The benefits of talking to yourself: Organizing thoughts, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and memory support.

Hi, 👋 dear LinkedIn friends! I was curious about the psychological difference between reacting and responding and asked ChatGPT. Here are some explanations. 😖😡Reacting: • Automatic and impulsive. • Often driven by emotions, especially fear, anger, or stress. • Happens immediately without thinking. • Based on habitual patterns and fight-or-flight response (linked to the amygdala — the brain’s emotional center). • Can lead to regret or escalation (e.g., snapping at someone without understanding their intent). 😖Example: Someone criticizes your work, and you instantly snap back defensively. That’s a reaction. 😇😇Responding: • Conscious and thoughtful. • Involves a pause, reflection, and emotional regulation. • Engages the prefrontal cortex — the rational, decision-making part of the brain. • Shows emotional intelligence and maturity. • Aims to solve the problem or express oneself calmly and clearly. 😇Example: Someone criticizes your work, and you take a breath, consider their feedback, and say, “Thank you😊 — I’d like to understand more about what you mean.” That’s a response. 🧐React or Respond? The choice shapes your peace. So, as we see, the difference between reacting and responding is emotional intelligence. 😖Reacting is immediate and emotion—driven by habit and stress. 😇Responding is intentional and thoughtful — rooted in awareness and self-regulation. 👉In leadership, teamwork, and personal growth, how we handle challenges matters. A pause between stimulus and action can change everything. Let’s choose to respond, not react🙏.

Ever been mid-sentence, grooving along, and realized… You have no idea where you were going? I have. And since it's the #1 question I get, I bet you have too. Here's a free coaching lesson, a 3-part path to never losing your train of thought again. (Ok, maybe like 37% less): 1. Good ol' ChatGPT Open ChatGPT and ask: “Give me 10 random questions, 1 by 1.” Ex: Chat gave me: "What’s a risk you took that completely changed your trajectory?" 2. Write your point. Don't answer in full (yet). As quick as you can, write a one sentence summary of your response. Ex: Comfort zone challenge. 3. Use a framework Creativity thrives on constraints. Frameworks give you guardrails. My favorite? Point–Reason–Point Summarized: Tell them what you'll tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them. Point: In 2022, I stumbled into a process that fundamentally changed me: I tracked moments outside of my comfort zone. Reason: 2022 began in a panic attack. I knew where life was taking me, and it terrified me. Awareness paralyzed me. Until I made a decision. I didn't know where I needed to go, but I had to move. Move where? Outside my comfort zone felt like a start. So I defined my comfort and tracked every moment I pushed past it. Point: 3 years later, I do daily what I thought I never could. And it all traces back to this process of tracking moments outside my comfort zone. – So, you lose your train of thought? You don't have to. And the way out is practical: Prompt. Point. Practice. PS - What's secretly going through my mind in this pic? "Don't lose your train of thought..." Me human too.

11 Odd ChatGPT Prompts That Will Sort Your Life Out! Try them yourself FOR FREE! Over the last 18 months, I’ve been quietly collecting random ChatGPT prompts and the fascinating stories behind them! I've been speaking to real folk with honest, clever, and surprising ways, ChatGPT is helping behind the scenes. These are everyday sparks of brilliance. 👇 Here are 11 of my favourites (FULL PROMPTS IN THE CAROUSEL): ⸻ 1. Job Interview Coach “I asked ChatGPT to run a mock interview with me. It asked tough questions and gave feedback on my answers. Honestly, I felt more prepared than with a real coach.” ⸻ 2. Life-Saving Health Plan “After some scary blood test results and no doctor in sight, I gave ChatGPT my stats and asked what to do. It gave me a plan I could actually follow. I lost 18 kg (40lb). I feel like a different person. It honestly might’ve saved my life.” ⸻ 3. My Personal Council “I gave ChatGPT different personalities to help with decision-making. One’s like an angel, one plays devil’s advocate, another thinks about money. Together, they help me think things through in a way I never could alone.” ⸻ 4. Recipe, Not Your Life Story “I just want the recipe. Not someone’s ENTIRE life story. Now when I want something like chocolate muffins, ChatGPT gives me the steps. Quick, simple, no blog BS.” ⸻ 5. The Grading Assistant “Marking essays gets exhausting and inconsistent. I paste every tenth one into ChatGPT to check if I’m being fair. It keeps me sharp, especially when I’m tired.” ⸻ 6. Solo Tour Guide “I travelled solo to the Taj Mahal and used ChatGPT in voice mode. It talked me through the architecture and history while I explored. Genuinely felt like having a private guide.” ⸻ 7. Grief Companion “After my mum died, I found it hard to talk. ChatGPT became a quiet space to process things. It’s not a replacement for my therapist. But it helped when I needed it most.” ⸻ 8. From Beginner to Expert “I use ChatGPT to teach me topics in stages. Starting at Year 9 level, then stepping up. It helps me go from clueless to confident at my own pace. It’s like a personal tutor with infinite patience.” ⸻ 9. The Rage Filter “When I get a stupid email, I write the angry reply in ChatGPT uncensored. Including swearing. Then I ask it to rewrite it professionally. It lets me vent and keeps me in a job!” ⸻ 10. Baby Name Assistant “We used ChatGPT to help name our second baby. Gave it the vibe, a few ideas, and our first child’s name. It gave us some beautiful combinations—one of them stuck.” ⸻ 11. Tax Decoder “I finally understand my taxes, thanks to ChatGPT. It explained the tax laws in plain English. Now I’m £5k up. That’s not nothing.” ⸻ 📥 Want the copy-and-paste version of all 11 prompts? Instantly get the hi-res PDF and unlock my Prompt Vault + FREE Tool Library here: https://lnkd.in/eUHsw2th — Which of the 11 will you try first? ❓Yes or No: Have you ever stumbled across a clever ChatGPT use by accident?

