Ever notice how you set yourself up to succeed, then find a way to wreck it? That’s self-sabotage. For many teens and young adults, it shows up as excuses, procrastination, faking it, or pretending you don’t care — but underneath? It’s fear and self doubt. Left unchecked, it drains your confidence, fuels stress, and chips away at your emotional well-being and self esteem.

In this episode, hosted by Mark Taylor, we’ll explore why sabotage isn’t laziness, but a safety system that your brain runs on autopilot. We’ll talk about how to stop self-sabotage, how it connects to teen mental health, and how short-term comfort, self-criticism, or guilt tripping can turn into long-term setbacks. You’ll also hear why breaking the cycle feels so tough when you’ve already lost motivation.

More importantly, you’ll get practical strategies for building self control, developing self reliance, and making better choices when fear takes over. This is about facing the uncomfortable truths, cutting through mental challenges, and finding advice for teens and honest answers that make sense in the real world. You’ll leave with tools that help you start overcoming fear, create habits that protect your mental well-being, and actually feel safe moving forward.

Want to get involved?
I’d love to hear from you:

• Send me a message → headstraight.co.uk/contact
• Leave me a voice note → headstraight.co.uk/voicemail
• Share your feedback by leaving a review (it helps more young people find the podcast) → headstraight.co.uk/reviews/new

Explore more from Headstraight:

• Read the blog version of every episode, packed with extra insights on self-sabotage, motivation, resilience, and mental health → headstraight.co.uk/blog
• Find out more about me, the host, and why I started this podcast → headstraight.co.uk/about

Need support right now?
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or in crisis, visit our Resources page
for helplines, mental health services, and support options available in the UK and across the world.

Season 3 of Headstraight, hosted by Mark Taylor, goes straight into the struggles that keep so many teens and young adults stuck. This season is all about breaking patterns like self doubt, self-sabotage, losing motivation, and the weight of guilt trips that drag down your emotional well-being.

Across ten episodes, we’ll tackle real mental challenges: the habits you can’t seem to build, the distractions that keep pulling you away, the pressure that leads to people pleasing, and the constant comparison that wrecks your self esteem. You’ll hear why these struggles hit so hard, how they connect to teen mental health, and what you can do to move past them.

Each episode starts with a real thought or belief — “I’m always behind,” “I’ll never get it right,” or “I’m just faking it” — and unpacks what’s really going on underneath. With practical tools, grounded advice for teens, and straight talk about making better choices, Season 3 will show you how to build self control, protect your mental well-being, and start overcoming fear instead of running from it.

Want to get involved?
I’d love to hear from you:

• Send me a message → headstraight.co.uk/contact
• Leave me a voice note → headstraight.co.uk/voicemail
• Share your feedback by leaving a review (it helps more young people find the podcast) → headstraight.co.uk/reviews/new

Explore more from Headstraight:

• Read the blog version of every episode, packed with extra insights on self-sabotage, motivation, resilience, and mental health → headstraight.co.uk/blog
• Find out more about me, the host, and why I started this podcast → headstraight.co.uk/about

Need support right now?
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or in crisis, visit our Resources page
for helplines, mental health services, and support options available in the UK and across the world.

Season 2 was never about quick fixes. It was about facing fear, breaking toxic cycles, and building the kind of resilience that lasts. Along the way, you’ve battled self doubt, challenged people pleasing, dealt with guilt trips, and learned how to push through even when you’d lost motivation.

In this season finale of Headstraight, we look back at the big shifts: making better choices, resetting after self-sabotage, and protecting your emotional well-being when life gets tough. You’ll see how small steps—setting boundaries, practicing self control, and building routines—help young adults and teens develop real self esteem, self reliance, and confidence without faking it.

This is pure straight talk—a recap of the tools that actually work for teen mental health and a reminder that change isn’t about perfection, it’s about persistence. From lowering the bar to stop burnout, to using real talk mental health strategies when shame creeps in, this wrap-up locks in what you’ve learned.

If you’ve struggled with teen troubles, mental challenges, or just the grind of keeping up, this episode is proof that you’re not broken—you’re building something stronger.

