Book excerpt: Learn to change the self-critical stories in your mind and rewire your brain so that you gain the self-confidence to build more fulfilling relationships, careers, and social life. Since childhood, our experiences and interactions have shaped the running narrative of who we are and how we view ourselves. When those interactions are painful, many of us have a tendency to internalize the negativity, translating mean or selfish messages given to us by family, friends, or teachers during our youth into truths about who we are—our flaws, failures, and shortcomings. Through practical and easy-to-understand principles and techniques, What Went Right teaches you to recognize and intervene on self-defeating thought processes and uncover your core beliefs about who you really are. Through these exercises, you will learn how your thoughts drive feelings that influence your behaviors. By changing your thinking, you can unlock self-affirming feelings and actions needed to create your new life story and become the person you want to be.