Auto-Thoughts

Hey there!

Good morning. I’m Judith Driscoll, a psychotherapist and creator of the mini-courses in this series.

Stories We Share

We’ve all shared personal stories—condensed or expanded, depending on the audience. At 65, my full story could take days to tell. But most often, we offer just what’s needed: a little window into who we are.

We choose what to share, tailoring the narrative for the listener. With clients, I tell one version. With friends, another. And there’s always that polished version for conferences.

We’re usually conscious of how we present ourselves in these public stories.

Stories We Keep Private

But what about the private ones—the tangle of thoughts that loop through our heads all day?

The content’s not so different from what we share: our people, our work, our struggles. What is different is that these internal stories don’t get shaped or edited. They just run.

And yet, they influence us deeply.

Why It Matters

Internal stories—especially the repetitive ones—become the foundation of how we see ourselves. I call them Auto Thoughts. These thoughts reveal our core beliefs, trigger emotions, and, in my experience, often create our life events.

We’ve overlooked how powerful they are.

But what if we treated these inner stories like we do the ones we share—editing, shaping, and intentionally choosing what gets airtime?

That’s the idea behind this series.

What Are Auto Thoughts?

Here are a few I’ve heard just in the past week:

• I look terrible.
• I’m a dolt.
• This is only going to get worse.
• I don’t care.
• I’ll probably end up homeless.

These are Auto Thoughts because they’re repetitive and automatic. They arise quickly, often without our awareness, and they carry emotional weight.

They’re also familiar. Even if you didn’t think them today, they’ve probably passed through your mind before.

Now, let’s imagine the opposite set:

• I look good.
• I’m smart.
• This is only going to get better.
• I care.
• I’ll always have a warm, comfortable place to call home.
• These don’t come up as often—and that’s telling.

We’re wired for negativity, which means we need to become more intentional about recognizing and working with our positive thoughts.

Thoughts Shape Lives

Most Auto Thoughts are self-fulfilling. Positive ones lead us toward what we love. Negative ones keep us stuck.

They influence our words, our choices, and the connections we make. In my experience, Auto Thoughts also predict—and then go on to create—life events.

It’s hard to say exactly how, but over time, they carve paths—paths that become our storylines.

I can trace most of my own joy and success to a handful of uplifting thoughts I chose to believe. And I’m guessing you can too.

A Real-Life Auto Thought

I’ll let you in on something: as I write this, one Auto Thought keeps yelling, You’re going to fail.

It’s not just about this email—it’s a general fear that creeps in when I create something new. “Shut up,” it says.

I know it well. It used to show up constantly. It’s quieter now, but still here.

Like many persistent Auto Thoughts, it thinks it’s protecting me. Long ago, I believed it was safer to stay quiet than speak my truth. We’ll explore beliefs like that in the next episode.

What About You?

Do your Auto Thoughts get loud when you’re on the cusp of something good?

Maybe they hold you back from saying what you want to say or doing what you’re meant to do.

They disguise themselves as reality. But they’re just stories—repetitive ones.

Some have been with you for decades. I didn’t realize “Shut up!” was one of mine until about ten years ago.

That’s how deep they run.

We’ll Do This Together

In this series, I’ll walk you through each Element of the Regeneratively Rooted system. And yes, I’ll be doing it right alongside you—working with my own Auto Thoughts, Beliefs, and more.

Especially the one that says I shouldn’t hit “send” on this email.

Cost? It’s Free

This series is completely free—and I hope to keep future offerings free as well. If you feel moved to give back, keep reading.

An Invitation

My favorite conversations are the ones that get to the heart of things. I help clients explore whether the story they’re living is the story they want to live.

If it’s not, I’ve got tools for that.

One of my core beliefs is that we each hold our own inner expertise. You are the expert on you.

And while we’re developing that inner knowing, we can also connect—with each other. This series is a place to begin that.

Would you share with me?

What are your most persistent Auto Thoughts—either painful or uplifting?

Click below to share. I’ll read every message. And I’ll never share anything unless you ask me to.

Thanks for reading. Until next time—

Warmly,

Judith