What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood | Parenting Tips From Funny Moms

DEEP DIVE: Changing the Stories We Tell Ourselves

Feb 17, 2025

Explore the fascinating ways our personal narratives shape our lives as mothers. Discover how preconceived stories can blind us to reality, leading to misunderstandings in relationships. Learn about the concept of cognitive mediation and why recognizing different perspectives is vital for emotional growth. The hosts share personal anecdotes that highlight the unexpected joys of family dynamics. Dive into strategies for reshaping self-narratives and fostering positivity, ultimately unlocking a path to everyday happiness.

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ANECDOTE

Stranger Things in Paris

Margaret Ables planned a "perfect" family trip to France, but her kids were more excited about a Stranger Things store.
This experience taught her the importance of adapting her expectations and enjoying unplanned moments.

INSIGHT

Brains Seek Stories

Our brains create stories to make sense of the world, even if they don't exist.
These stories connect seemingly unrelated events, often ignoring contradictory information.

ADVICE

Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

Be mindful of self-fulfilling prophecies.
If you believe a negative story, you're more likely to see it happen.

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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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