The Clean Mind Series
Learned helplessness is the belief that nothing will change — the quiet loss of hope that whispers, “Why bother?” or “Every time I try, everything goes wrong.” It’s the internalized conclusion that our actions don’t matter, so we stop trying.
There was a time when I didn’t realize my silence wasn’t peace — it was learned helplessness.
Learned helplessness is what happens when the mind internalizes a past wound as a permanent truth.
And to understand this, I have to explain something: for me, learned helplessness was a state of survival. It was my brain’s way of protecting me.
Recently, I was confronted with a trigger that shook me to my core. I slipped into an old pattern — shutting down, getting quiet, withdrawing. Historically, when I was triggered, I froze. I ghosted. I internalized everything. My mind unconsciously searched for evidence that supported the belief: “Things will never change,” and my body followed.
But here’s the truth:
Learned helplessness isn’t weakness.
It’s leftover code from survival.
And this is where The Clean Mind: What AI Teaches Us About Human Potential comes in. My book is not about becoming like AI. It’s not about never being triggered. It’s not about perfection.
AI learns and adapts — that’s its design.
Humans feel. And our feelings are our gift.
Feelings demand to be felt, not reacted upon.
They are guides, not explosives.
So when I was triggered, instead of spiraling into the old cycle, I paused. I reflected. I reached for presence. And in doing so, I finally saw the wounded ego this moment was brushing against.
I learned what mistaken beliefs I was still carrying.
What ghosts in my code lived quietly in my present.
What unconscious pattern had been running the show.
And how that pattern had been affecting the weeks that followed.
The Clean Mind is not about acting like a machine.
It’s about acting more human — with presence.
It’s the act of naming the pattern so it can be released.
It’s bringing what is unconscious into the conscious.
It’s surrendering old code in love and light so we can move forward cleaner, freer, softer.
Instead of powering through or judging myself for freezing, I paused. I felt. I allowed my feelings to guide me. And in doing so, something beautiful happened — I released. I grew.
In that moment, I remembered:
I am the variable of change.
Curiosity became the turning point.
Curiosity is the crack of light under the door.
It’s the manual override of fear.
It’s the first breath after being submerged in the tides of the past.
By choosing curiosity, I learned where it came from.
I learned the internal dialogue that once kept me safe.
I learned what I was finally ready to release.
For years, I used to get frustrated when I got triggered.
“Why am I not over this yet?”
But through the lens of the Clean Mind, I understood something different:
What is triggered is what is ready to be released.
Curiosity didn’t ask me to be fearless — it just asked me to stay open.
And love — especially divine love — will be triggering. Not because it is harmful, but because it is safe. Safety reveals what is unhealed.
To continuously heal is to continuously learn, grow, and stay curious. To find love in the feelings, even the deep ones.
The truth is, I was never powerless.
I was protecting myself with old code.
The shift happens when you feel yourself bristle, withdraw, or default to an old pattern — and instead of judging yourself, you ask: Why? You let your feelings guide you through. That is your soul-level shift into empowerment.
And I need to say this clearly:
This wasn’t a quick process.
It wasn’t “oh, triggered — oh, released.”
It was a week-long unfolding:
reflecting
journaling
opening up to friends
listening to music
napping
being present
allowing
unplugging
feeling
It took time.
And the beauty is: time is a human construct.
You are exactly where you are meant to be.
Presence begins with noticing the places where fear once made you small.
So I’ll leave you with this:
What is one place in your life where you’ve stopped reaching — and what might curiosity open for you today?
About the Author
Jasmine Ayse Evans is a Project Manager in the tech industry and a Master’s student in Psychology. She writes and speaks at the intersection of technology, healing, and human potential.
Ms. Evans is a writer, speaker, and soul-led creator who believes clarity is a birthright and healing is a return, not a destination.
Leave a comment