Something You Should Know How Self Talk Can Sabotage You & Questioning What’s “Normal”
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Jan 1, 2026 
Rachel Goldsmith Turow, a psychotherapist and author, discusses the transformative power of self-talk, emphasizing that a kinder inner voice can lead to greater happiness and motivation. She shares strategies like mindfulness and self-compassion to combat negative thoughts. Gabor Maté, a physician and trauma expert, challenges societal norms, encouraging listeners to question what is considered 'normal.' He critiques harmful parenting practices and urges a reevaluation of these ingrained behaviors based on their outcomes, emphasizing the importance of community and healing.
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Reward Real Progress, Not Punishment
- Give yourself reality‑based positive reinforcement for real progress, even small steps, instead of punishing failures.
- Rewarding actions like resisting snacks can produce sustained behavior change and health improvements.
Tiny Daily Practices Build Self‑Kindness
- Try short, simple practices like inhaling and exhaling while saying “my friend” to cultivate friendliness toward yourself.
- Use the spot‑the‑success exercise to list ten beneficial actions each day to build a sense of effectiveness.
Normalizing Selfishness Distorts Human Nature
- Many cultural norms present selfishness and competition as 'human nature' despite evolutionary evidence favoring cooperation.
- Our default narratives about human nature can be skewed and justify harmful normal behaviors.
