Praise Up + Pull Down

The Karen Kenney Show

I often say, “Humans love to put other people up on a pedestal of praise and then move them over to the cross of crucifixion when they see their humanity.”

Today on The Karen Kenney Show, we’re talking about how people like to build others up onto a pedestal of praise and then when they eventually discover that other person’s humanness, weaknesses or even failures - those same people love to yank that pedestal out from under them.

It's like there’s this expectation that because someone is good at something, whether that be science, acting, sports, writing, business, or music - that they’re then automatically predisposed to be good at all things straight across the board.

That they are never going to make a mistake or God forbid, show the unhealed version of themselves.

In people’s worshipping of internet heroes, influencers and “gurus” - it’s easy to forget that they are human. They are not God or even otherworldly. In many ways, they’re no different than people without the big platforms.

Like us, they have their own insecurities, character flaws and unhealed places that could also use some inner work.

As human beings, we should do our best to praise one another, love one another, and build each other up... and I have no problem with this practice of helping, supporting, cheerleading and lifting someone up!

However, it’s a totally different thing to put somebody up on a pedestal and then toss our common sense out the window - only to then be disappointed because we find out oh, yeah, they're human.

The reality is if we keep building people up on these wicked high pedestals and holding them to these impossible standards; when they're that high, there's only one place to go, and that’s down.

Key Points:

• The Tendency to Idolize + Tear Down Famous People (03:28)

• The Human Tendency to Praise + Criticize (08:59)

• Meeting Stephen King (14:22)

• Spirituality, Ego + Equality (19:01)

• The Dangers of Idolizing “Gurus” (24:19)

• Inner Wisdom + External Teachers (29:38)

• The Importance of Lifting Others Up (35:54)

• Self-Awareness + Ethical Behavior (40:26)

Karen Kenney is a certified Spiritual Mentor, Hypnotist, Integrative Change Worker and a Life Coach. She’s known for her dynamic storytelling, her sense of humor, her Boston accent and her no-bullshit approach to Spirituality and transformational work.

She’s been a yoga teacher for 22+ years, is a Certified Gateless Writing Instructor, and is also an author, speaker, retreat leader and the host of The Karen Kenney Show podcast.

A curious human being, life-long learner and an entrepreneur for 20+ years, KK brings a down-to-earth perspective to applying spiritual principles and brain science that create powerful shifts in people’s lives and businesses.

She works with people individually in her 1:1 program THE QUEST, and offers a collective learning experience via Group Coaching. She supports both the conscious and unconscious mind by combining practical Neuroscience, Subconscious Reprogramming, Integrative Hypnosis, and Spiritual Mentorship. These tools help clients regulate their nervous systems, remove blocks, rewrite stories, rewire beliefs, and reimagine what’s possible!

Karen wants her clients to have their own lived experience with spirituality and to not just “take her word for it”. She encourages people to deepen their personal connection to Self, Source and Spirit in tangible, relatable, and actionable ways without losing sight of the magic.

Her process called: “Your Story To Your Glory” helps people to shift from an old thought system of fear to one of Love - using compassion, un-shaming, laughter and humor, her work is effective, efficient, and it’s also wicked fun!

KK’s been a student of A Course in Miracles for close to 30 years, has been vegan for over 20 years, and believes that a little kindness can go a long way and make a miraculous difference.