7 Things to Tell Yourself Every Day

In this podcast episode, Mel Robbins shares seven powerful reminders designed to help listeners overcome feelings of overwhelm, regain control over their lives, and foster emotional resilience. These reminders function like emotional jumper cables, snapping you out of negative thought patterns and reconnecting you with your inner strength. Throughout the episode, Mel weaves in ideas about setting boundaries, managing energy, practicing kindness, recognizing personal progress, developing emotional resilience, embracing growth through necessary goodbyes, and appreciating the fleeting nature of time.

Boundaries Are Essential

Mel emphasizes that being kind and having a good heart does not mean you must be a doormat or say yes to everyone's demands. Setting boundaries is a form of self-respect that often requires telling people to "fuck off" when necessary. She explains that true boundaries start with what you say to yourself—being able to say no and protect your own peace despite feelings of guilt or fear of disappointing others. Through anecdotes and candid honesty, Mel illustrates that overextending yourself to appease others leads to exhaustion and resentment. Boundaries allow you to prioritize your well-being without sacrificing kindness.

You're Not Lazy; You're Surviving

One of the most impactful reminders comes from a therapist's insight that you're not lazy—you simply have a limited amount of energy, and right now, you're using it all to survive. Mel explains how the current overwhelming state of the world naturally causes stress and pressure, activating a survival mode in the brain that dims productivity and increases self-criticism. She draws from Dr. Aditi Nurukar's research at Harvard, explaining that stress hijacks brain function, making negative thoughts louder and more convincing. Mel encourages compassion for yourself and reinforces the idea that giving 100% of your current capacity—no matter how depleted it feels—is enough and worthy of praise, not judgment.

Everyone Is Fighting Their Own Battles

This reminder reminds listeners to cultivate kindness by recognizing that everyone they encounter is likely struggling with something invisible. Mel describes how even those who seem distant, rude, or emotionally closed off carry unseen burdens. By expanding compassion outward while maintaining healthy boundaries, you reinforce your own strength and humanity. Kindness becomes a way to stay connected to others and to yourself amid a shared experience of hardship. This reminder encourages kindness not as a weakness but as a powerful act of resilience and connection.

Celebrate Your Progress

Mel invites listeners to acknowledge how far they've come by reflecting on who they were two years ago. This reminder serves as a reality check against feelings of inadequacy or frustration about not yet reaching all your goals. She shares examples from her own life, highlighting progress in personal and professional arenas even if the ultimate vision isn't fully realized. The message is clear: growth is ongoing, and recognizing incremental progress fuels motivation and self-compassion. It's a shift from perfectionism to valuing continual improvement.

Take Nothing Personally

Drawing on the wisdom of Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements, Mel stresses the importance of not taking things personally. For sensitive individuals especially, this practice guards against absorbing others' projections, moods, and criticisms as reflections of your worth. She introduces the "let them" theory as a mental tool for allowing others to express their emotions and opinions without internalizing them. This habit frees you from the exhausting trap of people-pleasing and emotional dependency on others' reactions, restoring your power and peace of mind.

Growth Requires Saying Goodbye

The journey toward your best self inevitably means letting go of certain habits, mindsets, environments, and relationships. Mel clarifies that saying goodbye is not just about cutting people off but about releasing anything that no longer serves your well-being or growth. This could mean shedding self-criticism, perfectionism, or toxic obligations. Recognizing these farewells as necessary space-makers for new opportunities and healthier patterns reframes goodbyes from loss into acts of courage and clarity. It's part of the natural evolution of becoming who you want to be.

Time Is Precious; Love and Enjoy Life Now

The final reminder centers on the invisibility of time's passage and the urgency it brings to living fully in the present. Mel shares research from Dr. Carl Pilmer, whose studies on aging reveal that people's greatest regrets often involve missed opportunities for connection and love, not material achievements. This reminder urges listeners to prioritize meaningful relationships and experiences today—rather than postponing affection, forgiveness, or joy to an indefinite "later." By keeping the ticking clock in mind, you kindle a motivation to stop procrastinating on what matters most and to savor life and the people who love you while you still can.