Want the Cheat Sheet? Click the Link or copy and paste the following into your browser:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hfHFFRyW4_LbXia-IrDW_KrLwTyU_cA-/edit?usp=sharing

Want to get involved?
I’d love to hear from you:

• Send me a message → headstraight.co.uk/contact
• Leave me a voice note → headstraight.co.uk/voicemail
• Share your feedback by leaving a review (it helps more young people find the podcast) → headstraight.co.uk/reviews/new

Explore more from Headstraight:

• Read the blog version of every episode, packed with extra insights on self-sabotage, motivation, resilience, and mental health → headstraight.co.uk/blog
• Find out more about me, the host, and why I started this podcast → headstraight.co.uk/about

Need support right now?
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or in crisis, visit our Resources page
for helplines, mental health services, and support options available in the UK and across the world.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Most of us talk to ourselves in ways we’d never talk to a mate. You miss a deadline—“you’re useless.” You stumble—“why bother?” That inner critic fuels self doubt, drains your emotional well-being, and feeds the cycle of self-sabotage.

In this episode of Headstraight, we strip away the myth that harshness builds resilience. You’ll hear straight talk on how criticism, guilt, and guilt trips actually wreck teen mental health and stop young adults from making better choices. We’ll show you how to swap toxic self-talk for grounded support, so you can build real self esteem, self reliance, and confidence without faking it.

We’ll dive into practical tools—like reframing your scripts, daily check-ins, and the “voice swap” technique—that help you feel safe, reset after setbacks, and create habits that reinforce growth instead of shame.

If you’re ready for real talk mental health that teaches you how to back yourself, this episode is the blueprint for becoming your own biggest ally—even on the days when your critic is loudest.

Want the Cheat Sheet? Click the Link or copy and paste the following into your browser:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mgI4GWLJmfHzx-3fDZ_WlluEpW82_zKQ/edit?usp=sharing

Want to get involved?
I’d love to hear from you:

• Send me a message → headstraight.co.uk/contact
• Leave me a voice note → headstraight.co.uk/voicemail
• Share your feedback by leaving a review (it helps more young people find the podcast) → headstraight.co.uk/reviews/new

Explore more from Headstraight:

• Read the blog version of every episode, packed with extra insights on self-sabotage, motivation, resilience, and mental health → headstraight.co.uk/blog
• Find out more about me, the host, and why I started this podcast → headstraight.co.uk/about

Need support right now?
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or in crisis, visit our Resources page
for helplines, mental health services, and support options available in the UK and across the world.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

You’ve done the work—you’ve faced fear, guilt, and change. But now you’re drained, your brain’s foggy, and you’ve completely lost motivation. That’s not weakness—it’s burnout. And for many young adults and teens, that exhaustion shows up as irritability, shutdown, or giving in to self doubt.

In this episode of Headstraight, we get real about emotional burnout, the toll of constant self-sabotage, and why pushing harder doesn’t build resilience—it breaks it. You’ll learn how to protect your emotional well-being, set boundaries that help you feel safe, and make better choices when you’re running on empty.

We’ll talk about lowering the bar without giving up, building routines that don’t collapse when motivation does, and finding tiny wins that rebuild teen self esteem and self reliance. This is straight talk, not sugar-coating: practical tools to keep you moving when life feels too heavy.

If you’ve been stuck in survival mode—juggling mental challenges, facing constant guilt trips, or just navigating the reality of teen troubles—this episode shows you how to keep going without shame.

Want the Cheat Sheet? Click on the Link or copy and paste the following into your browser:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P5h3Ij9begOSaAol3BQFdDlTp1EwupNl/edit?usp=sharing

Want to get involved?
I’d love to hear from you:

• Send me a message → headstraight.co.uk/contact
• Leave me a voice note → headstraight.co.uk/voicemail
• Share your feedback by leaving a review (it helps more young people find the podcast) → headstraight.co.uk/reviews/new

Explore more from Headstraight:

• Read the blog version of every episode, packed with extra insights on self-sabotage, motivation, resilience, and mental health → headstraight.co.uk/blog
• Find out more about me, the host, and why I started this podcast → headstraight.co.uk/about

Need support right now?
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or in crisis, visit our Resources page
for helplines, mental health services, and support options available in the UK and across the world.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

You set goals, you plan the change—and then, before long, you slip back into old habits. You tell yourself you’ve lost motivation, that you’ve got no discipline, or that you’re failing. But here’s the truth: change feels impossible because your brain is wired for safety, not progress.

In this episode of Headstraight, we break down the psychology behind why young adults and teens struggle with self doubt, self control, and the fear of stepping outside their comfort zone. We’ll talk about how resistance is really about trying to feel safe, why guilt and guilt trips can derail your emotional well-being, and how falling into self-sabotage loops stops you from making better choices.

You’ll get straight talk on how to stop losing motivation, tackle procrastination, and use small, practical steps to make change stick. This isn’t fluffy advice—it’s real talk mental health, built for anyone facing teen troubles, burnout, or the heavy weight of repeated mental challenges.

