Selling Yourself Short
✉️ A letter from me about seeing yourself clearly
[🧠 Paid subscribers: be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for your weekly deep dive.]
Hey friend,
It’s amazing how good we can be at seeing the best in other people, while being blind to the good in ourselves.
You can encourage a friend, remind them of their worth, and quote scripture like “you are fearfully and wonderfully made.” But when it comes to you, the internal critic grabs the mic. You replay your mistakes, magnify your flaws, and quietly convince yourself you’re not capable of the kind of growth or healing you help other people believe in.
I’ve done it too.
Even as a neurosurgeon, someone who literally rewires brains for a living, I’ve caught myself talking to myself in ways I’d never talk to a patient or a friend. The truth is, we all sell ourselves short when we confuse our current state with our true design.
God didn’t create you to stay stuck in self-defeat. He built your mind and brain with the capacity for renewal. That’s not just theology, it’s neurobiology.
Your brain can change itself.
Your thoughts can reshape your synapses.
Your focus can rewire your future.
That’s the miracle of neuroplasticity, and it’s the invitation of self-brain surgery.
✍️ For Free Subscribers: Something You Can Do Today
Master the Thought Biopsy, and make it a constant practice.
Before the day ends, catch one negative or self-critical thought that crosses your mind, something like “I’ll never change,” “This is just how I am,” or “I always mess this up.”
Now, instead of agreeing with it, pause.
Ask yourself: Would I say this to someone I love?
If not, don’t say it to yourself.
Then replace it with a more accurate, God-aligned thought:
“I’m learning.”
“I’m changing.”
“I’m capable because I’m designed by the Creator of change.”
Neuroscience confirms that this single act of identifying and replacing a thought begins a measurable shift in your brain’s networks. Each time you do it, you weaken the old pathway and strengthen the new one.
That’s not positive thinking; that’s Hebb’s Law in action: neurons that fire together, wire together.
If you don’t have a copy of my free thought biopsy worksheet, email Lauren at contact@drleewarren.com and she’ll get it to you.
I’ve got so much more for you when my new book comes out in about four months! You’ll be a master self-brain surgeon in no time.
But the good news is, you can start today.
Hit reply and let us know how self-brain surgery is helping you see yourself more clearly!
Be sure to check out the archive of previous posts if you missed last week’s letter.
Dum spiro spero (While I breathe, I hope),
Lee
II Timothy 1:7, “For you were not given a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.”
From the banks of the North Platte river on Moon River Ranch in Nebraska, USA
Disclaimer: This letter is for informational purposes only. It contains general information, drawn from my experience, research, and best practices. It is not health care advice, and is not intended to replace the counsel of your health care provider. Consult your provider before starting any new treatments or making changes to your health routine.
I cannot give you advice or answer questions about your medical or mental health care, recommend providers or treatments to you, or comment on your specific situation.
A member of our team will respond to general inquiries or point you to resources as possible. Personal messages are forwarded to me, but no response is guaranteed.
This message does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship between us.
