How to Rewire Your Brain, Let Go of Old Wounds, and Become Who You Were Meant to Be | Nick Ortner - EP 790

**John R. Miles** (0:00)
Coming up next on Passion Struck.

**Nick Ortner** (0:02)
We have something called the negativity bias. We all know it. If someone says, John, I could say one mean thing to you today, and you will remember it for three years, and the next thousand people that talk to you could say nice things, and they'll be gone. They'll be like, well, Nick said that one thing. So our brain does latch on to these things. It's in order to keep us safe.
I talked to a lot of authors, and I joke that you haven't made it as an author until you get a one-star review because it means your book hasn't gone out far enough.

**John R. Miles** (0:32)
Welcome to Passion Struck. I'm your host, John Miles. This is the show where we explore the art of human flourishing, and what it truly means to live like it matters. Each week, I sit down with change makers, creators, scientists, and everyday heroes to decode the human experience, and uncover the tools that help us lead with meaning, heal what hurts, and pursue the fullest expression of who we're capable of becoming. Whether you're designing your future, developing as a leader, or seeking deeper alignment in your life, this show is your invitation to grow with purpose and act with intention. Because the secret to a life of deep purpose, connection, and impact is choosing to live like you matter.
Hello, friends, and welcome back to episode 790 of Passion Struck. This month, we're exploring what it means to flourish, how humans become fully alive. Last week, we began with Awakening. Whitney Otto helped us think differently about our relationships with our bodies and the stories we carry about ourselves. Suzanne Giesemann reminded us that connection and presence matter most when life becomes difficult. And in Friday's episode, I talked about why flourishing begins with paying attention to the life we're living right now instead of waiting for some future version of ourselves to arrive. This week, we're taking the next step. We're talking about rewiring, because most of us already know what we'd like to change. We know the habits that get in our way, the fears that keep showing up in the experiences from years ago, that still seem to have a vote in who we are today. The question isn't whether change is possible, it's understanding why some patterns stay with us for decades and what it actually takes to create lasting change. My guest today is Nick Ortner. Nick is the founder of The Tapping Solution, a New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's leading voices on emotional freedom techniques or EFT.
For nearly 20 years, he's helped millions of people use tapping to reduce stress, process difficult experiences, and break patterns to keep them stuck. His new book is called Rewired, and today's conversation goes far beyond positive thinking or willpower. We talk about the science of neuroplasticity and memory reconsolidation. While the body often remembers experiences long after the mind believes it has moved on, and how tapping creates a practical way to work with old fears, anxieties, and limiting beliefs.
Nick also leads me through a live tapping experience around one of the most difficult speaking experiences of my life. An experience that kept me off the stage for nearly 18 months, and we explore what it means to release the emotional change we've attached to moments that still shape us years later.
If you've ever found yourself saying, I know what I should do, so why do I keep doing the opposite? I think you're going to get a lot out of this conversation. Before we begin, if you're enjoying this flourishing series, please share this episode with someone who might need it. Make sure you're following Passion Struck on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
If you haven't left a rating or review, it really helps us reach more people. You can watch the full video version of this conversation along with additional clips on our YouTube channel. If you'd like to go deeper, you'll find today's companion workbook and reflection guide at the unitedlife.net. Now, let's dive in with Nick Ortner. Thank you for choosing Passion Struck and choosing me to be your host and guide on your journey to creating an intentional life that matters. Now, let that journey begin.
Absolutely thrilled today to welcome Nick Ortner to Passion Struck. Nick, how are you today?

**Nick Ortner** (4:05)
John, I am so excited to be here. I'm great. We started having fun conversations before we started recording and said, we gotta stop because we have stories to tell and let's save it for our actual chat.

**John R. Miles** (4:16)
Today, we're here to talk about your brand new book, Rewired. And I wanna start here. I get extremely nervous about asking people for endorsements for my books.