Today’s episode is all about the absolute chaos gremlin that is your inner dialogue—and how your thoughts and words might be quietly running your life like a shady back-alley puppet master. You ever catch yourself thinking, “Ugh, I’m such an idiot,” just because you tripped over nothing or sent an email with one typo? Yeah, your brain's got jokes—and not the good kind.
But here’s the thing: thoughts aren’t facts, and that sarcastic little narrator in your head? It doesn’t get the final say. The language we use, especially with ourselves, shapes our reality more than we realize. So if your brain's been talking to you like a mean girl with a psychology degree, maybe it’s time to teach it some new lines.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:01):
Welcome back to Shrink Wrap, where we unpack mental health
like it's an Amazon Prime delivery full of emotional
baggage and questionable impulsebuys.
Today's episode is all about theabsolute chaos gremlin that is
your inner dialogue, and how your thoughts and words might be
(00:22):
quietly running your life like ashady back alley puppet master.
You ever catch yourself thinkingI'm such an idiot just because
you tripped over nothing or sentan e-mail with one typo?
Yeah, your brains got jokes and not the good kind.
(00:42):
But here's the thing. Thoughts aren't facts, And that
sarcastic little narrator in your head?
It doesn't get the final say. The language we use, especially
with ourselves, shapes our reality more than we realize.
So if your brain's been talking to you like a mean girl with a
(01:02):
psychology degree, maybe it's time to teach it some new lines.
We are diving into how to challenge toxic self talk,
rewire old thought patterns, andbasically become the director of
your own mental script instead of letting your inner critic ad
Lib every scene. Buckle up, because we're about
(01:24):
to brain train like it's CrossFit, but for yourself
worth. Let's get into it.
Your brain is basically the world's most powerful hype man
or it's worst Heckler every single day.
(01:50):
It's either pumping you up like a motivational speaker at a self
help seminar or dragging you down like that one passive
aggressive relative who thinks they're just being honest.
The kicker? You actually have control over
which voice gets the mic. Thoughts and words aren't just
(02:10):
empty noise, they're the script for how you experience life.
You ever notice how when you wake up already dreading the
day, everything magically goes wrong?
Spilled coffee? Traffic jams?
Your favorite snack mysteriouslymissing from the office fridge?
(02:31):
That's because your brain is a confirmation bias machine,
cherry picking the worst parts to validate the nonsense it
already decided. Meanwhile, if you wake up
thinking, all right, let's do this, suddenly things don't seem
so catastrophic. Even if you do spill your
coffee, it's just an excuse to get an even better one.
(02:55):
Now let's talk about language. The words you use, even just
inside your own head are like code for your mental operating
system. Constantly saying I can't do
this or I always screw up. Congrats, your brain just made
(03:16):
that your reality. But start flipping the script.
I'm figuring this out. I'm getting better at this.
I am not, in fact, a human disaster.
And your brain starts believing it.
No, this isn't some woo woo, speak it into existence
nonsense. It's straight up neuroscience.
(03:38):
The best part? You don't have to stay stuck in
the thought patterns of a pessimistic raccoon rummaging
through the garbage of self doubt.
You can retrain your brain like a dog that keeps stealing food
off the counter but eventually learns that good things come
when it stops being a little menace.
(03:58):
With time, effort, and a little intentional self talk, you can
shift your mindset from self sabotage to self powered
badassery. So what's it going to be?
Keep letting your inner Heckler roast you like you're the
unwilling star of a Comedy Central special no one asked
for? Or are you going to finally grab
(04:21):
the mic, clear your throat, and remind that gremlin who's boss?
Because listen, your thoughts. They're not just background
noise. They're the script writers,
directors, and casting agents ofyour life and your brain.
It's been casting you as anxiouswreck #2 or perpetually
(04:44):
unqualified human. And if that's the case, maybe
it's time for a rewrite. Your inner monologue shouldn't
sound like a bad Yelp review of your entire existence.
The words you use, especially the ones you toss at yourself
when no one's listening, matter more than that overpriced latte
(05:06):
you forgot to drink before it went cold.
They shape your perception, yourchoices, and whether you feel
like the main character or someone who accidentally
wandered into someone else's story.
And here's the kicker. This isn't about fake positivity
or gaslighting yourself into pretending life is all sunshine
(05:28):
and cupcakes. It's about real rewiring.
It's saying OK brain, I hear youpanicking, but we are not going
to spiral today. We've got things to do and a
life to live. It's turning I'm such a mess
into I'm figuring it out and I could never into I bet I will.
(05:53):
Retraining your brain is like teaching a wild raccoon to do
yoga. It's weird, it's clunky, but
eventually it chills out and stops knocking over your mental
trash cans and suddenly you're not just surviving, you're
thriving. Sashaying through life like you
(06:13):
just found the secret level no one else knew about.
So yeah, your mindset might not change overnight, but every time
you catch yourself spiraling andchoose a different thought,
that's a win. That's you shifting from
autopilot to intentional living,from chaos goblin to captain of
(06:37):
your own ship. Your brain is like an over
caffeinated radio DJ constantly spinning tracks.
Some are motivational anthems and others are just depressing
ballads on repeat. The problem?
(06:57):
A lot of the time you don't evenrealize that you're stuck
listening to the worst playlist ever.
That's because thoughts, especially negative ones, become
automatic, sneaking in like uninvited guests who trash your
mental space and overstay their welcome.
(07:21):
Here's the thing. You are not your thoughts.
You're the one listening to them, which means you have the
power to change the station. Negative thoughts?
