The Stories My Mind Tells Me

Sometimes the mind becomes a storyteller with a flair for the dramatic — predicting the worst, assuming the harshest meaning, or zooming in on the one thing that went wrong. In this lived experience talk, Deirdre reflects on the patterns she once believed were truths and how learning to pause changed everything. This is a soft space to recognize your own mind’s habits, breathe through them, and meet yourself with the same gentleness you’d offer a friend.

Transcript

Hi, I'm Deirdre, And today I want to talk about something I know from the inside out. The stories our minds tell us when we're stressed, Tired, Or overwhelmed. For a long time, I didn't know these stories had names. I didn't know they were patterns. I just thought they were true. If I made a mistake, My mind would jump straight to. . . Well, That's it. Everything's ruined. Some people call that catastrophizing. But to me, It just felt like fear. If someone didn't respond the way I hoped, My mind would whisper, They must not like you. That's mind reading. But at the time, It felt like certainty. And when something good happened, My mind would find the one thing that wasn't perfect and zoom in only on that, Ignoring the positive. I was an expert at it. What helped wasn't forcing myself to think positive. That never worked for me. It felt fake. It felt like I was trying to wallpaper over something that needed gentleness instead. What help with slowing down enough to notice? Oh, My mind is doing that thing again. Noticing gave me space. Space to breathe. Space to ask. What else might be true? Would I talk to a friend this way? Is there a softer version of this thought? I still have those moments. We all do. But now, When my mind gets loud, I meet it with curiosity instead of panic. And that small shift, That tiny pause, Has changed everything. If your mind tells you stories too, You're not alone. You're human, And you can learn to meet those stories with kindness. Before we close, Take a breath with me. In. Oh. Feel your body here. Feel the ground beneath you. Feel the steadiness that's always been yours. Your mind will tell stories. That's what minds do. But you get to choose how to meet them. Thank you for being here with me today.