Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them.
—
If you’re tired of picking apart your appearance, hiding your body, or never feeling good enough, this episode is for you.
Today, you’ll learn the 4 simple steps you can take to build lasting confidence and finally feel good in your body.
This powerful episode was inspired by a raw and emotional conversation Mel had with viral comedian Jake Shane.
When Jake admitted he hates how he looks and struggles with self-worth, it opened the door to a bigger truth: millions of people feel the exact same way—but don’t know what to do about it.
So, Mel called in the experts. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mel and Jake and learn tools from two renowned psychiatrists:
-Dr. Judith Joseph, MD, double board-certified psychiatrist, professor at Columbia and NYU Medical Schools, and author of the bestselling book High Functioning.
-Dr. Ashwini Nadkarni, MD, Harvard Medical School professor and psychiatrist at Mass General Brigham who specializes in anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and depression.
Together, they break down the surprising psychology behind body shame and give you a practical, proven roadmap to feeling better, starting now.
You’ll learn how to:
-Break free from body shame, obsession, and constant comparison
-Rewire your brain for confidence and lasting self-acceptance
-Use 4 science-backed steps to heal how you see yourself
-Understand the hidden psychology behind body image and self-talk
-Unpack the shocking research on how screens and modern life are distorting your self-image (and how to fix it)
This isn’t just a conversation. It’s your roadmap to healing, backed by science.
After listening you will have the tools, the science, and the mindset shift you need to stop hiding—and start seeing yourself clearly.
Because when you change how you see yourself, you change everything.
For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page:
Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram:
I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll see you in the next episode.
In this episode:
00:00 Welcome
9:56 The Conversation That Sparked This Episode
14:47 Why You’re So Hard on Yourself
23:18 Your Brain Wasn’t Built to See Your Face This Much
30:51 Zoom, Selfies, and Filters: How Tech Is Warping Your Body Image
39:57 How to Trace Back Where Your Negative Self-Talk Started
49:29 This Is How You Finally Break Free from Negative Body Image
—
Follow Mel:
Instagram:
TikTok:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
Website:
—
Sign up for Mel’s newsletter:
A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want.
—
Subscribe to Mel’s channel here:
—
Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday!
—
Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here:
The Let Them Theory:
The Let Them Theory Audiobook:
The High 5 Habit:
The 5 Second Rule:
There is so much here… it is so difficult to focus on one thing. I can only share my personal experience and insight. I believe that there are so many factors that contribute to not feeling good in our bodies and for being so hyper critical of ourselves. Seeing ourselves via Zoom/ selfies/ mirrors/ social media are factors that should be considered, but they don’t tell the whole story. For me it goes back much earlier– my childhood, followed by life experiences that shaped my perception of myself and my body. Never feeling seen by my parents who were always working, a mother who always told me that I was too small, too big, didn’t dress right, and that I was “too much”, followed by children/ peers who were unkind and always judging me…… then there was trauma that in my early teen years that left me betrayed… abandoned and unprotected. The feelings of “I am not enough, I don’t deserve love grew”, and I felt myself in a constant cycle of trying to change everything and “fix” everything about myself. Comparison to others played a role… but this deep wound of feeling rejected and unworthy left me in a body that felt empty…. alone and lost. Comparison to others couldn’t ever come close to comparing myself to who I KNOW I could have been. I have been every shape, weight and size. The best part… today, seeing the comparison and seeking approval is something that I am slowly letting go. There is a Peacefulness that emerges through Surrender and no longer fighting against myself. I lean into my faith and I am practicing taking care of myself as if I was taking care of a precious daughter. When others share their journey and challenges, with this, they inspire me and my heart expands because we share so much in our pain… but what if we could embrace and love our uniqueness? Then we could truly share our Truth and feel our connection through love and compassion… that we are perfect– exactly as we are. No validation, nothing to seek, achieve or prove. We are magnificent expressions of our Creator… walking the earth in human form. The body is a temporary home to our infinite spirit. We are all One, and together we can inspire and uplift one another. Long comment… thank you for allowing me to share.
I don’t hate my body…but when in groups my body changes ..it shrinks
Your videos always help me ❤
“If you had 5 minutes left” really made me cry. That’s so sad how much time I waste on punishing myself. Thank you❤
13:41 i feel this deeply, i lost too much weight battling chronic gastritis so I become very thin and lost the great shape of my body.