It’s gonna be alright, alright, alright

Life’s weird. You’re overwhelmed. Let’s talk about the oddly soothing power of Matthew McConaughey.

Author

Jason Hall
April 17, 2025

🦆 CHILL THE DUCK OUT

Volume 003: Alright, Alright, Alright

🧠 Cold Open

There was a stretch of time when I couldn’t fall asleep unless Matthew McConaughey whispered at me about the universe.

His bedtime story on the Calm app wasn’t groundbreaking - just him, talking about stars and canyons and the moon with the confidence of a man who’s never lost his car keys. But something about that slow Texas drawl saying “alright, alright, alright” gave my brain permission to exhale.

It was my accidental mantra. One I still use when life feels like a bit much.

Because sometimes you don’t need advice or a breakthrough. You just need a reminder that you’ve survived weird stuff before and this too will settle.

So this week’s newsletter? It’s your McConaughey Moment. Your little nudge that things may be strange, but they’re still moving forward. And forward, my friend, is alright.

🎉 This Week’s Happytizer: Your “Alright, Alright, Alright” Ritual

Pick one phrase, sound, or small ritual that helps you reset - even if it makes zero sense to anyone else.

Examples:
🎧 Repeating “alright, alright, alright” in your best McConaughey
🧼 Washing your hands like you're in a skincare commercial
🕺 Standing like a tree while whispering "vibe check" under your breath

🧠 Why it works:
This is called anchoring - pairing a phrase or action with a calming state. It helps train your brain to shift from stress to stillness, even in chaos.

TL;DR: Your mantra doesn’t have to be deep. It just has to help.

😌 Stress-Less Hack: The 3-Words Test

When you’re overwhelmed, anxious, or mid-spiral, try this:

  1. Pause

  2. Say three words to yourself that feel comforting or grounding

  3. Repeat them until your brain softens a little

Options:
💬 “This is temporary.”
💬 “I’ve got time.”
💬 “Snack, nap, ignore.”
💬 Or just… “Alright, alright, alright.”

🧠 Why it helps:
Verbal grounding engages your prefrontal cortex, shifting your brain out of panic mode and into “wait, I might survive this” mode.

TL;DR: You can calm yourself down with words. Bonus points if you sound cool doing it.

✨ Unsolicited Joy of the Week

A group started in 2012 called the "Silent Book Club" - a weekly meetup where people gather in public... and don’t talk. At all.

They just show up, read quietly, and vibe.

It’s introvert heaven. And honestly? Alright, alright, alright.

🔥 Micro-Challenge

This week, try responding to one stressful moment with “alright, alright, alright.”
Not in denial. Not in toxic positivity. Just as a little brain buffer.

It could be:
🚙 In traffic
📧 After opening that one passive-aggressive email
🛒 When the store is out of your emotional support snack

🧠 Why it helps:
It reframes the moment. Shifts perspective. Gives your nervous system a second to chill before reacting.

TL;DR: Sometimes inner peace sounds like a southern Oscar winner whispering cosmic nonsense.

💬 Tell me your weird mantra

Do you have a go-to phrase, song lyric, or made-up word that keeps you from snapping? I want to hear it. Bonus points for dramatic delivery.

Oh, and if this brought you even 1% more chill, forward it to a friend… or I’ll start sending voice memos of me reading bedtime stories in a questionable Texas accent.

🫶 Duckin’ Done

That’s Volume 003.
Here’s to finding grounding in the weirdest places - bedtime apps, duck metaphors, and three words that don’t fix everything, but help you ride it out.

Until next time: breathe deep, stay weird, and chill the duck out.

— Jason
Editor-in-Chill 🦆