Ep27: Coming Out After 20 Years of Marriage & 3 Kids: A Story of Identity with John Goodall

After living life as a straight man for 50+ years, John Goodall
made the courageous decision to start living his truth by coming
out to his wife and three children. This is his story about
discovering his true identity and the confidence to be his true
self. He currently lives in Michigan with his husband, Eric, and is
active in OutFront Kalamazoo, a local organization that supports
the city’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and allied
community. Professionally, John is a Senior Director of Research
and Technology with the Kellogg Company.
In this episode, my dad and I discuss:

* The feeling of being different as a kid
* Being teased for being gay
* Following the “formula” in pursuit of happiness
* Decades of suppressing being gay
* His relationship with my mom
* External definitions of success
* The process of discovering your true identity
* Attempting to “pray the gay away”
* Overcoming guilt & shame
* Deciding to live for tomorrow
* The power of groups and knowing you’re not alone
* The importance of loving yourself
* The fear of coming out
* Redefining perfectionism
* Creating a new life
* Embracing your past as opposed to forgetting it
* Finding confidence beyond fear
* A foundation of truth
* Advice for anyone struggling with who they are
* The food industry & trends

Learn more about OutFront Kalamazoo at www.outfrontkzoo.org.
Learn more about the podcast at www.howdoyoufeelpodcast.com.
Follow me on Instagram @caseymzav.