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 [7:00] the concept of cognitive mediation, which is how stories are created 20:19] "taking things less personally" and the better approach to avoid feeling wounded by others' stories [28:06] how to rediscover the agency we have over the stories we tell ourselves [38:15] Here are links to the resources mentioned in the episode: Nick Wignall on Medium: "6 Reasons Why You Take Things Too Personally" "Cognitive Mediational Theory" in Alleydog.com's online glossary 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 Special thanks to our sponsors for this month: For trusted protection, choose Pampers, the #1 Pediatrician Recommended Brand. Download the Pampers Club App today to start earning rewards with every diaper & wipes purchase. AprilAire is Healthy Air, with professional-grade solutions filling millions of homes. To find out more about the AprilAire Healthy Air System®, visit www.aprilaire.com/fresh. BetterHelp matches you with a qualified therapist in under 48 hours, then you choose among video, phone, or even live chat sessions. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/fresh. Dermawand is a non-surgical, non-invasive way to achieve dramatically younger-looking skin. Get 20% off your order with code LAUGH20 at dermawand.com. Green Chef is the #1 meal kit for eating well. Use code fresh135 to get $135 off across five boxes, plus free shipping on your first box, at GreenChef.com/fresh135. KiwiCo projects make summer more awesome! Get 30% off your first month plus FREE shipping on ANY crate line with code MOTHERHOOD at kiwico.com. Metabolic Reds are a delicious superfood blend. Go to getreds.com/fresh and receive a FREE bottle of Metabolic Greens with your order. Outschool helps kids discover new interests! For a limited time, you’ll save $15 on your child’s first class when you go to outschool.com/laughing and use code LAUGHING. Prose is the fully customized healthy hair regimen with your name all over it. Get 15% off your first order at prose.com/laughing. Renzo’s Vitamins “melty tabs” taste great and give your kids the vitamins they need- without the sugar of gummies! Get $5 off with the code FRESH at renzosmagic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices