And what a shock... turns out that's not actually the way the world works, and it can be quite difficult to leave that warm snuggly feeling of certainty behind.

Fear not my friends, because letting go of certainty is the start of developing discernment, which is an infinitely more useful way of approaching the inherent instabilities of life.