They're just distorted reruns ofyour brain's greatest anxieties,
(07:42):
convincing you that failure is inevitable and happiness is a
scam. But when you start recognizing
them as thoughts, not objective truths, you can start editing
the script now. Positive thoughts aren't about
slapping on a fake smile and pretending life is all sunshine
(08:04):
and free snacks. It's about consciously flipping
the narrative, choosing to focuson thoughts that build you up
rather than tear you down. It's the difference between your
inner monologue saying I'm an absolute disaster versus I'm
learning and improving. One makes you want to curl into
(08:27):
a burrito of despair, the other gives you a fighting chance at
actually moving forward. Now, we've established that your
brain can be a real jerk sometimes.
It's like that one toxic friend who only shows up to remind you
of your failures and insecurities, except this friend
(08:48):
lives in your head and has a 24/7 VIP pass to your thoughts.
Negative self talk is sneaky. It disguises itself as truth
when it's really just an overdramatic inner monologue
auditioning for a role in your personal tragedy.
(09:10):
But here's the thing, if you keep repeating lines like I
always mess things up or I'll never succeed, your brain starts
treating them as facts instead of the self sabotaging nonsense
that they are. It's like letting an insecure
(09:32):
under qualified screenwriter dictate the entire plot of your
life. Over time these thoughts
hardwire themselves into your mental script, influencing your
actions, decisions and self worth.
But plot twist, you can rewrite the script.
(09:56):
The first step is recognizing these thoughts for what they
are, bad programming. Once you catch your brain
slipping into I suck at everything mode, call it out.
Would you let someone talk to your best friend like that?
No. Then why let yourself get
(10:19):
bullied by your own mind? Awareness is your power move,
because once you see the pattern, you can start breaking
it. All right?
Now that you've caught your inner critic red handed, lurking
in the shadows like a melodramatic gossip columnist
(10:40):
with nothing but bad headlines, it's time to drag that little
gremlin into the courtroom of reality.
Because if your brain is going to insist on running a full
blown smear campaign against you, the least you can do is
demand receipts. So next time your brain serves
up a spicy little gem like you always screw everything up or
(11:06):
you'll never be successful. Karen from middle school was
right. Don't just let it run wild.
Throw on your metaphorical trench coat, light up your
imaginary pipe, and go full Sherlock Holmes on that
nonsense. Ask.
Where's the proof, Watson? What actual evidence do we have
(11:28):
that I'm a complete failure? Because last time I checked, I
made coffee without setting anything on fire this morning.
So progress. Has this exact disaster scenario
actually happened before or is my anxiety just riding fanfic
(11:50):
again? If my best friend said this
about themselves, would I let itslide?
Or would I drag them lovingly but firmly out of their pity
swamp and into the light of day with snacks and a pep talk?
You wouldn't let someone trash talk your bestie without
(12:12):
stepping in, so why are you letting your own brain trash
talk about you? It's time to hold that internal
BS accountable like it just got subpoenaed.
And here's the thing, when you start poking holes in those
automatic doom thoughts, they deflate faster than a dollar
(12:34):
store balloon at a porcupine convention.
Suddenly I'm a total mess Becomes OK I had a moment but
I'm human and I'm learning. That's not delusion, that's
growth, baby. Think of it like decluttering
(12:55):
your mental space. You're not just tossing out old
toxic thought patterns, you're Marie condoing your whole soul.
If the thought doesn't spark growth, truth, or self respect,
thank it for its chaotic serviceand show it the door.
(13:17):
So the next time your inner critic pipes up with another
dramatic reading of why you suckthe extended cut, don't grab
popcorn. Grab your gavel.
You're the judge, the jury, and the editor in chief of your
internal narrative. Now time to rewrite the script
(13:37):
into something that doesn't makeyou want to crawl under a
weighted blanket and disappear. Now that you've called out your
brains nonsense and hit it with the hard evidence, it's time to
take it a step further, reprogramming the script
entirely. Think of it like swapping out a
(14:00):
garbage GPS that keeps yelling you're lost and everything is
terrible. For one that calmly says
rerouting learning in progress. Your inner dialogue has been
running on outdated self sabotaging software.
So let's hit the refresh button instead of the defeatist.
(14:25):
I can't do this. Try something a little more
constructive like I'll try my best and learn from this
experience. Translation.
I might crash and burn a little,but hey, that's part of the
ride. Instead of I always fail,
(14:46):
reframe it to I've faced challenges before and grown
stronger because let's be real, you've probably survived way
worse than whatever is stressingyou out right now.
And instead of I'm not good enough, flip the script to I'm
(15:06):
learning and improving every day.
Boom, instant mindset upgrade. Here's the thing.
The words you feed your brain, they're not just background
noise, they're the script of your entire movie.
(15:28):
And if your internal narrator isstuck in tragedy with no
character arc mode, then yeah, of course your life's going to
feel like an endless reel of spilled coffee, awkward emails,
and existential dread. But imagine if you switch that
voice to something a little moreuplifting, like Morgan Freeman
(15:53):
narrating your resilience or Lizzo hyping you up in the
mirror. Suddenly that bad day isn't a
catastrophic failure, it's a juicy plot twist before your
third act glow up that awkward conversation.
Character development. That time you totally botched
(16:16):
something at work? Training montage.
