Navigate Select ESC Close

World Leading Therapist: Why You Feel Stuck in Life & How to Get Unstuck

2025-11-24 People & Blogs
52.4k
2.1k
102
Mel Robbins
Mel Robbins
5.7m subscribers

Rewriting Your Life Story to Break Free from Stuck Narratives

Learn the root cause of feeling stuck—the story you constantly tell yourself—and gain immediate tools to edit that narrative, changing how you move through the world and relate to others.

Short Summary

  • Stories, if faulty, determine the quality and path of your life.
  • External conflicts often stem from internal, unexamined relational patterns (the "dance").
  • Identify and challenge negative self-talk using kindness, truth, and utility as criteria.
  • Use intense emotional reactions ("hysterical") as historical clues to uncover deeper, formative narratives.
  • Setting boundaries involves defining your actions, not controlling others' responses.

This conversation with therapist Lori Gottlieb reveals how shifting your self-narrative is the most powerful force for change. We explore common relational traps, such as projecting blame onto others, and provide actionable frameworks for excavating hidden beliefs, establishing healthier boundaries, and taking authorial control over your future.

Unlock all features

FREE: Get instant access to 10 AI summaries, chats, or transcripts per day.

Description

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 https://melrob.co/let-them-theory 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them. — In today’s episode, you’re going to learn the root cause of why you feel stuck. Whether you feel trapped in self-doubt, overwhelmed by anxiety, or find yourself in a dynamic that keeps repeating, this conversation will show you how to break free. Joining Mel today is Lori Gottlieb: world-renowned therapist, writer of the “Ask the Therapist” column for The New York Times, author of “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone,” which has sold 3 million copies, and host of the podcast Since You Asked. Lori is here to help you change the most powerful force shaping your life: the story you’re telling yourself. What she shares today will change the way you see yourself, your relationships, and your past. In this episode, you’ll learn: -How to identify the story that’s keeping you stuck -What emotional trauma has to do with your inner dialogue -How anxiety is fueled by the way you talk to yourself -The simple tools to calm anxiety and stop spiraling -The biggest questions people bring to therapy and what they all have in common -How to reclaim the author role in your life and stop being defined by your past If you’ve ever felt like you missed your shot, like you’re too much or not enough, or that it’s too late to feel better, this conversation is for you. You are not the story you’ve been telling yourself. You are the author. And today, with Lori’s help, you’ll learn how to write something new – starting now. For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page: https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-345/ Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelrobbinspodcast I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll see you in the next episode. In this episode: 00:00 Meet the Guest 04:38 Why You Blame Everyone for Your Problems 13:31 The Stories That Keep You Stuck 18:18 What Really Causes People to Overreact 25:15 How to Give (and Receive) Wise, Honest Advice 30:25 How to Finally Get to Know Yourself 36:02 Why You Never Feel Good Enough (and What To Do About It) 42:34 Why Change Feels So Hard 53:43 Tips to Heal From Guilt and Shame 1:00:50 What Anxiety Really Is 1:02:18 How to Identify Your Emotional Needs in a Relationship 1:05:14 How to Fight Without Damaging Your Relationship 1:12:55 How to Support Someone in a Toxic Relationship — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@melrobbins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com​ — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins​?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah

Top Comments (10)

@marina__soul_healer 2025-11-25

I am an ordinary girl from Ukraine, and if it weren't for the internet, I would never have learned about Mel Robbins and her wonderful books and this YouTube channel! Thanks to these podcasts, my life is changing for the better. First, it has significantly improved my understanding of spoken English. Second, as someone who has been trying to figure herself out her whole life, I find a lot of value in all of Mel's podcasts and books! I am very grateful for everything Mel does! I even find Mel's advice and that of her guests useful in my work and in helping my clients. 💞💕

143 25 replies
@grumpyschnauzer 2025-11-24

This lady is showing the world that therapy is a real ART, not a medical science and so I wish we could bring that back to therapy. It's what made being a therapist so enjoyable. Working with real people with real problems... not some DSM label.

123 8 replies
@TitaFerlou 2025-11-24

Mel, this is incredible once again. When I received the newsletter email this morning, the topic spoke to me so deeply. Last night, I was telling my partner that I feel buried under the anxiety caused by my new job, and I’m realizing it’s because I keep telling myself that others are better than me. I put this enormous pressure on myself to do everything perfectly right from the start. This voice in my head is unbearable, and it’s eating up my days, my nights, and my health. This morning, I was telling a friend that my anxiety is always tied to this little incessant voice that constantly challenges me—yet with challenges that feel impossible for me to meet. I feel lost, and listening to this episode feels like a light in a dark sky. Thank you, Mel. I can’t wait to listen. What a synchronicity!

55 5 replies
@elysiaramirez8426 2025-11-25

At the end of the day we want to be seen, to love and to be loved. Change the story to one that is kind and compassionate.❤

44 1 replies
@ruthiemaney1128 2025-11-24

Is it kind? Is it truthful? Is it useful? Great questions to ask oneself. Thanks.

31
@anonymous20237 2025-11-24

All relationships are built on trust

15
@anncurl5068 2025-11-27

Perfectly timing for Thanksgiving and all the family emotions that arise.

15
@PhDThrive 2025-11-24

Turn from changing others to influencing them… nice

13
@Kim1310 2025-11-25

This episode was full of gems; Will listen again❤❤❤

12
@shinewithshraddha 2025-11-29

So much of our anxiety and self-doubt comes from repeating the same narrative over and over, without realizing we can actually rewrite it. Listening to Mel and Lori, I feel inspired to take ownership of my inner dialogue and actively create a story that empowers me, instead of keeping me stuck.

6

Unlock the Data Inside
Turn Videos into Knowledge

  • Get FREE 10/day: transcripts, summaries, chats
  • Chat with videos, export text & PDF
  • $1 free API credit for RAG, chatbots & research

Free forever plan • All features unlocked

App screenshot