You are not doomed. This is your daily message from Chad number 648 and this message is dedicated to the resilient Amy Morin.

In Amy Morin’s book “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,” she shares a story about a client she worked with as a therapist. I’ll call him Pepsi man. He was a man struggling with diabetes and losing his eyesight. It ran in his family. His mom died young from diabetes complications, and he started to think his fate was sealed. He thought he was doomed. He stopped taking care of his blood sugar levels, and his health got worse. His eyesight also got bad, and he lost his driver’s license. Losing his license was a big blow to his independence, but he still felt like trying to get better was pointless.

During their therapy sessions, Morin helped him look at his habits and make small changes. One big habit they found was drinking a 2-liter bottle of Pepsi every day. It wasn’t just a casual thing—it was a habit that made his blood sugar levels go crazy. At first, he didn’t want to give it up because he thought it was pointless since he was “doomed” anyway. But Morin encouraged him to see it as a small step he could take to take control of his life.

So, this guy committed to switching from Pepsi to Diet Pepsi. A small change. Little did he know, this small change would change his life forever! His blood sugar levels started to stabilize, and guess what? His eyesight even got better! He could even get his driver’s license back! This success made him realize that he could make a difference. So, he started tackling other unhealthy habits, and his physical and mental health both improved.

Morin uses this story to talk about some of the “13 things” mentally strong people don’t do. Here are the main ones:

1. They Don’t Waste Time Feeling Sorry for Themselves: At first, the guy felt sorry for himself and thought his condition was inevitable. But when he let go of that mindset, he was able to make a change.
2. They Don’t Give Away Their Power: His resignation gave his illness control over his life, but taking action, like giving up the Pepsi, helped him regain control.
3. They Don’t Give Up After the First Failure: Even after years of neglecting his health, he didn’t let past setbacks stop him from making a change.

In the end, Morin’s message is that mental strength isn’t about being invincible. It’s about recognizing where you have control, taking small steps, and building resilience through consistent effort. The guy’s journey from hopelessness to empowerment, all because he decided to ditch a 2-liter Pepsi, is a great example of how breaking even one bad habit can set off a chain reaction of positive change. If you feel doomed, drop the self-pity, see your self-control, and take a small step.

If you’ve read Morin’s book “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,” email me at formchadsmith@gmail.com. You can read this transcript and hundreds of others at fromchad.com.