Cue the inspirational music and slow motion montage of you
learning, growing, and maybe crying a little, but in a
powerful way. Now don't get it twisted, this
isn't about toxic positivity or slapping A glitter E good vibes
only sticker on a dumpster fire.We're not here to gaslight
(16:40):
ourselves into thinking everything's fine when it's
clearly a hot mess. Positive reframing is about
shifting the lens so you're not automatically assuming you're
the villain in every story or that one set back means you're
doomed forever. It's about catching yourself
when your brain starts screamingI'm such a failure and calmly
(17:03):
responding OK drama queen, but what actually happened?
It's learning to say that suckedbut I survived instead of, well,
I guess I'll never recover from this mild inconvenience.
Because if you're going to be stuck with your inner thoughts
(17:24):
24/7, they should at least be pulling their weight.
You're the one in charge. So why not turn your inner
critic into your inner life coach?
Or better yet, your inner hype squad with pom poms, confetti
cannons, and the audacity to believe in your potential even
(17:48):
on a Tuesday? So yeah, life's hard.
But your mindset, that's your power tool.
Use it to build yourself up instead of constantly demoing
your self esteem. Rewrite the voice over, flip the
script. And for the love of all that is
(18:10):
mentally stable, stop letting your brain talk to you like a
mean middle schooler on the Internet.
Since we've exposed your brains bad habit of feeding you
nonsense and swapped out the self sabotaging script, it's
time for some next level mind hacking affirmations and
(18:32):
gratitude. Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds
like the kind of thing you'd hear from a self help guru
wearing too many beaded bracelets, which I'm also guilty
of, but who doesn't love a good bracelet?
Just hear me out. Your brain is like an
(18:52):
impressionable intern. It believes whatever it hears
enough times. So if you've been telling
yourself I'm a failure on repeat, guess what?
Your brain is going to nod alongand start acting accordingly.
But if you start feeding at lines like I am capable and
(19:19):
worthy, or I can handle life's chaos like a caffeinated
superhero, over time it starts buying into that instead.
Now the trick with affirmations isn't to just say them once and
expect an instant confidence glow up.
You've got to repeat them consistently.
(19:41):
Morning Night in the mirror. Post rejection e-mail before
tackling your inbox that has 347unread messages.
At first it might feel awkward, like you're trying to sweet talk
yourself into a bad date, but trust the process.
Over time, those words start to stick and your brain starts
(20:04):
shifting from Everything is doomed to maybe I actually got
this if affirmations are what you tell.
Of yourself. Gratitude is about what you
focus on. Your brain loves to latch on to
the negative. It's basically a drama obsessed
(20:26):
goblin. But gratitude is the kryptonite
to that nonsense. When you actively train yourself
to notice the good, you start short circuiting the negativity
bias and rewire your brain to see more of what's going right.
(20:46):
So here's the new gratitude ritual.
Every day, jot down three thingsyou're grateful for.
Big, small, ridiculous, It all counts.
Maybe it's your dog, your favorite hoodie, or the fact
that coffee exists. Not me.
But I love that for you. Reflect on them.
(21:07):
When life feels like a dumpster fire, your brain needs reminders
that not everything is a disaster.
Make it a habit. The more you do it, the easier
it becomes to notice the good without trying so hard.
Basically, between affirmations and gratitude, you're out here
(21:29):
running a full scale reprogramming of your mental
software. And the best part?
You're not faking positivity, you're just finally giving your
brain the memo that life isn't all bad.
So go ahead, brainwash yourself this time for good.
(21:52):
Now you've got affirmations and gratitude working their magic.
Now you get to kick it up a notch with visualization, AKA
the art of mentally rehearsing your inevitable domination of
life. Visualization really just boils
(22:13):
down to faking it in your head until you make it In real life,
your brain doesn't know the difference between what's real
and what's vividly imagined. Seriously, science backs us up.
So if you spend your time mentally replaying worst case
(22:33):
scenarios like a disaster movie director, your brain takes notes
and prepares for failure. But if you flip the script and
start visualizing success, your brain starts creating new
pathways that make confidence and competence feel second
(22:56):
nature. So here's how you work this
mental sorcery. See yourself crushing it.
Whether it's a big presentation,a nerve wracking conversation,
or just making it through Monday, visualize yourself
handling it like an absolute boss.
(23:19):
Feel the wind. Don't just see it.
Imagine how it feels to succeed.The pride, the relief, the smug
satisfaction of proving your inner critic wrong.
Your brain eats this up. Do it often.
(23:39):
The more you practice, the more your brain rewires itself for
confidence instead of catastrophizing.
Basically, this is a mental cheat code.
Athletes use it. CE OS use it, you should use it
too base, but you've also got tocut the toxic noise.
(24:06):
You have to limit the negative influences in your life.
So let's talk about the energy vampires in your life, The
people, content and environmentsthat keep your brain stuck in a
spiral of self doubt and negativity.
If you were constantly surrounded by pessimists, doom
(24:31):
scrolling through social media and drowning in cynical news,
guess what? Your mindset is going to reflect
that. Here's how to clean up your
mental environment. Audit your social circle.
Are your friends building you upor are they energy draining
(24:53):
gremlins? Choose wisely.
Tame your media diet. If scrolling through social
media makes you feel like a dumpster fire, unfollow, mute or
take a break. No one needs a steady feed of
comparison induced misery. Create a positive bubble.
(25:19):
Surround yourself with people, books, podcasts, and content
that actually inspire you instead of making you feel like
a failure. Your brain is constantly
absorbing whatever it's exposed to, so if you want better
thoughts, feed a better input. Garbage in, garbage out.
(25:42):
Choose wisely. Once you've purged the
negativity leeches from your life, it's time to really
reprogram your brain like a pro hacker.
How? Small positive habits.
Because look, transformation doesn't happen overnight.