By the end, you’ll have the tools to shrink the task, reset without shame, and build the kind of teen self esteem and self reliance that lasts. Change doesn’t have to feel impossible—you just need to approach it differently.

Want the Cheat Sheet? Click the Link or copy and paste the following into your browser:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cQ5j66u_T1xmde6cR0fQzP8FGcEPZs9c/edit?usp=sharing

Want to get involved?
I’d love to hear from you:

• Send me a message → headstraight.co.uk/contact
• Leave me a voice note → headstraight.co.uk/voicemail
• Share your feedback by leaving a review (it helps more young people find the podcast) → headstraight.co.uk/reviews/new

Explore more from Headstraight:

• Read the blog version of every episode, packed with extra insights on self-sabotage, motivation, resilience, and mental health → headstraight.co.uk/blog
• Find out more about me, the host, and why I started this podcast → headstraight.co.uk/about

Need support right now?
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or in crisis, visit our Resources page
for helplines, mental health services, and support options available in the UK and across the world.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Confidence isn’t about filters, fake smiles, or pretending you’ve got it all together. Real confidence comes from self reliance, keeping promises to yourself, and backing yourself even when you’re scared.

In this episode of Headstraight, we call out the myth of “fake it till you make it” and show you why faking it only leads to burnout. You’ll learn how to build genuine self esteem and emotional confidence by using micro-promises, action-before-confidence, and resilience when things don’t go to plan.

This is straight talk for young adults and teens who are done with pretending. We’ll talk about self doubt, the pressures of teen mental health, and how making better choices in small steps creates the kind of trust that lasts.

If you’re tired of chasing confidence and ready to build it for real, this episode is your blueprint to stronger, grounded, unshakable belief in yourself.

Want the Cheat Sheet? Click the Link or copy and paste the following into your browser:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y4gPe4xrIGpcmVzZJ86P1EN0NSR-1Cfx/edit?usp=sharing

Want to get involved?
I’d love to hear from you:

• Send me a message → headstraight.co.uk/contact
• Leave me a voice note → headstraight.co.uk/voicemail
• Share your feedback by leaving a review (it helps more young people find the podcast) → headstraight.co.uk/reviews/new

Explore more from Headstraight:

• Read the blog version of every episode, packed with extra insights on self-sabotage, motivation, resilience, and mental health → headstraight.co.uk/blog
• Find out more about me, the host, and why I started this podcast → headstraight.co.uk/about

Need support right now?
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or in crisis, visit our Resources page
for helplines, mental health services, and support options available in the UK and across the world.

Click here to view the episode transcript.

Not feeling safe can mean a lot of things: a tense home environment, toxic friendships, online pressure, or being around people who cross your boundaries. That sense of being unsafe eats into your emotional well-being, leaves you stuck in self doubt, and can spiral into people pleasing, guilt trips, and even self-sabotage. For many young adults and teens, it’s the silent weight behind shame, losing motivation, and long-lasting teen troubles.

In this episode of Headstraight, we get honest about what it really means to feel safe. We’ll talk about identifying unsafe situations, recognising manipulation, and understanding why shame and stop shame spiral moments keep so many of us silent. You’ll hear straight talk on creating physical and emotional distance, reaching out for help, and protecting yourself without apology.

We’ll also cover practical real talk mental health strategies for setting boundaries, finding the right support, and building the self reliance and self esteem that make it harder for unsafe dynamics to control you. When you know how to make better choices and stop cycles of self-sabotage, you start reclaiming your voice—and your safety.

If you’ve ever felt trapped, scared, or powerless, this episode will give you tools to strengthen your teen mental health and remind you that safety and respect aren’t negotiable—they’re your right.

Want the Cheet Sheet? Click on the Link or copy and paste the following into your browser:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wCqJoK6OffPxfb1HT_YoXckfnCald7j3/edit?usp=sharing

Want to get involved?
I’d love to hear from you:

• Send me a message → headstraight.co.uk/contact
• Leave me a voice note → headstraight.co.uk/voicemail
• Share your feedback by leaving a review (it helps more young people find the podcast) → headstraight.co.uk/reviews/new

Explore more from Headstraight:

• Read the blog version of every episode, packed with extra insights on self-sabotage, motivation, resilience, and mental health → headstraight.co.uk/blog
• Find out more about me, the host, and why I started this podcast → headstraight.co.uk/about

Need support right now?
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or in crisis, visit our Resources page
for helplines, mental health services, and support options available in the UK and across the world.

Click here to view the episode transcript.