An interview with Susan Brennicke about inner strength and self-care
The way we talk to ourselves has a significant impact on how we behave, experience, and shape our everyday lives. For example, if we listen to our inner critical voice—the voice that often prevents us from doing things, like communicating an idea, asking a personal question, or even analyzing things we've said over and over again ("Should I really have said that like that?")—this often impacts our behavior. Susan noticed in her own development that her inner dialogue often lacks empathy, support, and appreciation; instead, it is frequently harsh, judgmental, and belittles her.
In her book Pep Talks for the Soul – How to Find Support, Clarity and Trust Within Yourself, Susan invites you to transform your inner critical voice into a voice that supports you like a best friend and thus serves as an anchor in every everyday situation, such as fear, lack of planning, tension and joy.
Susan, who are you and how did you come to this topic?
My name is Susan, I'm 36 years old, and as part of my self-employment, I've spent a lot of time thinking about personal development. I've learned and understood that my thoughts have a strong influence on how I live and what I achieve. At that point, however, I didn't have any real goals, didn't dare to dream ("It won't work anyway..."), and generally didn't have a good image of myself ("It's not possible for me anyway"). Various teachers and mentors have accompanied me on this path, and two thoughts had a particularly strong influence on me.
Firstly: You speak your life into existence . Applied to everyday life, this means taking responsibility for what arises. If there are situations that challenge me and that I wish were different, they are often connected to my beliefs about myself and my thoughts – and how I talk to and about myself. This idea gives me a lot of strength, because by directing my thoughts and words more purposefully (without falling into self-optimization), I can build what I desire.
A second thought follows: If you can hold it in your mind, you can hold it in your hands . This thought motivates me to seriously create wishes and dreams, to take time for the reflection process and to actively shape my visions. For a long time – and I think this is true for many people – I was unaware of the power of my dreams and wishes. In everyday life too: How much do your dreams and wishes determine your everyday life? How much space do you give them compared to other thoughts that occupy your mind?
The pep talks in my book encourage us to choose the words we speak to ourselves carefully and to transform our often critical inner voice into a kind of best friend. This way, we can not only guide ourselves through difficult emotional situations but also pursue our dreams.
What exactly are pep talks and how do I use them?
The term "pep talk" is derived from English and means motivational speech. The pep talks in my book, however, are less about motivating and pushing, but rather about encouraging you to listen to yourself and ask yourself: Are my words supporting me right now? Many of us are extremely strict with ourselves – but when we transform that strictness into understanding (like a best friend would), our self-confidence grows, and creative ideas emerge that often lead us to solutions.
The Pep Talks can be used in any everyday situation and are divided according to emotional states. There are 11 different Pep Talks, for example, for anxiety ("When I'm afraid"), for clarity ("When I'm clueless"), or for happiness ("When I'm happy"). The reader can read the respective Pep Talk aloud or listen to it.
There's a pep talk for happiness? How do I imagine it, and why do I need it?
Do you allow yourself to be truly happy? Do you allow yourself to freely express that happiness in the moment? Perhaps in the form of a smile, a smile, dancing, or words?
In my reflection, I realized that I often hesitate to show when I'm happy. There's an inner voice that says, "Don't get too excited," or memories of how my happiness has upset others ("Why are you so happy?"). This hesitation has robbed me of much of my joy in life. The Pep Talk for Happiness motivates you to consciously enjoy moments of happiness in the moment—with your whole body, from head to toe.
Each Pep Talk is supplemented with concrete suggestions that demonstrate how to effectively deal with the respective emotion. For example, the Pep Talk for Happiness includes the passage: "When I'm happy, I become a true happiness magnet." This refers to the law of attraction: We attract the situations whose emotions we are primarily in. Simply put, when we allow ourselves to be happy, we invite more moments of happiness into our lives—and that's great!
Do you have a practical example of how I can treat myself like a best friend?
With pleasure. In the morning, ideally right after you wake up, ask yourself the question: "What is something I want today?" or "What is something that will be good for me today?" These questions focus on your own needs for the day.
Very few people truly know what they need. This question brings us into focus and prevents us from falling into the "hamster wheel" of to-dos and obligations. In keeping with this, there's a morning pep talk that encourages you to start the day feeling good.
A general tip: Observe how you talk to yourself today and ask yourself: “How would my best friend talk to me?”
Thanks, Susan – is there anything else interesting in your book?
The Pep Talks are intended to inspire a more appreciative inner dialogue. In each Pep Talk, I offer suggestions for dealing with emotions such as fear, lack of planning, or tension. My training as a yoga teacher also integrates physical exercises and holistic perspectives. If you're interested in the topic of Pep Talks , it's worth checking out my book.
Susan Brennicke
Susan, author of 'Pep Talks for the Soul,' combines personal development with mindful routines. She offers inspiration for a strengthening inner dialogue and has developed a program for morning routines with yoga and mindset exercises.
To Susan's website