When did Maisie Williams understand her childhood trauma?

Maisie Williams realized the nature of her childhood trauma at around eight years old, following a series of events at school where a teacher observed her struggles and asked the 'right questions'. This led to her mother picking her up and opening discussions about their shared experiences.

How does Maisie Williams feel about her father today?

Maisie Williams has adopted a more objective view of her father, separating his actions from her personal worth. She no longer takes his mistreatment personally but instead feels curious about his own past and what led him to behave that way, viewing it as a separate human journey.

How did acting help Maisie Williams cope with her trauma?

Acting provided Maisie Williams with a safe space to express deep emotions like confusion and pain without real-world consequences. This ability to 'feel human' through performance and bring joy to others became a powerful coping mechanism and a source of liberation for her.

Did Maisie Williams struggle with identity after Game of Thrones?

Yes, Maisie Williams experienced an identity shift after Game of Thrones. She had been 'cosplaying' as a persona she created to be a good role model, but the show's end and the pandemic provided an opportunity for her to explore who she truly was, rather than who she 'should' be.

What helped Maisie Williams overcome self-hate and lack of self-worth?

Meditation and spirituality, which she embraced in 2021, significantly helped Maisie Williams combat feelings of unworthiness. These practices, combined with therapy and the support of her partner, Reuben, allowed her to gain a new perspective and reinforce her inherent worth.

What was Maisie Williams' experience with substance abuse as a teenager?

Maisie Williams admits to taking party drugs as a teenager and recognized that she needed to stop to feel genuine happiness. While she had the means to buy more, she managed to prevent it from escalating to a 'terrible degree' and now maintains a balanced relationship with alcohol.

How did Maisie Williams' current partner, Reuben, help her?

Reuben helped Maisie Williams confront her self-sabotaging patterns in relationships. His patience and understanding, even when she tried to push him away, allowed her to observe her behavior and realize she could experience a peaceful and joyful coexistence with another person.

What is Maisie Williams' mission regarding creative work?

Maisie Williams' mission is to help creative people sustain a living through art. She believes that enabling more people to do what they love, where work intertwines with passion and financial stability, could contribute to a better world by alleviating widespread pain.

How does Maisie Williams view the concept of 'wasted time'?

Maisie Williams believes that nothing is truly a waste of time, especially activities like relaxing or engaging in creative pursuits. She argues that society has conditioned people to see time as 'wasted' if it's not productive, but such 'empty time' can be vital for inspiration and human fulfillment.

How does Maisie Williams manage her schedule and approach time?

Maisie Williams tries not to control time, believing that a schedule 'arranges itself.' Instead of stressing over every detail, she focuses on her priorities and allows for fluidity, understanding that external factors can shift plans. This approach promotes a more relaxed and adaptable mindset.

What impact did an ADHD diagnosis have on Maisie Williams and her mother?

Maisie Williams' ADHD diagnosis, suggested by her psychiatrist, provided new insight into her own behaviors and also a fresh perspective on her mother's life. It helped them both understand shared traits and gave Williams greater clarity on her own experiences and her mother's parenting choices.

Key Moments

Maisie Williams: The Painful Past Of A Game Of Thrones Star | E181

The Diary Of A CEO

People & Blogs4 min read113 min video

Sep 26, 2022|3,993,136 views|90,122|4,731

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Maisie Williams discusses childhood trauma, finding identity post-Game of Thrones, and the healing power of self-expression.

Key Insights

Childhood trauma significantly impacted Maisie Williams's sense of self, leading to anxiety and a struggle with identity.

Acting served as a vital outlet for processing trauma, providing a safe space to express real emotions without real-world consequences.

Fame at a young age complicated identity formation, making it difficult to articulate personal preferences and feelings.

Healing involves understanding the origins of self-doubt and reframing past experiences, rather than erasing them.

Spirituality, meditation, and self-compassion have been crucial in Maisie's journey towards self-acceptance and worthiness.

Finding fulfilling creative work and encouraging others to pursue their passions is a key mission for Maisie.

EARLY TRAUMA AND ITS ENDURING IMPACT

Maisie Williams's childhood was profoundly shaped by a traumatic relationship with her father and the subsequent departure of her mother. This early adversity instilled a deep-seated struggle with sleep, a pervasive sense of impending doom, and an inability to recognize the wrongness of her experiences. She observed other children with a sense of wonder, questioning where their joy came from, as her own life was overshadowed by pain and fear. This foundational trauma significantly influenced her developing sense of self and her perception of the world.