You don't wake up one day and suddenly radiate confidence like
(26:06):
you're the main character in a self help movie.
No real change happens in the little things you do every
single day. You want to feel more confident?
Start by giving yourself credit for literally anything.
Got out of bed? Win.
(26:26):
Sent an e-mail you were dreading?
Champion resisted the urge to self sabotage via
procrastination? Elite tear behavior?
Celebrate it all. You want to be nicer to
yourself? Stop talking to yourself like a
bully. If your best friend messed up,
(26:49):
would you call them a useless failure?
No. Then don't do it to yourself.
The magic of small habits is that they snowball.
The more you reinforce them, themore your brain locks in those
upgraded thought patterns. When your brain is a non-stop
(27:10):
circus of overthinking, self doubt and imaginary arguments
you'll never actually have, it'stime to bring in the big guns,
mindfulness and meditation before you roll your eyes.
This isn't about sitting cross legged in a candlelit room
(27:31):
levitating into enlightenment, it's just about noticing your
thoughts without getting draggedinto their nonsense.
Deep breathing equals an instantbrain reboot.
When your thoughts start spiraling, take a deep breath,
hold it for a SEC, then let it out slowly.
(27:57):
Instant system reset. Observe, don't engage.
Thoughts are like pop up ads. Most of them are useless
distractions. Just because your brain throws
out I'm a failure doesn't mean you need to click on that
nonsense, acknowledge it, then move on.
(28:23):
Meditation isn't about stopping thoughts, it's about not letting
them control you. Even 5 minutes a day can train
your brain to chill out instead of catastrophizing every minor
inconvenience. Because here's the deal,
(28:44):
retraining your brain is not a one and done situation.
This isn't some instant microwave transformation where
you wake up tomorrow with Buddhalevel wisdom and unwavering self
belief. Changing your mental habits is
like going to the gym for your brain, except instead of lifting
(29:04):
weights you're lifting yourself out of your old thought
patterns. Frustrated that you're not
seeing instant results? Good, that means you're human.
Keep going anyway. Made progress then had a set
back? Totally normal.
Keep going anyway. Feel like giving up?
(29:27):
Too bad. Keep going anyway, because the
only way to actually change is to keep showing up for yourself,
Even when it feels slow, even when it's messy, even when your
brain tells you nothing's working.
One day you'll look back and realize, damn, you're not the
(29:52):
same person you used to be. And that's the point.
Your brain really is like the DJof your existence, except it's
been spinning the same depressing playlist in 7th
grade, complete with every rejection, awkward moment, and
imaginary failure it can dig up from the vault.
(30:15):
It's out here dropping emotionalbangers like You're not good
enough. The remix.
And why even try? Volume 4:00 and you're just
vibing to it, babe. No.
If you let that mental track list run on autopilot, of course
(30:37):
you're going to feel like your life is a never ending season of
worst case scenario the series complete with commercial breaks
of self doubt and passive aggressive inner monologues.
But plot twist, you're not just the listener, you're the
producer, editor, and headliner.That's right, you've got
(30:59):
creative control. So what do we do?
We kick the sad DJ out. We call out those uninvited
mental party crashers. Oh hey, intrusive thought
telling me I'm a failure? You're not on the guest list.
Security. Then we start swapping those
(31:21):
mental duds for something worth dancing to.
Things like I'm figuring it out.I've survived 100% of my worst
day so far. Or my personal favorite.
I'm not available for that kind of negativity today, Susan.
And look, we're still not here to slap glitter on a dumpster
(31:43):
fire and call it healing. This isn't about toxic
positivity or pretending your trauma smells like lavender and
good vibes. It's about doing the real work,
catching your thoughts before they spiral, reframing them like
the mental interior designer youare, and building habits like
(32:03):
they actually serve your well-being.
Think of gratitude like a daily vitamin.
For your mindset. Think of affirmations like reps
at the gym for your confidence. Think of self talk like a
playlist. Are you going to listen to
empowering anthems or let your brain shuffle through anxiety
(32:25):
ballads on loop? When you start choosing better
thoughts on purpose over and over, you stop being a
background character in your ownemotional drama and start
running the show. You stop surviving your mindset
(32:47):
and start curating it. So grab the mic, rewrite the
script, remix the soundtrack. Because your thoughts, they
shape everything and it's about time they started working for
you. So here's your final take away.
(33:10):
Your brain is a powerful little drama machine, but it doesn't
have to be a chaotic 1. You can actually train it like a
misbehaving puppy that keeps peeing on your self-confidence.
With practice, compassion, and asolid dose of side eye toward
(33:31):
your unhelpful thoughts, you canshift from self sabotage station
to main character energy. Remember, you're not stuck with
the default settings your brain downloaded during childhood or
chaos. You get to upgrade, you get to
change the script, you get to talk to yourself like someone
(33:55):
who matters. Because you do.
So go on, question the crap thoughts, reframe the narrative,
and start feeding your brain something better than self doubt
smoothies. You deserve a mindset that works
for you, not one that keeps you small, scared, or stuck.
(34:20):
You're the author, you're the narrator, you're the whole damn
plot twist. Now go out there and write
something brilliant and that's awrap on today's brain rewiring
adventure. If your thoughts start acting up
(34:41):
again later, just remember you've got the tools and the
attitude to tell them to take a seat.
Take several seats, in fact. Thanks for pushing play on
Shrink Wrapped, where we unpack the messy, marvelous, mildly
chaotic world of mental health, one unfiltered conversation at a
(35:02):
time. If you liked what you heard, go
ahead and share it with someone whose brain could use a vibe
check, too. Don't forget to subscribe, rate
review, hit the notification bell and join us on the O'Neill
Counseling app. The link is in the show notes.
