We talk about prompt engineering for AI, but what about prompt engineering ourselves? Our minds run on internal narratives — stories about who we are, what we’re responsible for, and how the world works. What if we could rewrite these prompts?
The Uroboros Framework
Anxiety is a self-reinforcing system — a recursive function with no exit condition. The ancient Uroboros symbol (a serpent eating its own tail) captures this truth: we are defined by our experiences, and our experiences are dictated by us.
Stories shape interpretation, interpretation shapes behaviour, behaviour creates experiences, experiences reinforce stories. A self-fulfilling prophecy engine running 24/7.
Mental Prompt Engineering Techniques
The “Everyone Is My Friend” Reframe: Try this mental prompt: “Everyone here is my friend, they just don’t know it yet.”
This single reframe changes your body language from closed to open, voice tone from guarded to warm, facial expressions from neutral to engaging. The world responds differently to someone who assumes goodwill.
The Responsibility Paradox: Here’s a counterintuitive truth: thinking you’re responsible for everyone’s feelings is actually arrogant. You’re claiming you control others’ emotions, know what’s best for everyone, and have god-like power over their inner worlds.
The reality: you don’t control their reactions, their struggle might be necessary growth, their disappointment might lead somewhere better. Be kind, considerate, and caring — without the impossible burden of managing everyone’s emotional state.
Your Personal Control Panel
You actually control your physical presence — posture, facial expressions, voice tone, breathing. And your mental filters — which thoughts get attention, where you point your awareness, which narrative you believe.
When you master these elements, you start to awe yourself through the simple act of taking control.
Daily Prompts That Work
Morning boot sequence: “I am the architect of my experience today. I choose my reactions, my focus, and my energy.”
Anxiety interrupt protocol: “This feeling is information, not instruction. I acknowledge it without obeying it.”
Evening commit message: “Today I authored my experience. Tomorrow I’ll write an even better story.”
The prompts we give ourselves are the most important code we’ll ever write. They determine not just what we think, but how we experience reality itself.
You are both the programmer and the program. The only question is: what story will you compile today?