Listen to this episode
On this episode
The system is broken, and it feels like nothing we do makes a difference. We wait for others to fix things or for things to improve on their own, but that just keeps us stuck. Blaming others or overworking ourselves isn’t helping, and it’s exhausting.
But we can take back control by shifting our mindset. Instead of focusing on what we can’t change, we need to focus on what we can. This shift in thinking helps us feel empowered, even in a difficult system.
In this quick dip, Rachel explains how we can acknowledge what’s really going on, work out our locus of control, and then own our part of the solution.
If we stay with “below-the-line” thinking, we remain stay stuck in blame or over-responsibility. We’ll burn out, feel bitter, and lose connection to what once mattered to us. The system might never change, but we’ll still feel powerless.
Start by pausing to reflect on where you are right now. Are you blaming, waiting, or overworking? Take a moment to face reality and decide what small, meaningful step you can take next.
Show links
More episodes of You Are Not a Frog:
- Don’t Wait for Tomorrow to Improve – Take Control Now – Episode 185
- How to Keep Going in a Struggling System – Episode 232, with Dr Sarah Coope
- What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do – Episode 224
Reasons to listen
- To understand how to move from feeling powerless in a broken system to taking meaningful action
- To learn how to avoid common mistakes when trying to improve challenging systems
- For actionable steps to reclaim control, set boundaries, and create sustainable change without burning out
Episode highlights
Below-the-line thinking
Where do you need to set a boundary?
Fighting the wrong battle
Expecting quick progress
Taking silence or inaction personally
Trying to fix structures without addressing the underlying culture
Forgetting to care for yourself
Face reality
Own your part
Episode transcript
[00:00:00] Rachel: The system is broken. You know it. I know it. And nobody is coming to rescue us anytime soon. So what do you do when you’re stuck in a system you can’t fix, but you still feel responsible for everything? [00:00:12] Rachel: So in this episode, we are going to be diving into a powerful mindset shift, and we’re gonna be talking about how to move from feeling completely powerless, like everything’s happening to us, to being powerful, where actually things are happening because of us, even when you’re working in a system that feels really, really broken.…