Catch you next week to talk about conflict resolution.
(35:26):
Same place, same SAS. Probably new existential crisis.
Welcome back to Shrink Wrap, where we unpack mental health
like it's an Amazon Prime delivery full of emotional
baggage and questionable impulsebuys.
Today's episode is all about theabsolute chaos gremlin that is
your inner dialogue, and how your thoughts and words might be
(00:22):
quietly running your life like ashady back alley puppet master.
You ever catch yourself thinkingI'm such an idiot just because
you tripped over nothing or sentan e-mail with one typo?
Yeah, your brains got jokes and not the good kind.
(00:42):
But here's the thing. Thoughts aren't facts, And that
sarcastic little narrator in your head?
It doesn't get the final say. The language we use, especially
with ourselves, shapes our reality more than we realize.
So if your brain's been talking to you like a mean girl with a
(01:02):
psychology degree, maybe it's time to teach it some new lines.
We are diving into how to challenge toxic self talk,
rewire old thought patterns, andbasically become the director of
your own mental script instead of letting your inner critic ad
Lib every scene. Buckle up, because we're about
(01:24):
to brain train like it's CrossFit, but for yourself
worth. Let's get into it.
Your brain is basically the world's most powerful hype man
or it's worst Heckler every single day.
(01:50):
It's either pumping you up like a motivational speaker at a self
help seminar or dragging you down like that one passive
aggressive relative who thinks they're just being honest.
The kicker? You actually have control over
which voice gets the mic. Thoughts and words aren't just
(02:10):
empty noise, they're the script for how you experience life.
You ever notice how when you wake up already dreading the
day, everything magically goes wrong?
Spilled coffee? Traffic jams?
Your favorite snack mysteriouslymissing from the office fridge?
(02:31):
That's because your brain is a confirmation bias machine,
cherry picking the worst parts to validate the nonsense it
already decided. Meanwhile, if you wake up
thinking, all right, let's do this, suddenly things don't seem
so catastrophic. Even if you do spill your
coffee, it's just an excuse to get an even better one.
(02:55):
Now let's talk about language. The words you use, even just
inside your own head are like code for your mental operating
system. Constantly saying I can't do
this or I always screw up. Congrats, your brain just made
(03:16):
that your reality. But start flipping the script.
I'm figuring this out. I'm getting better at this.
I am not, in fact, a human disaster.
And your brain starts believing it.
No, this isn't some woo woo, speak it into existence
nonsense. It's straight up neuroscience.
(03:38):
The best part? You don't have to stay stuck in
the thought patterns of a pessimistic raccoon rummaging
through the garbage of self doubt.
You can retrain your brain like a dog that keeps stealing food
off the counter but eventually learns that good things come
when it stops being a little menace.
(03:58):
With time, effort, and a little intentional self talk, you can
shift your mindset from self sabotage to self powered
badassery. So what's it going to be?
Keep letting your inner Heckler roast you like you're the
unwilling star of a Comedy Central special no one asked
for? Or are you going to finally grab
(04:21):
the mic, clear your throat, and remind that gremlin who's boss?
Because listen, your thoughts. They're not just background
noise. They're the script writers,
directors, and casting agents ofyour life and your brain.
It's been casting you as anxiouswreck #2 or perpetually
(04:44):
unqualified human. And if that's the case, maybe
it's time for a rewrite. Your inner monologue shouldn't
sound like a bad Yelp review of your entire existence.
The words you use, especially the ones you toss at yourself
when no one's listening, matter more than that overpriced latte
(05:06):
you forgot to drink before it went cold.
They shape your perception, yourchoices, and whether you feel
like the main character or someone who accidentally
wandered into someone else's story.
And here's the kicker. This isn't about fake positivity
or gaslighting yourself into pretending life is all sunshine
(05:28):
and cupcakes. It's about real rewiring.
It's saying OK brain, I hear youpanicking, but we are not going
to spiral today. We've got things to do and a
life to live. It's turning I'm such a mess
into I'm figuring it out and I could never into I bet I will.
(05:53):
Retraining your brain is like teaching a wild raccoon to do
yoga. It's weird, it's clunky, but
eventually it chills out and stops knocking over your mental
trash cans and suddenly you're not just surviving, you're
thriving. Sashaying through life like you
(06:13):
just found the secret level no one else knew about.
So yeah, your mindset might not change overnight, but every time
you catch yourself spiraling andchoose a different thought,
that's a win. That's you shifting from
autopilot to intentional living,from chaos goblin to captain of
(06:37):
your own ship. Your brain is like an over
caffeinated radio DJ constantly spinning tracks.
Some are motivational anthems and others are just depressing
ballads on repeat. The problem?
(06:57):
A lot of the time you don't evenrealize that you're stuck
listening to the worst playlist ever.
That's because thoughts, especially negative ones, become
automatic, sneaking in like uninvited guests who trash your
mental space and overstay their welcome.
(07:21):
Here's the thing. You are not your thoughts.
You're the one listening to them, which means you have the
power to change the station. Negative thoughts?
