Listen as I Ponder, Can You Narrate Your Identity?

05 Jul Listen as I Ponder, Can You Narrate Your Identity?

Posted at 16:00h in Human Development, Psychology of Becoming by

Last week I turned 80 and one of the many ways we marked the occasion (in addition to a fantastic truly global Zoom celebration) was for Jan Wootten, my creative advisor,  and me to reread an essay I wrote for the book Narrative Identities, Psychologists Engaged in Self-Construction many years ago. I called it “Performing a Life (Story).” I played around with sharing “my life/my story” inseparable from challenging core beliefs like cause, identity and self. It’s been on this site since then (you can read it here).

Jan had the idea that I should do a recorded reading of it, since many people rather listen than read. So I did. I think of it as a re-gifting to all of you.

The audio reading is a bit over 60 minutes. I’ve broken it up into 12 scenes to make it manageable—easy to stop and begin again at another time.
I hope you’ll tell me how the experience of listening was for you.
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6 Comments
  • Avatar photo
    loisholzman
    Posted at 00:48h, 07 July

    yes, and what a performed life I’ve storied!

  • Avatar photo
    loisholzman
    Posted at 00:47h, 07 July

    So appreciated, Nancy—from a writer and developmentalist, it means a lot!

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    loisholzman
    Posted at 00:46h, 07 July

    Thanks so much, Jennifer. I’ll check out the cut-off.

  • Nancy G.
    Posted at 00:25h, 07 July

    So engaged by the story you have written/told/performed/lived/given us in this piece! I particularly love how you “begin” and “end” the reading performance with the story of your family — throughout the performance, we see how that family keeps growing, growing, and growing beyond origins, boundaries, and borders,

  • Jennifer Bullock
    Posted at 23:37h, 06 July

    It was wonderful listening to the chapters of your life and your/our work. The relationship / the social unit as the unit of growth is so critically important! (The end cuts off FYI when talking about your sister or at least it did for me)..

  • Jan W
    Posted at 12:27h, 06 July

    What a storied life you’ve performed!

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