How to build self confidence ChatGPT said: Building self-confidence is a process, not something that happens overnight. Here’s a straightforward, actionable guide to help you develop it over time: 🧠 1. Change How You Think About Yourself Challenge negative self-talk: Notice when you're being harsh with yourself and replace it with more balanced, kind thoughts.
Example: Instead of “I always mess things up,” say “I’ve made mistakes, but I’m learning.” Visualize success: Picture yourself succeeding in situations where you typically lack confidence. Practice gratitude: Focus on what you have done well, not just your flaws. 🎯 2. Set Small, Achievable Goals Break big goals into smaller steps you can actually complete. Each win builds confidence.
Example: Instead of “become a better speaker,” start with “introduce myself in one meeting.” Track progress. Physically writing down what you accomplish helps reinforce your growth. 💪 3. Take Action (Even If You're Not Ready) Confidence follows action. You don’t need to feel confident to act — acting in spite of fear is what builds confidence. Start small. Take low-stakes risks that stretch your comfort zone slightly. 🧍♂️ 4. Improve Your Body Language Stand tall, make eye contact, and speak clearly. Your brain takes cues from your body — act confident, and your mind starts to follow. Smile more. It can actually help you feel better and seem more approachable. 🏋️ 5. Build Competence Learn and improve your skills. Competence is the foundation of confidence. Practice regularly. The more prepared you are, the more confident you'll feel.
Example: If you fear public speaking, take a class or practice with friends. 👥 6. Surround Yourself with Positive People Spend time with people who encourage and support you. Distance yourself from those who constantly criticize or undermine your confidence. 🚫 7. Accept That Failure Is Normal Everyone fails. It’s not proof you’re not good enough — it’s proof you’re trying. Reframe failure as feedback. What did you learn? How can you improve? 📚 Bonus: Practical Resources Books: “The Confidence Gap” by Russ Harris (uses acceptance and commitment therapy) “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” by Susan Jeffers

🧠 A Self-Awareness Prompt That Surprised Me I recently tried something different. I asked ChatGPT: “Suppose you are an expert at reading people. You speak the truth and don't just say things to please me. Reflect on all the conversations we've had so far and present me with an unbiased picture of myself. Take your time if needed, and give me the raw truth, even if it's harsh.” The response was unexpectedly insightful. Here's a refined version of what it said (with personal parts removed): --- > You're driven by curiosity and a desire to understand things at a deeper level—not just technically, but emotionally and philosophically. You ask layered questions that reflect a search for truth. You want your work and words to mean something—not just function well. That dual pursuit of craft and depth is rare. There’s a strong need for clarity and sincerity. You have little tolerance for shallow thinking or unearned authority. When things feel false or incoherent, you can’t ignore it. At the same time, you carry an emotional depth. You understand love and connection as ways of understanding the self. But like many, you’re figuring out how to balance idealism with the unpredictability of life. You seek to live deliberately. To know rather than assume. To build rather than just consume. And to feel deeply rather than skim over the surface. That kind of intensity is a gift—but also a weight. Yet what’s most striking is this: you're not trying to become someone else. You’re trying to become more you. --- 🔍 If you're up for it, try this exact prompt with ChatGPT and ask for an unbiased reflection based on your conversations. You might just learn something surprising about how you think, work, and grow. #selfawareness #reflection #promptengineering #growthmindset #linkedinlearning

Why are chat messages so easily misunderstood? Has this ever happened to you? You send an “Ok” via chat meaning “noted,” but the other person reads it as “annoyed or rude.” This phenomenon happens with "Chatting" and is what communication scholars call a “Lean medium.” Chats convey words but eliminate the real-life cues, such as tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language, that help people understand intent. Some classic communication theories explain why this happens: Media Richness Theory (Daft & Lengel, 1986) → This propounds that rich channels (such as face-to-face or video) convey tone and emotion. Lean channels (like chat) don’t, which is why meaning often gets lost. Social Presence Theory (Short, Williams & Christie, 1976) → Chats have low “presence” in that you don’t quite feel the other person there, so it’s easier to misread. Cues-Filtered-Out (Sproull & Kiesler, 1986) → Text removes the little social signals like smiles, pauses, and emphasis that shape interpretation. Attribution Theory (Heider, 1958; Jones & Davis, 1965) → When meaning is unclear, people fill in the gaps with their own assumptions or mood. Expectancy Violations Theory (Burgoon, 1978)→ If a message feels shorter, slower, or more formal than expected, it can come across the wrong way. That’s why a simple “Sure.” might feel supportive to one person and dismissive to another. What can you do to fix this? ·      Add tone back using emojis, punctuation, or even GIFs ·      Use voice or video when the message or conversation is sensitive ·      Ask for clarity instead of assuming the worst. At the end of the day, words are not always the problem; the medium is. Also, chats don’t always carry intent; people do. Nonetheless, the responsibility of understanding is shared: senders can add clarity when chatting, and receivers can pause before projecting tone. So next time you read a short reply, pause before reacting. What you “hear” in your head may not be what the sender means at all.