They're just distorted reruns ofyour brain's greatest anxieties,
(07:42):
convincing you that failure is inevitable and happiness is a
scam. But when you start recognizing
them as thoughts, not objective truths, you can start editing
the script now. Positive thoughts aren't about
slapping on a fake smile and pretending life is all sunshine
(08:04):
and free snacks. It's about consciously flipping
the narrative, choosing to focuson thoughts that build you up
rather than tear you down. It's the difference between your
inner monologue saying I'm an absolute disaster versus I'm
learning and improving. One makes you want to curl into
(08:27):
a burrito of despair, the other gives you a fighting chance at
actually moving forward. Now, we've established that your
brain can be a real jerk sometimes.
It's like that one toxic friend who only shows up to remind you
of your failures and insecurities, except this friend
(08:48):
lives in your head and has a 24/7 VIP pass to your thoughts.
Negative self talk is sneaky. It disguises itself as truth
when it's really just an overdramatic inner monologue
auditioning for a role in your personal tragedy.
(09:10):
But here's the thing, if you keep repeating lines like I
always mess things up or I'll never succeed, your brain starts
treating them as facts instead of the self sabotaging nonsense
that they are. It's like letting an insecure
(09:32):
under qualified screenwriter dictate the entire plot of your
life. Over time these thoughts
hardwire themselves into your mental script, influencing your
actions, decisions and self worth.
But plot twist, you can rewrite the script.
(09:56):
The first step is recognizing these thoughts for what they
are, bad programming. Once you catch your brain
slipping into I suck at everything mode, call it out.
Would you let someone talk to your best friend like that?
No. Then why let yourself get
(10:19):
bullied by your own mind? Awareness is your power move,
because once you see the pattern, you can start breaking
it. All right?
Now that you've caught your inner critic red handed, lurking
in the shadows like a melodramatic gossip columnist
(10:40):
with nothing but bad headlines, it's time to drag that little
gremlin into the courtroom of reality.
Because if your brain is going to insist on running a full
blown smear campaign against you, the least you can do is
demand receipts. So next time your brain serves
up a spicy little gem like you always screw everything up or
(11:06):
you'll never be successful. Karen from middle school was
right. Don't just let it run wild.
Throw on your metaphorical trench coat, light up your
imaginary pipe, and go full Sherlock Holmes on that
nonsense. Ask.
Where's the proof, Watson? What actual evidence do we have
(11:28):
that I'm a complete failure? Because last time I checked, I
made coffee without setting anything on fire this morning.
So progress. Has this exact disaster scenario
actually happened before or is my anxiety just riding fanfic
(11:50):
again? If my best friend said this
about themselves, would I let itslide?
Or would I drag them lovingly but firmly out of their pity
swamp and into the light of day with snacks and a pep talk?
You wouldn't let someone trash talk your bestie without
(12:12):
stepping in, so why are you letting your own brain trash
talk about you? It's time to hold that internal
BS accountable like it just got subpoenaed.
And here's the thing, when you start poking holes in those
automatic doom thoughts, they deflate faster than a dollar
(12:34):
store balloon at a porcupine convention.
Suddenly I'm a total mess Becomes OK I had a moment but
I'm human and I'm learning. That's not delusion, that's
growth, baby. Think of it like decluttering
(12:55):
your mental space. You're not just tossing out old
toxic thought patterns, you're Marie condoing your whole soul.
If the thought doesn't spark growth, truth, or self respect,
thank it for its chaotic serviceand show it the door.
(13:17):
So the next time your inner critic pipes up with another
dramatic reading of why you suckthe extended cut, don't grab
popcorn. Grab your gavel.
You're the judge, the jury, and the editor in chief of your
internal narrative. Now time to rewrite the script
(13:37):
into something that doesn't makeyou want to crawl under a
weighted blanket and disappear. Now that you've called out your
brains nonsense and hit it with the hard evidence, it's time to
take it a step further, reprogramming the script
entirely. Think of it like swapping out a
(14:00):
garbage GPS that keeps yelling you're lost and everything is
terrible. For one that calmly says
rerouting learning in progress. Your inner dialogue has been
running on outdated self sabotaging software.
So let's hit the refresh button instead of the defeatist.
(14:25):
I can't do this. Try something a little more
constructive like I'll try my best and learn from this
experience. Translation.
I might crash and burn a little,but hey, that's part of the
ride. Instead of I always fail,
(14:46):
reframe it to I've faced challenges before and grown
stronger because let's be real, you've probably survived way
worse than whatever is stressingyou out right now.
And instead of I'm not good enough, flip the script to I'm
(15:06):
learning and improving every day.
Boom, instant mindset upgrade. Here's the thing.
The words you feed your brain, they're not just background
noise, they're the script of your entire movie.
(15:28):
And if your internal narrator isstuck in tragedy with no
character arc mode, then yeah, of course your life's going to
feel like an endless reel of spilled coffee, awkward emails,
and existential dread. But imagine if you switch that
voice to something a little moreuplifting, like Morgan Freeman
(15:53):
narrating your resilience or Lizzo hyping you up in the
mirror. Suddenly that bad day isn't a
catastrophic failure, it's a juicy plot twist before your
third act glow up that awkward conversation.
Character development. That time you totally botched
(16:16):
something at work? Training montage.
Cue the inspirational music and slow motion montage of you
learning, growing, and maybe crying a little, but in a
powerful way. Now don't get it twisted, this
isn't about toxic positivity or slapping A glitter E good vibes
only sticker on a dumpster fire.We're not here to gaslight
(16:40):
ourselves into thinking everything's fine when it's
clearly a hot mess. Positive reframing is about
shifting the lens so you're not automatically assuming you're
the villain in every story or that one set back means you're
doomed forever. It's about catching yourself
when your brain starts screamingI'm such a failure and calmly
(17:03):
responding OK drama queen, but what actually happened?
