This Deep Dive series is about reflecting on our trajectories as mothers - looking back, reflecting on where we are now, and thinking about the future. Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify.

We are the protagonist in our own story, but what happens when we become the antagonist in stories we weren't even aware of? Or when we assign antagonist roles to unsuspecting partners or kids? Amy and Margaret discuss why we as humans need to tell ourselves stories, when the stories we tell ourselves might stop serving us, and how we can change the stories we tell ourselves.

In this episode, Amy and Margaret discuss:

• why our brains are willing to ignore what doesn't fit our preconceived narratives
• the concept of cognitive mediation, which is how stories are created
• "taking things less personally" and the better approach to avoid feeling wounded by others' stories
• how to rediscover the agency we have over the stories we tell ourselves

Here are links to the resources mentioned in the episode:

• Esther Perel: How the Stories We Tell Ourselves Can Make or Break Us
• Kyle Benson for The Gottman Institute: There Are Two Views to Every Conflict and Both Are Valid
• Carl Alviani for Medium: The Science Behind Storytelling
• Kendall Haven: Your Brain on Story

We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website:

https://www.whatfreshhellpodcast.com/p/promo-codes/

What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson.

mom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips, mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid’s behavior, teenager, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent, parental stress, kids stress, brain development, mom brain

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