It’s late, you’re scrolling, and there’s a low hum under everything — the headlines, the economy, the things you can’t fix. You’re not upset about one thing; you’re just heavy, tired, and small. Episode 38 is about that feeling, and about finding where your power actually lives.

Greg, Rich, Derek, and Sarah define agency (the felt belief that what you do shapes what happens next), name the difference between agency and controlling everything, and talk honestly about reclaiming the small, controllable corners of a life — because the brain that can learn helplessness can also learn controllability.

In this episode:

• Why “nothing I do matters” is so common right now — and what it actually is

• The science: an internal sense of control, less depression and anxiety

• Why “control” isn’t a dirty word — a noun and a verb

• Where agency really lives: body, attention, time, relationships, the next small action

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:00 Defining agency & locus of control

03:30 The numbers & the science

07:00 Roundtable: staying grounded

12:23 Is “control” a dirty word?

17:58 Common questions

41:20 Free-form sharing

44:42 What’s on your heart

47:32 Closing & weekly challenge

50:04 Support groups & resources

This episode featured Greg with Rich, Derek, and Sarah.

💜 Free weekly peer support groups: Brain Injury (Mon 1PM ET), Chronic Pain (Tue 12PM ET), Mental Health (Wed 7:30PM ET).

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If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).