ACTING AS A REFUGE AND FORM OF HEALING

The opportunity to act, particularly in Game of Thrones, provided Maisie with an unexpected escape and a powerful tool for processing her past. She found that embodying characters allowed her to access and express real emotions of confusion and pain in a safe, consequence-free environment. This creative outlet became a form of therapy, enabling her to release pent-up feelings that she had long suppressed. Acting also connected her to moments of joy and a sense of being human, something she had struggled to find elsewhere.

THE CHALLENGES OF CHILDHOOD FAME

Becoming a global star at a very young age presented unique challenges for Maisie, particularly in forming a stable identity. The constant public scrutiny and the need to articulate opinions and preferences forced her to confront the fact that she genuinely didn't know herself well. This period was marked by a struggle to define who she was beyond her characters, leading to a feeling of being detached from her own experiences and a desire for drastic change, which the end of Game of Thrones and the pandemic provided.

THE JOURNEY TO SELF-WORTH AND ACCEPTANCE

Maisie's path to self-acceptance has been an ongoing process, marked by periods of intense self-criticism and a feeling of unworthiness. She struggled with negative self-talk, viewing herself as unattractive, unkind, and unlikeable. This internal battle was exacerbated by fame but had roots much earlier, possibly stemming from internalized beliefs about not existing fully or taking up too much space. She has found that meditation, spirituality, and a conscious effort to combat negative self-talk have been instrumental in fostering a sense of inherent worthiness.

REDEFINING SUCCESS AND EMBRACING CREATIVITY

For Maisie, success is not a fixed destination but an ongoing process rooted in conscious decision-making and living authentically. She emphasizes the importance of pursuing creative passions, viewing them as fundamental to human well-being. Her mission is to help build a world where more people can sustain a lifestyle of making art, believing that integrating creativity into daily life, whether through professional pursuits or personal hobbies, leads to greater fulfillment and a potentially better world.

NAVIGATING RELATIONSHIPS AND FINDING PEACE

The podcast also touches upon Maisie's evolving relationships, particularly with her mother and her partner, Reuben. Her relationship with her mother has strengthened, moving from a codependent dynamic to one of mutual support and understanding. With Reuben, she found a patient partner who helped her recognize and navigate her self-sabotaging patterns in relationships. This journey has led to a profound sense of peace, joy, and coexistence, illustrating the transformative power of genuine connection and self-awareness.

THE POWER OF EXPRESSION AND OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

Maisie reflects on her ADHD diagnosis and the challenges of managing it, particularly while working abroad. She highlights the importance of self-compassion in correcting mistakes, rather than succumbing to self-recrimination. She also discusses her past substance use, noting it as a coping mechanism that she recognized needed to stop to find genuine happiness. Ultimately, she feels incredibly fortunate for the complex emotions and experiences that have shaped her, viewing them as essential to her identity and her ability to connect with others through her art.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Tools

●Companies

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

Maisie Williams experienced a traumatic childhood, struggling with deep pain and fear from a young age. This led to an identity crisis, anxiety about self-perception, and a tendency to retreat from difficult emotions, ultimately shaping her acting career as an outlet for these feelings.

Topics

Mental Health & Psychology Mindset & Self-Improvement Relationship Dynamics Creative Expression Personal Growth Childhood Trauma Anxiety Management Healing Journey Acting Career Career & Skills Identity Formation ADHD Awareness

Mentioned in this video

Media

Game of Thrones

A hugely successful TV show where Maisie Williams played Arya Stark, which brought her immense fame from a young age.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

A film mentioned in the context of wishing to erase painful memories, contrasting with Maisie Williams' decision not to erase her past.

The Apprentice

A TV reality show where the host auditioned for its junior version at 14, making it to the final 20 before being removed due to a leak.

Books

The Body Keeps the Score

A book mentioned by the host, describing how acting and movement practices like yoga can be effective forms of antidepressant.

Organizations

Paris

The city where Maisie Williams was working and ran out of her ADHD medication.

People

Lewis Howes

Another podcaster with whom Maisie Williams previously had an interview. He discussed his own experiences with child abuse and his methods of healing the 'child version' of himself.

Arya Stark

The character Maisie Williams played in Game of Thrones, whose pain and fury Williams felt she could access due to her own childhood experiences.

Liam Payne

A member of the boy band One Direction, who discussed his post-band identity struggles and the difficulty of finding a new self after a major public identity.

Concepts

Eraser Test

A concept described by the host, similar to the plot of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, where people attempt to remove traumatic memories from their brain.

Transcendental Meditation

A meditation technique Maisie Williams practices, which helped her uncover the origins of her self-critical thoughts and shame.

Companies

Crafted

A jewelry brand that sponsors the podcast, known for making affordable, meaningful, and high-quality jewelry.