Self-Talk With Donna is my way of connecting with you, being present, and helping you activate your internal GPS so that you become your greatest cheerleader rather than worst critic.
My name is Donna Blevins, and over three decades, I have built my reputation in the world of poker.
I’m 6’5”, coached players during home games and the World Series of Poker, and became known as The Big Girl of Poker. Poker taught me that the real game is first and foremost a mental one.
This is where the real work happens: tuning into your self-talk, reframing it, and reclaiming your inner game — the one that shapes everything else.
What to Expect
• Stories that reveal how self-talk shapes key moments
• Practical MindShift Exercises™ you can use immediately
• Personal reflections that tell the truth
• Occasional poker stories when the game mirrors life
I changed the name from Poker’s Life Lessons to Self-Talk With Donna because over time, I realized the deeper thread running through everything I do is self-talk. It has always been the heartbeat of my work and who I am.
When I originally launched Poker’s Life Lessons, it was to share what the game had taught me about courage, decision-making, and mindset.
Renaming my newsletter reveals what has been there all along.
More from Donna
Self-Talk With Donna is about becoming the Game Master of Your Mind so you can lead, love, and live with intention.
Poker is the language I use to frame life’s lessons, but you don’t need to know how to play to benefit from what I share.
If you’re a poker player, you’ll find yourself nodding along, wondering why it took so long for these conversations to happen. My insights go far beyond the table and help you make better decisions in both poker and life.
Since my life spans seven decades, my humor has earned me the justified nickname “The Betty White of Substack.”
At the same time, I think of my writing more like where “Irma Bombeck met Larry Flynt and Carl Jung.”
If you don’t know those names, look them up on Google. I bet you’ll raise your eyebrows as you say, “Whoa!”
A WORD OF CAUTION: I’ve disconnected my mouth muffler. Ask me a question, and you’ll get an uncensored, straight-forward response.
Being a recovering Southern Baptist and Perfectionist adds a touch of raunchiness to keep things interesting. I often say, “I wear velvet-toed boots to nudge my clients, but when needed, I switch to steel toes.”
MY LIFE PHILOSOPHY: Do the best you can with what you have and remain unattached to the outcome.
Welcome to Self-Talk With Donna. The real conversation begins here.
Consider yourself hugged,
— Donna
PS: You don’t need to make all the mistakes yourself — I’m here to share my hard-earned lessons, so you don’t have to.
My foundational book, MindShift On-Demand, was published in 2017 and, without any marketing efforts, rose to #1 in the “Hot New Releases” category of Sports Psychology. Since then, from time to time, it jumps to the top 100 in multiple categories.
That organic ranking is huge, and the book remains one of the most sought-after for relief from anxiety and stress.