It's learning to say that suckedbut I survived instead of, well,
I guess I'll never recover from this mild inconvenience.
Because if you're going to be stuck with your inner thoughts
(17:24):
24/7, they should at least be pulling their weight.
You're the one in charge. So why not turn your inner
critic into your inner life coach?
Or better yet, your inner hype squad with pom poms, confetti
cannons, and the audacity to believe in your potential even
(17:48):
on a Tuesday? So yeah, life's hard.
But your mindset, that's your power tool.
Use it to build yourself up instead of constantly demoing
your self esteem. Rewrite the voice over, flip the
script. And for the love of all that is
(18:10):
mentally stable, stop letting your brain talk to you like a
mean middle schooler on the Internet.
Since we've exposed your brains bad habit of feeding you
nonsense and swapped out the self sabotaging script, it's
time for some next level mind hacking affirmations and
(18:32):
gratitude. Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds
like the kind of thing you'd hear from a self help guru
wearing too many beaded bracelets, which I'm also guilty
of, but who doesn't love a good bracelet?
Just hear me out. Your brain is like an
(18:52):
impressionable intern. It believes whatever it hears
enough times. So if you've been telling
yourself I'm a failure on repeat, guess what?
Your brain is going to nod alongand start acting accordingly.
But if you start feeding at lines like I am capable and
(19:19):
worthy, or I can handle life's chaos like a caffeinated
superhero, over time it starts buying into that instead.
Now the trick with affirmations isn't to just say them once and
expect an instant confidence glow up.
You've got to repeat them consistently.
(19:41):
Morning Night in the mirror. Post rejection e-mail before
tackling your inbox that has 347unread messages.
At first it might feel awkward, like you're trying to sweet talk
yourself into a bad date, but trust the process.
Over time, those words start to stick and your brain starts
(20:04):
shifting from Everything is doomed to maybe I actually got
this if affirmations are what you tell.
Of yourself. Gratitude is about what you
focus on. Your brain loves to latch on to
the negative. It's basically a drama obsessed
(20:26):
goblin. But gratitude is the kryptonite
to that nonsense. When you actively train yourself
to notice the good, you start short circuiting the negativity
bias and rewire your brain to see more of what's going right.
(20:46):
So here's the new gratitude ritual.
Every day, jot down three thingsyou're grateful for.
Big, small, ridiculous, It all counts.
Maybe it's your dog, your favorite hoodie, or the fact
that coffee exists. Not me.
But I love that for you. Reflect on them.
(21:07):
When life feels like a dumpster fire, your brain needs reminders
that not everything is a disaster.
Make it a habit. The more you do it, the easier
it becomes to notice the good without trying so hard.
Basically, between affirmations and gratitude, you're out here
(21:29):
running a full scale reprogramming of your mental
software. And the best part?
You're not faking positivity, you're just finally giving your
brain the memo that life isn't all bad.
So go ahead, brainwash yourself this time for good.
(21:52):
Now you've got affirmations and gratitude working their magic.
Now you get to kick it up a notch with visualization, AKA
the art of mentally rehearsing your inevitable domination of
life. Visualization really just boils
(22:13):
down to faking it in your head until you make it In real life,
your brain doesn't know the difference between what's real
and what's vividly imagined. Seriously, science backs us up.
So if you spend your time mentally replaying worst case
(22:33):
scenarios like a disaster movie director, your brain takes notes
and prepares for failure. But if you flip the script and
start visualizing success, your brain starts creating new
pathways that make confidence and competence feel second
(22:56):
nature. So here's how you work this
mental sorcery. See yourself crushing it.
Whether it's a big presentation,a nerve wracking conversation,
or just making it through Monday, visualize yourself
handling it like an absolute boss.
(23:19):
Feel the wind. Don't just see it.
Imagine how it feels to succeed.The pride, the relief, the smug
satisfaction of proving your inner critic wrong.
Your brain eats this up. Do it often.
(23:39):
The more you practice, the more your brain rewires itself for
confidence instead of catastrophizing.
Basically, this is a mental cheat code.
Athletes use it. CE OS use it, you should use it
too base, but you've also got tocut the toxic noise.
(24:06):
You have to limit the negative influences in your life.
So let's talk about the energy vampires in your life, The
people, content and environmentsthat keep your brain stuck in a
spiral of self doubt and negativity.
If you were constantly surrounded by pessimists, doom
(24:31):
scrolling through social media and drowning in cynical news,
guess what? Your mindset is going to reflect
that. Here's how to clean up your
mental environment. Audit your social circle.
Are your friends building you upor are they energy draining
(24:53):
gremlins? Choose wisely.
Tame your media diet. If scrolling through social
media makes you feel like a dumpster fire, unfollow, mute or
take a break. No one needs a steady feed of
comparison induced misery. Create a positive bubble.
(25:19):
Surround yourself with people, books, podcasts, and content
that actually inspire you instead of making you feel like
a failure. Your brain is constantly
absorbing whatever it's exposed to, so if you want better
thoughts, feed a better input. Garbage in, garbage out.
(25:42):
Choose wisely. Once you've purged the
negativity leeches from your life, it's time to really
reprogram your brain like a pro hacker.
How? Small positive habits.
Because look, transformation doesn't happen overnight.
You don't wake up one day and suddenly radiate confidence like
(26:06):
you're the main character in a self help movie.
No real change happens in the little things you do every
single day. You want to feel more confident?
Start by giving yourself credit for literally anything.
Got out of bed? Win.
(26:26):
Sent an e-mail you were dreading?
