The Mind Prison: Letting Go to Live (and Prosper) Freely

Are you in Mind Prison?

Inspired by THE REAL Podcast with Sally Luehman | Episode: The Mind Prison*Also inspired by Mateo Tabatabai’s book, The Mind Made Prison

Is your mind a war zone disguised as a to-do list? Do you feel like you're constantly chasing peace but never actually catching it? That, my friend, is what I call The Mind Prison — and if you’re a high-achieving woman, a business owner, or just a human with an inner critic, chances are… you’ve lived in it.

Let’s talk about what it looks like, how we build it, and — most importantly — how we break free.

What Is the Mind Prison, Really?

It’s not steel bars and prison guards. It's shame. It’s control. It’s the never-ending internal dialogue that says:

• “This shouldn’t be happening.”

• “You’re behind.”

• “You’re too old.”

• “You need to hustle harder to deserve rest.”

And here’s the plot twist:We believe that voice because it sounds like us — but it’s really just ego in disguise.

That voice is the warden.And the walls? They’re built with fear, resistance, and the belief that if we let go… everything will fall apart.

The Spring Metaphor (That'll Hit You in the Soul)

I recorded this episode on a crisp Wisconsin spring morning. The grass turning green, trees waking up — nature doing its thing.

And it hit me…Spring doesn’t show up without winter.The cold, dead season actually prepares the soil for new life.And just like nature, we need our “winters” — the times we retreat, reflect, even shut down — to come out stronger.

But here’s the deal:You can’t bloom while clenching. You’ve got to let go to live free.

Fighting Life Is Exhausting (Ask Me How I Know)

We fight so many things:

• Our bodies

• Our age

• Our partners and their un-crossed off honey-do lists

• Motherhood

• The housing market

• Our own dreams (because what if we do get them?)

Every time I’ve wrestled life into submission — I ended up bruised.And every time I surrendered — truly surrendered — I found peace.

Here’s how I learned that… the hard way:

When My Face Changed — And So Did My Mind

In 2021, I had surgery for skin cancer on my nose. Not a “tiny dot” kind of surgery — full facial reconstruction with stitches from brow to chin.

When I peeled off the bandage the next day, I didn’t recognize myself.

I had a choice:

1. Spiral.

2. Trust.

And I chose trust.I even posted the photo online — not for sympathy, but because I had finally stopped fighting how I was perceived. I let go of the illusion.

And in that surrender?I found freedom.

Letting Go Isn’t Giving Up — It’s Getting Real

It’s like childbirth. You can have a birth plan… but the body has its own story.

It’s like real estate investing in 2008 — when we lost almost everything and had to let go of the dream to survive.

It’s like being in a car with the bank president while foreclosing on our own investments. The irony. The humbling. The moment I stopped pretending and started healing.

These weren’t my breaking points.They were my becoming points.

But I Still Hear the Ego Sometimes…

The ego says:

• “If you don’t fight, you lose.”

• “If you don’t fight, you’ll fall behind.”

And every time I get stuck in that loop, I remember a story from a broker I knew.He told me his childhood memory of ice cream night — five siblings, one carton, total chaos. If you didn’t eat fast, you got brain freeze… or worse, nothing.

Sometimes our scarcity mindset is just a grown-up version of brain-freeze hustle.We’re not actually hungry. We’re just scared we won’t get our share.

Here’s the Truth: There Is No Shortage of Ice Cream

Capitalism got twisted into competition. But real wealth? It’s not about scraps — it’s about creation.

Every idea, every solution, every service we provide… creates more abundance.

Wealth isn’t taken. It’s made.And the more we believe that, the more we stop hoarding and start building.

From Fight to Flow — The Final Coaching

So let me ask you:

• Where are you still fighting?

• What belief are you gripping that’s keeping you from growing?

• What if letting go is actually your next power move?

Stop hustling for a seat at the table.Start building a table with room for you and others to feast.

You’re not meant to live clenched. You’re meant to flow, create, breathe, and expand.

Final Word

Thank you for reading. If this cracked something open in you, share it with a friend.Or better yet — go listen to The Mind Prison episode of THE REAL and let it sink in.

Remember:You’re not here to prove. You’re here to prosper.

And yes — there’s enough damn ice cream for all of us.