Read Reflect Rise With Wils Struthers-Cooper Podcast S1E1

Generated: 2025-07-04

Full Transcript

[00:04] Hi and welcome to Read, Reflect, Rise, where we explore words of wisdom from wonderful [00:10] authors, invest in our personal growth and explore different ways to centre ourselves [00:14] in this wonderful but oh-so-busy chaotic life. [00:18] I’m your host, Will Struthers-Cooper, a teacher, wellbeing coach and one of your cheerleaders [00:24] on this adventure of discovery. [00:26] In every episode, we’ll explore the wisdom of an amazing author. [00:30] They could be a wellbeing expert, a researcher, a meditation teacher or a pioneering thought leader. [00:36] You know, those really lovely-hearted folks out there whose words bring us insights and [00:41] tools that invite us to transform our thoughts, nourish our spirits, nurture ourselves or [00:46] connect more deeply with our inner calm through the very heart of their words. [00:51] Today’s show is brought to you from the mind of a motivational speaker whose work centres [00:55] on personal choice and empowerment. [00:58] Together we’ll reflect on her words. [01:00] I’ll take you on a guided, mindful moment inspired by the energy of those words and [01:05] the podcast will end with a simple yet mightily powerful affirmation inspired by the work [01:10] that you can carry with you throughout the rest of the week. [01:13] So, take a deep breath, get comfortable and let’s begin to read, reflect and rise together [01:20] for the very first time. [01:28] Today we’re diving into a powerful lesson from Mel Robbins, one that has been a huge [01:32] game changer for so many people that it’s even become a tattooing trend. [01:37] It’s called the Let Them Theory. [01:40] If you’ve ever found yourself drained by people’s opinions, stung by their words, [01:45] hurt by their choices or stuck in a frustrated loop about something that someone else is [01:50] doing or saying, then this one’s for you. [01:53] Because, sometimes, the best thing we can do, as Mel says, is just let them. [01:59] Mel’s become a huge name in personal development but her path has been one of resilience and [02:03] reinvention. [02:04] She started out with her family in financial crisis and decided motivational speaking was [02:09] a game for her. [02:10] How’s that for gumption and get up and go? [02:13] As her career developed, we’ve been gifted the TEDx talk, How to Stop Screwing Yourself [02:18] Over, the 5 Second Rule and her podcast, The Mel Robbins Show, which we absolutely love [02:24] in our house, by the way. [02:26] Mel is the master of taking complex psychological concepts and turning them into accessible [02:31] practices and tools. [02:33] And then they become global movements. [02:35] She is magic. [02:37] Today, we’re dipping into her latest book, The Let Them Theory. [02:41] This book challenges us to release the need to control others and instead focus on our [02:46] own growth, happiness and power. [02:50] It’s time now to immerse ourselves in a page from The Let Them Theory. [02:54] Let’s settle in to embrace the wisdom and warmth of Mel Robbins, a woman dedicated to [02:58] empowering each of us to live our most authentic and fulfilling lives. [03:03] I’m jumping straight into Chapter 5. [03:07] If you’re reading along at home, it’s page 87. [03:13] Because everybody has critical opinions about people they love, as well as total strangers, [03:18] it is a fact of life. [03:20] Embrace it and accept it. [03:22] Instead of trying to change reality, start using it to your advantage. [03:28] Let them. [03:29] Here’s another truth. [03:31] Just because someone has a negative opinion doesn’t mean they feel negatively about you [03:36] as a whole. [03:39] I can think a bad thought about my husband and still love him and treat him with so much [03:43] respect and kindness because two things can be true at once. [03:48] You can be annoyed by the way someone is acting and still love them to death. [03:53] This is how you feel about the people you love. [03:56] You think your friends are bad influences. [03:58] You think they’re overreacting. [03:59] You think their boyfriend treats them poorly. [04:02] You think their business idea is going to fail. [04:04] You think they’re self-centred. [04:06] But you still love them. [04:08] My point is simple. [04:10] Adults will have negative opinions about you and everything you do. [04:14] Let them judge. [04:16] Let them react. [04:18] Let them doubt you. [04:20] Let them question the decisions you are making. [04:23] Let them be wrong about you. [04:25] Let them roll their eyes when you start posting videos online or you want to rewrite the manuscript. [04:29] For the 12th time. [04:32] I think she’s talking about herself there. [04:35] Instead of wasting your time worrying about them, start living your life in a way that [04:39] makes you proud of yourself. [04:41] Let me do what I want to do with my one wild and precious life. [04:46] This approach is liberating because right now you are living your life and making decisions [04:51] trying to anticipate what everyone is going to think. [04:56] When you let the fear of what people might think dictate your choices, you limit your [05:00] potential and hold yourself back from pursuing what you truly want. [05:05] It’s the reason you procrastinate, doubt yourself, get paralysed by perfectionism and most importantly, [05:12] it’s why you wake up every day and avoid the work that would actually help you get ahead. [05:19] You are so afraid of judgement, you don’t take any risks at all. [05:23] Isn’t that what you’re afraid of? [05:26] That you’ll be judged? [05:28] That if you get divorced or quit the real estate business or go back to school or cut [05:33] your hair or try out for the soccer team and get cut, everyone will have an opinion about it? [05:39] Of course they’re going to have an opinion about it. [05:42] So what? [05:45] This stupid fear is stopping you from trying new things, taking risks, being yourself and [05:51] making the small moves that, over time, will change your life. [05:56] How sad. [05:59] The let them theory will help you be more courageous. [06:04] Doesn’t it seem smarter to accept reality and give people the freedom to judge you? [06:10] You can’t control what someone thinks, so there’s no reason why you should be afraid [06:16] of it or allow it to stop you anymore. [06:21] Your time is way more valuable than that because you’ve got important things to do with this [06:26] one wild and precious life. [06:29] Starting today, you are going to grant people the freedom to think negative thoughts about you. [06:36] Let them. [06:38] Let them, let them, let them. [06:40] Isn’t that so powerful? [06:43] Ooft, and it hits hard. [06:47] Let’s take that hard hitting energy and turn it into medicine. [06:54] Allow yourself to feel your feet beneath you, to feel supported by what you stand or sit [07:00] or rest against or on. [07:06] Feel your stomach and the circle of your ribs expand as you breathe in. [07:12] Allow yourself to exhale slowly. [07:17] Breathe in again. [07:23] And exhale. [07:26] On your next exhale, I want you to picture someone or something that you’re ready to [07:36] let go of. [07:37] It might be a voice from your past, it might be the face of someone, it could be a feeling. [07:46] Something that you’ve been holding on to that isn’t helping you, that isn’t serving you. [07:55] It’s time to say enough. [07:59] And I want you to put that picture, that word, that phrase, that feeling on a little cloud. [08:11] Just park it on a little cloud that you can see in your mind’s eye. [08:17] And next, when you gently exhale, allow that little cloud to be caught in your breath. [08:28] And it’s going to float just slightly further away. [08:32] And as it floats slightly further away, you notice that it’s shrinking and getting smaller. [08:41] It’s not going away, it still exists. [08:46] But it’s smaller now and quieter and the colours are fading from it. [08:53] The intensity of it is reducing. [09:00] And you’ll notice you still have feelings and emotions linked to it. [09:06] Allow them to flow through your body, but allow them to drain down out through your seat or your feet. [09:15] Ground them as you move your feet. [09:20] Allow them to flow into the earth. [09:28] Allow yourself to breathe safe in the knowledge that the power, these things previously held over you, are now turned down. [09:44] You’ve made the choice to let them go a little further away. [09:53] Breathing in and breathing out. [10:00] Let them exist. [10:07] Let yourself exist free of them. [10:15] And come back to your centre, to your breath. [10:22] Allowing your ribcage to expand. [10:28] Allowing a sigh of release. [10:33] Maybe even a yawn of relaxation. [10:42] As you settle into the space that’s now free around you, within you. [11:00] And if your eyes were closed, you can slowly open your eyes now. [11:06] You might want to move your fingers or move your toes. [11:11] Perhaps you’ve been moving this entire time. [11:23] And as you move into your day, I want you to repeat to yourself a simple affirmation. [11:31] One inspired by the Let Them Theory and Mel’s work. [11:37] One that takes the feel and the energy and the purpose of this powerful book and encapsulates it into a phrase. [11:50] We already have the simplicity and the power of Let Them. [11:58] I invite you to use that. [12:00] And if you want more power and more energy behind that, if you want to really rise up in that feeling, [12:07] repeat this affirmation to yourself. [12:10] Write it on a post-it note. [12:13] Put an alert on your phone. [12:18] I let go of believing others are in charge of my life. [12:25] I am stepping into my power. [12:34] I let go of believing others are in charge of my life. [12:41] I am stepping into my power. [12:50] I let go of believing others are in charge of my life. [12:55] I am stepping into my power. [13:04] I invite you to use the power of words to help you rise up today, this week. [13:12] The Let Them Theory is a powerful book. [13:16] Let Them is a powerful theory, a powerful concept. [13:21] Use my affirmation as you see fit. [13:24] Remember affirmations are meant to uplift and empower you, to help you grow, to help you let go of things. [13:34] If at any point in time it feels a bit prickly or tangy, lay it aside. It may not be for you. [13:40] But remember you can always tune in next week for a new one. [13:45] Thank you for spending this time with me on Read, Reflect, Rise. [13:48] I hope today’s episode brought you insight, calm and renewed sense of connection to yourself and the world around you. [13:56] If you enjoyed this episode, I’d love for you to share it with a friend who could use a moment of stillness and inspiration. [14:03] Remember to subscribe for more chances to read, reflect and rise with me. [14:08] And if today’s author resonated with you and you intend to buy or gift a book, please support your local bookshops where possible. [14:15] And if you’re not feeling flush, be a patron of your local community library. [14:19] Do keep an eye out for my upcoming giveaways and competitions, which will most likely feature, you guessed it, books. [14:26] For more tools and resources and links to the books mentioned, visit www.readreflectrise.com. [14:32] That’s www.readreflectrise.com. [14:36] Click on the link in the show description and it’ll take you there. [14:40] And while you’re there, join up to the email list for exclusive content, updates and little boosts to keep you going till next time. [14:46] If you’ve gained something from this episode, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. [14:51] Your feedback not only means the world to me and helps me improve, but it also helps others find tools for growth and healing. [14:57] And remember, as you move through your week, you carry the power to create one breath, one pause and one choice at a time. [15:13] Until next time, I’m Will Struthers-Cooper, reminding you to take a moment to be so you can reflect and rise. [15:21] Go well, take great care of yourself and remember, there is magic, medicine and power in the words we weave and wield. [15:37] Click on the link in the show description and it’ll take you there.