Ep. 264: Authenticity and Boundaries: Building Stronger Families and Personal Growth

Parenting Great Kids with Dr. Meg Meeker

Dr. Meg Meeker

Kids & Family, Education, Parenting, Self-improvement

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 6 February 2025

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

“Authenticity isn’t about staying the same—it’s about being true to yourself across life’s many roles.” In this episode, media personality Jeanne Sparrow shares how she has embraced authenticity throughout her career and personal life, offering practical lessons for maintaining genuine connections. From interviewing iconic figures to navigating personal relationships, Jeanne reveals how to balance shifting roles while remaining true to yourself. This episode is packed with actionable advice for parents and professionals, highlighting the importance of setting boundaries, listening generously, and building authentic connections that foster trust and growth. Ready to take the next step in your parenting journey? Connect 1:1 with Dr. Meg for personalized coaching tailored to your family’s needs. Time-Stamped Highlights: 00:00 Understanding Authenticity Across Life’s Roles 00:43 Career Lessons and Staying Genuine 05:19 Parental Expectations and Authenticity 08:07 The Importance of Setting Boundaries 08:40 Practical Exercises for Living Authentically 24:47 Communication Tips for Parents and Professionals 33:36 Conclusion and Coaching Resources Key Discussion Topics: What Authenticity Really Means: Jeanne discusses how authenticity involves adapting to life’s different roles without losing your core self. Setting Boundaries That Work: Learn how to define personal limits and recognize when external pressures require realignment. Communication That Builds Stronger Relationships: Jeanne’s “listen generously” method offers powerful techniques for connecting with both children and colleagues. Practical Exercises for Self-Discovery: Discover exercises from Jeanne’s book that help you reflect on daily actions and uncover your authentic self. Whether you’re a parent looking to improve communication with your children or a professional navigating workplace dynamics, this episode is your guide to living authentically and fostering stronger connections. About Our Guest: Jeanne Sparrow Jeanne Sparrow is an award-winning communicator with a distinguished career in television, radio, and public speaking. She currently hosts a weekly radio show on Chicago’s V103 and the Fearless Authenticity podcast on the iHeart Podcast Network. Her upcoming book, Fearless Authenticity: Lead Better, Sell More, and Speak Sensationally, is available for pre-order (link in the show notes). Jeanne’s expertise in guiding others to embrace their authentic selves has made her a sought-after speaker and mentor. Our Sponsors: Clear Airways, Clear Mind — Find gentle, effective relief from sinus discomfort with DeepCozy. Get 15% off all products at deepcozy.com with promo code DRMEG. Track, Train, and Transform — The Amazfit Active 2 smartwatch blends sleek design, advanced tracking, and AI-driven coaching. Get 10% off at www.amazfit.com/DRMEG. Hungryroot is your personal shopper and nutritionist combined, making healthy eating easy and stress-free. Get 40% off your first box, plus enjoy a free item in every box for life! Visit Hungryroot.com/drmeg and use code DRMEG to claim this exclusive offer. Investing Made Simple — Acorns makes it easy to start investing with just spare change. Join over 13 million customers who’ve given their money a chance to grow. Get started at acorns.com/drmeg. Stay warm this season with Heat Holders®—from thermal socks to cozy hats, gloves, and layers, they’ve got you covered. Get 15% off at heatholders.com with code “DRMEG” and free shipping on orders over $25! Family-Centered Recovery — Equip Health offers virtual eating disorder treatment that empowers families to heal together. Visit equiphealth.com/drmeg to learn more. Smart Money Habits Start Here — Acorns Early helps kids learn the value of money with a debit card, chores tracker, and interactive lessons. Get your first month free at acornsearly.com/drmeg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:23.3	like you sign up for your one dollar a month trial at shopify dot com slash setup on today's episode of
0:32.1	parenting great kids we hear the word authenticity and yet many of us in our lives have parts of our personality where we relate to other people differently.
0:45.9	You can listen to your gut and not judge the situation and feel like this is just not the right place for me to be.
0:52.3	Your body knows things, and I think we need to trust that.
0:56.5	Welcome to Parenting Great Kids. Here's your host, Dr. Meg Meeker. When I'm in private with my
1:03.5	friends, I feel that I'm authentic with them. But then if I go out speaking and I'm on a stage with,
1:10.2	you know, a huge crowd, I speak
1:13.2	differently to them and I feel like I'm communicating differently. Now, you've had an incredible
1:19.2	career as a media personality speaker and educated. You even interviewed Tom Hanks and Jennifer
1:25.7	Hudson. Yes.
1:27.7	So talk to me about authenticity and how has your career in these experiences shaped your
1:35.1	authenticity?
1:36.4	Oh, wow.
1:36.9	That's a lot.
1:38.4	It is a lot.
1:39.5	Because there's so many layers to it.
1:41.5	And I want to start with just because you shift from one person to
1:48.2	another does not mean you're any less authentic in one than another. It's about how you feel.
1:53.9	Like, do you feel that you are being authentic and true to at least a part of yourself in those?
1:59.8	Because I always tell people,
2:01.7	we would, we talk to our girlfriends differently than we would talk to our grandmother, right?
	...

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