What does kindness look like when we learn to train our minds instead of being controlled by them?

In this thoughtful conversation, Nicole sits down with Shashin Surkund, a technology leader who has spent his career building data and AI systems that shape how people experience products and services. But after a deeply personal life event, Shashin turned that same curiosity inward and began asking a different question: what if we trained our minds the way we train AI?

That question became the foundation for a powerful new way of thinking.

Shashin has spent the last decade raising awareness around mental health and helping people build lives rooted in gratitude, trust, and a more supportive inner voice. In his TEDx talk, he introduced the world to the idea of “inner ChatGPT,” a way of befriending the mind by being more intentional about what we feed it. In his world, GPT means something a little different: Gratitude and Positive Thoughts.

Together, Nicole and Shashin talk about mental spirals, self-talk, positivity, and the quiet but powerful practice of being kinder to ourselves. They explore what it means to interrupt negative patterns, why small consistent messages matter, and how we can begin building an inner voice we actually trust.

This episode is a reminder that kindness is not only something we offer to others. It is also something we practice in the way we speak to ourselves.

About Shashin Surkund:

Shashin Surkund is a seasoned technology professional who works for a leading financial organization and has spent much of his career enabling data platforms where analytics and AI are used at scale to create better products, services, and customer experiences.

A personal life event led him to discover a deeper purpose: raising awareness around mental health. For the past decade, he has dedicated himself to fostering a culture of gratitude, trust, and positivity in both his personal and professional life.

In November, Shashin introduced his best friend, POSH, short for Positive Shashin, on the TEDx stage. Through vulnerability and insight, he shared an innovative approach to mental wellness by encouraging people to treat their minds like AI language models and train them like their own inner ChatGPT. In his framework, GPT stands for Gratitude and Positive Thoughts.

To kickstart each day, Shashin sends a simple email with a few uplifting thoughts to thousands of people in his organization. He calls it Daily Dose of Positivity, or DDOP.

His story and openness have deeply resonated with others, earning him an unofficial but meaningful title from colleagues: Chief Happiness Officer.

Connect with Shashin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shashin-surkund-4288a7

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innerchatgpt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18SshKoJu3/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Watch or read more: TEDx: Harness Your Inner ChatGPT https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/harness-your-inner-chatgpt-shashin-surkund-cdake https://youtu.be/BsZg2y9XCQ4?si=hn8tdHVBhXtyDcfu