S2 EP1 | Getting Started: Let Them + Let Me | The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins | The Messy Podcast
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Are you feeling stressed out by the little things in life, like slow walkers, long lines, or someone coughing on a plane? Do you find yourself reacting automatically to stressful situations, letting your emotions take over and hijack your brain? The good news is that you can learn to manage your stress and reclaim your power!
The Let Them Theory is a simple yet powerful technique that can help you deal with the countless stressors you face every day. When something happens that stresses you out, you say “Let Them,” acknowledging that you can't control the situation, then say “Let Me” and take a breath, focusing on what you can control which is how you respond. You can't control other people's actions, thoughts, or words, but you can control your reactions. It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
By using the Let Them Theory, you are signaling your brain that the situation isn't worth stressing about. You are telling your amygdala to turn off, resetting that stress response by detaching from the negative emotion you feel. This helps you avoid getting into a chronic state of stress, where your amygdala is always on and you are locked in a constant state of fight or flight. You can move from a survival mode to a thriving mode.
According to Dr. Aditi Neurukar, a physician at Harvard Medical School, stress can cause you to doubt yourself, procrastinate, burn out, doom scroll, and struggle with comparison. By using the Let Them Theory, you can protect your energy, which will improve your mood, mindset, health, focus, and ability to disconnect and unplug. Learning to manage your stress will allow you to achieve your goals, be more present, feel more confident, and be happier.