How to Uncover Your Golden Self in 2025
Let’s not sugarcoat it—2025 isn’t here to play. The world feels chaotic, people are craving authenticity more than ever, and life’s messiness isn’t taking a day off. But here’s the thing: this is the perfect moment to stop surviving and start thriving. To peel back the layers of societal conditioning, old wounds, and bullshit stories that have kept you stuck, and finally uncover your golden self.
I’ve been there—trapped in the clay, unsure if the gold was even still there. But I’ll tell you this: the gold is always there. And uncovering it isn’t just some lofty, abstract concept. It’s a real, tangible process, and it works for anyone, whether you’re 25 and restless or 55 and reimagining your life’s purpose.
In fact, uncovering your golden self is especially powerful in what I call the “third chapter” of life—the time when you stop living for everyone else and start organizing your days around who you really are and what you truly want. Let me share my story and a roadmap for how you can start chipping away at that clay today.
The Golden Buddha and the Shitstorm Survivor
Let’s start with a story. Picture it: Thailand, 1957. A group of monks are moving a massive clay Buddha statue when one of them notices a crack, revealing something shiny underneath. After chipping away at it, they discover the whole damn thing was solid gold. Not gilded. Not plated. Solid. As it turns out, centuries earlier, monks had covered the statue in layers of clay to protect it from invaders, and its true nature had been forgotten. Until now, when the hidden treasure finally got its moment to shine.
Sound familiar? Because you’re that Buddha. We all are. Life throws its share of shitstorms—heartbreak, trauma, bad bosses, crappy childhoods, societal expectations—and we layer ourselves in “clay” to survive. And here’s the kicker: we get so used to living under all that crap, we forget what’s underneath.
But the gold never leaves. It’s there, waiting for you to uncover it. And I’m not just speaking in metaphors. I’ve lived this.
My Golden Moment (Or: The Night I Had a Come-to-Jesus With a Pint of Ben & Jerry’s)
I wasn’t always this guy—licensed psychotherapist, coach, speaker, and all-around truth-teller. There was a time I couldn’t see my own gold through all the crap I’d piled on top of it.
Let me take you back a few years. I’d already reinvented myself a few times—Screenwriter! Animation artist! Small business owner! On paper, my life looked solid. But inside, I was miserable.
I’d spent so much time trying to be who I thought I should be—successful, stable, “normal”—that I’d lost sight of who I actually was. The breaking point came one night in my apartment, sitting with nothing but a pint of Ben & Jerry’s (a cliché, but what can I say—it works) and my thoughts. I asked myself, What the fuck are you doing? Is this really it?
That moment of clarity felt like hitting rock bottom. But here’s the twist: rock bottom is where the clay cracks. It was exactly what I needed. It was the start of my Story Restoration™ process, though I didn’t know it yet. I got serious about therapy and started taking honest inventory of what mattered to me, what I’d been ignoring, and what I needed to change.
One of the hardest realizations? I didn’t actually want the life I’d been building. I wanted a life that aligned with who I was at my core—a creative, irreverent, truth-telling badass stuck in a box labeled “normal.”
So, I smashed the box—and leaned into my authentic self. And let me tell you, once you start living as your true self, everything changes.
Why 2025 Is the Year of the Golden Self
Here’s the thing about 2025: it’s not just another year. It’s a chance to reset, to stop playing small, and to finally own your shit, your power, and your future. And this isn’t just for people in crisis. This process works for anyone ready to live more intentionally, but it’s especially potent for those entering the third chapter of life.
In your 50s or beyond, the world tries to tell you it’s too late to change. That’s bullshit. This is your time. You’ve got wisdom, resilience, and zero patience for anyone else’s nonsense. That’s a recipe for gold-digging success. So why not make this the year you uncover your gold and start living the life you actually want?
Step 1: Own Your Shit
The first step to uncovering your golden self is taking a hard look at the clay. What beliefs, fears, or habits have been holding you back? Write them down. Don’t filter. Don’t sugarcoat. If it helps, think of this like an inventory of excuses:
“I’m too old to start over.”
“I can’t afford to take risks.”
“What will people think?”
Once you’ve named your clay, you can start to confront it. Remember, you can’t fix what you won’t face.
Step 2: Flip the Script
Now that you’ve identified the bullshit stories running your life, it’s time to rewrite them. Every time that inner critic pipes up, challenge it. When it says, “You’re not good enough,” respond with, “Watch me.”
This isn’t about fake positivity; it’s about reclaiming your narrative. Because here’s the truth: you’ve survived 100% of your worst days. You’re stronger than you think.
Step 3: Get Clear on Your Gold
What’s underneath the clay? What are the qualities, passions, or dreams you’ve buried over the years? Maybe you’re an artist who stopped creating because life got busy, or maybe you’ve always wanted to write a book but never thought you could.
If you’re not sure where to start, ask yourself: What did I love as a kid? Or talk to someone you trust who knows you well. Sometimes, others can see our gold more clearly than we can.
Step 4: Start Small
Uncovering your golden self doesn’t mean flipping your life upside down overnight—like quitting your job and moving to Bali tomorrow. (Unless that’s your plan, in which case, send me a postcard.) Start with one small, intentional step. Maybe it’s signing up for a class, setting a boundary, or saying “no” to something that doesn’t align with your values.
Small steps build momentum. And momentum is what turns dreams into reality.
Step 5: Organize Your Life Around Your Gold
Once you’ve started uncovering your true self, the next step is to align your life with it. This might mean letting go of relationships, jobs, or habits that no longer serve you. It might mean saying “yes” to opportunities that scare the hell out of you.
For me, this looked like leaving a career that felt safe but suffocating and diving headfirst into coaching and therapy. Was I terrified? Absolutely. Did it pay off? Hell yes.
Final Thoughts and an Invitation
The process of uncovering your golden self isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Because when you live authentically, everything changes. Relationships deepen. Work becomes meaningful. And life doesn’t suck so much.
If you’re ready to start uncovering your gold, I’ve got you covered. For a limited time, I’m offering Uncovering Your Gold coaching sessions to help you break through the clay, connect with your core self, and start living with purpose. This is your chance to take that first step and discover the badass you’ve been hiding all along.
Interested? Get more information here. Let’s chip away at that clay and uncover the gold within you.
You’ve got this. It’s time to shine.