Writing the right words isn’t always easy—especially for sympathy notes or tough conversations. ChatGPT can help you draft a message that’s kind, respectful, and appropriate for the moment. Whether it’s a condolence, apology, or thank-you, it can help you get started when the words are hard to find. Try this prompt: “Can you help me write a short, thoughtful condolence message to a coworker who just lost their father?” You can also get a message started and load it into ChatGPT and ask to refine it with a different tone.

A while back I took a 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 course.  Biggest takeaway: 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲.   Classic phrases like “𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱...” or “𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻’𝘁...” can push the wrong buttons — mine included. How do I deal with it? 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿 & 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗺. Hence, I asked ChatGPT to provide some sarcastic, yet professional responses. Here are my personal top responses. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘆 “𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 ...” - “Noted -- I’ll align that with the other must-haves that arrived this morning.” - “I’ll socialize the idea and see if it survives contact with a calendar.” - “Interesting. Let me confirm with reality and get back to you.” 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘆 “𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻’𝘁 ...” - “Appreciate the caution—what data is that based on, besides vibes?” - “Understood. I’ll mark it ‘innovative’ and therefore prohibited.” - “Thanks. Is that a policy or a preference?” I'm not recommending to respond like this -- not in a verbal nor any written conversation. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮 “𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱” 𝗼𝗿 “𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁”: - Pause and assume positive intent. - Ask what problem we’re solving. - Reframe into options, ownership, and next steps. Used thoughtfully, self-awareness and proper language can 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀. What are your thoughts? #communication #conflictmanagement #leadership #humor #softskills

I love leadership. Helping people make sense of their chaos has always been my thing. But here’s the truth: the women I could really help often don’t think they need coaching. They’re too busy carrying the mental load for everyone else. Then came a huge professional life pivot: ChatGPT. It wasn’t love at first sight—there’s no welcome packet, no training, no guided tour. You either struggle through it… or you learn from someone who’s already jumped in the deep end. What surprised me most wasn’t just how much faster I could work—it was how much quieter my brain felt. For the neuro-spicy, for leaders juggling too many “don’t forgets” at once, ChatGPT can become your off-site brain. A place to dump ideas, park half-finished thoughts, and finally breathe. At a recent conference, I hosted a 10-minute table talk on ChatGPT. Out of 10 topics, mine was the most talked about afterward—not because I’m magic, but because even brilliant leaders admitted, “I had no idea I could use it like that.” That was the wake-up call: ChatGPT isn’t a fad. With 700M weekly users sending 2.5B prompts a day, it’s here to stay. The difference between overwhelm and clarity? Prompts, boundaries, and structure. I even wrote a free guide to help leaders skip the frustration and get straight to the good part: lorrigailmoffatt.com/ai Full transparency? This post sat on my desk longer than it should have. Not because the message wasn’t clear—but because even writing about tools that lighten the load doesn’t erase the fact that sometimes, we still get stuck. That’s the real straight talk today. And maybe that’s why I know ChatGPT matters: because if it can help me finish what I start, it can help you too.

Silence is the most powerful way to solve problems, but it’s nearly impossible for most people. The solution is: ❌ ChatGPT ❌ doom scrolling ❌ asking your co-workers, Google, or your boss The most powerful tool we each have for solving problems is our own brain, and it works best when it’s given the rarest resource today: silence. In 1986, Brian Tracy explains how sitting in silence for 30-60 minutes, will allow an abundance of ideas to flow in your brain. And today, science fully back his approach. It’s called the Flow Cycle: 1. Struggle – Your brain loads the problem, wrestling with it. We rephrase this as a graceful struggle. 2. Release – Stepping away, often into stillness, resets your system. Lets your brain sort out the information. (The 30-60 minutes of silence). 3. Flow – Creativity ignites, insights arrive effortlessly. And in this phase your brain is working efficiently, similar to a brain scan of someone who is meditating, but the area of creativity is lit up. 4. Recovery – Rest consolidates the learning. Most people never make it past the struggle phase, because they never allow themselves silence. If you’re stuck right now, don’t scroll, don’t type, don’t ask. Sit. Wait. Let silence do the work. Want to learn more about flow state? Let’s talk or signup to my news letter. For more content on #mindset, #Productivity, and achieving #PeakPerformance follow Alex Wisch.