Episode 32: The Eagle Who Thought It Was a Chicken (A Story About Identity & Conditioning) – Quick Bite

What if the thing holding you back isn’t motivation, discipline, or circumstance—but a belief you never questioned?

In this Relish Quick Bite, Alyssia shares the parable of the eagle who thought it was a chicken—a story that’s been passed down through leadership, spiritual, and self-growth spaces for decades. Though the origins are unclear, the wisdom is strikingly clear: identity is often shaped by conditioning, not truth.

Raised among chickens, the eagle learns to peck, scratch, and stay grounded—never realizing it was built to soar. And in some versions of the story, it never does.

This episode isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about remembering who you already are beneath family systems, cultural expectations, trauma, praise, and survival strategies. Alyssia explores why growth often begins with questioning identity, how being seen by others can help us see ourselves, and why the New Year doesn’t require reinvention—only curiosity.

✨ In this episode, you’ll hear:
• The parable of the eagle and the chickens (and its two endings)
• How conditioning quietly becomes identity
• Why survival strategies can limit thriving
• The difference between remembering and reinventing
• Why being seen by others can awaken self-trust
• A gentler New Year reframe rooted in truth, not pressure

💭 Reflection:
Where might you have mistaken survival for identity?
What part of you is ready to stretch its wings?

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• Book a Self-Trust Session with Alyssia

• The Hoffman Institute (Alyssia is a Hoffman Process teacher; podcast is not affiliated)

Relevant Episodes: 

• Why There Is No Map — And Why You Don’t Need One (Episode 28)