Champion resisted the urge to self sabotage via
procrastination? Elite tear behavior?
Celebrate it all. You want to be nicer to
yourself? Stop talking to yourself like a
bully. If your best friend messed up,
(26:49):
would you call them a useless failure?
No. Then don't do it to yourself.
The magic of small habits is that they snowball.
The more you reinforce them, themore your brain locks in those
upgraded thought patterns. When your brain is a non-stop
(27:10):
circus of overthinking, self doubt and imaginary arguments
you'll never actually have, it'stime to bring in the big guns,
mindfulness and meditation before you roll your eyes.
This isn't about sitting cross legged in a candlelit room
(27:31):
levitating into enlightenment, it's just about noticing your
thoughts without getting draggedinto their nonsense.
Deep breathing equals an instantbrain reboot.
When your thoughts start spiraling, take a deep breath,
hold it for a SEC, then let it out slowly.
(27:57):
Instant system reset. Observe, don't engage.
Thoughts are like pop up ads. Most of them are useless
distractions. Just because your brain throws
out I'm a failure doesn't mean you need to click on that
nonsense, acknowledge it, then move on.
(28:23):
Meditation isn't about stopping thoughts, it's about not letting
them control you. Even 5 minutes a day can train
your brain to chill out instead of catastrophizing every minor
inconvenience. Because here's the deal,
(28:44):
retraining your brain is not a one and done situation.
This isn't some instant microwave transformation where
you wake up tomorrow with Buddhalevel wisdom and unwavering self
belief. Changing your mental habits is
like going to the gym for your brain, except instead of lifting
(29:04):
weights you're lifting yourself out of your old thought
patterns. Frustrated that you're not
seeing instant results? Good, that means you're human.
Keep going anyway. Made progress then had a set
back? Totally normal.
Keep going anyway. Feel like giving up?
(29:27):
Too bad. Keep going anyway, because the
only way to actually change is to keep showing up for yourself,
Even when it feels slow, even when it's messy, even when your
brain tells you nothing's working.
One day you'll look back and realize, damn, you're not the
(29:52):
same person you used to be. And that's the point.
Your brain really is like the DJof your existence, except it's
been spinning the same depressing playlist in 7th
grade, complete with every rejection, awkward moment, and
imaginary failure it can dig up from the vault.
(30:15):
It's out here dropping emotionalbangers like You're not good
enough. The remix.
And why even try? Volume 4:00 and you're just
vibing to it, babe. No.
If you let that mental track list run on autopilot, of course
(30:37):
you're going to feel like your life is a never ending season of
worst case scenario the series complete with commercial breaks
of self doubt and passive aggressive inner monologues.
But plot twist, you're not just the listener, you're the
producer, editor, and headliner.That's right, you've got
(30:59):
creative control. So what do we do?
We kick the sad DJ out. We call out those uninvited
mental party crashers. Oh hey, intrusive thought
telling me I'm a failure? You're not on the guest list.
Security. Then we start swapping those
(31:21):
mental duds for something worth dancing to.
Things like I'm figuring it out.I've survived 100% of my worst
day so far. Or my personal favorite.
I'm not available for that kind of negativity today, Susan.
And look, we're still not here to slap glitter on a dumpster
(31:43):
fire and call it healing. This isn't about toxic
positivity or pretending your trauma smells like lavender and
good vibes. It's about doing the real work,
catching your thoughts before they spiral, reframing them like
the mental interior designer youare, and building habits like
(32:03):
they actually serve your well-being.
Think of gratitude like a daily vitamin.
For your mindset. Think of affirmations like reps
at the gym for your confidence. Think of self talk like a
playlist. Are you going to listen to
empowering anthems or let your brain shuffle through anxiety
(32:25):
ballads on loop? When you start choosing better
thoughts on purpose over and over, you stop being a
background character in your ownemotional drama and start
running the show. You stop surviving your mindset
(32:47):
and start curating it. So grab the mic, rewrite the
script, remix the soundtrack. Because your thoughts, they
shape everything and it's about time they started working for
you. So here's your final take away.
(33:10):
Your brain is a powerful little drama machine, but it doesn't
have to be a chaotic 1. You can actually train it like a
misbehaving puppy that keeps peeing on your self-confidence.
With practice, compassion, and asolid dose of side eye toward
(33:31):
your unhelpful thoughts, you canshift from self sabotage station
to main character energy. Remember, you're not stuck with
the default settings your brain downloaded during childhood or
chaos. You get to upgrade, you get to
change the script, you get to talk to yourself like someone
(33:55):
who matters. Because you do.
So go on, question the crap thoughts, reframe the narrative,
and start feeding your brain something better than self doubt
smoothies. You deserve a mindset that works
for you, not one that keeps you small, scared, or stuck.
(34:20):
You're the author, you're the narrator, you're the whole damn
plot twist. Now go out there and write
something brilliant and that's awrap on today's brain rewiring
adventure. If your thoughts start acting up
(34:41):
again later, just remember you've got the tools and the
attitude to tell them to take a seat.
Take several seats, in fact. Thanks for pushing play on
Shrink Wrapped, where we unpack the messy, marvelous, mildly
chaotic world of mental health, one unfiltered conversation at a
(35:02):
time. If you liked what you heard, go
ahead and share it with someone whose brain could use a vibe
check, too. Don't forget to subscribe, rate
review, hit the notification bell and join us on the O'Neill
Counseling app. The link is in the show notes.
Catch you next week to talk about conflict resolution.
(35:26):
Same place, same SAS. Probably new existential crisis.
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