This is Hidden Brain, I'm Shankar Vedanta.

In the annals of TV comedy, there have been many figures with a dour, cynical outlook.

But there's one that stands out for her relentlessly pessimistic mindset.

Hi, I'm Debbie.

Rachel Dratch is unforgettable character from Saturday Night Live.

You're enjoying your day, everything's going your way, then alone come stay the downer.

You guys, I love wedding.

This one the best ever.

Come look, the only thing higher than gas prices in this country are divorce rates.

Debbie Downer shows up at parties, weddings and holiday gatherings, always ready to remind people that life is terrible.

Alright, it wants cake.

I want some.

Go, alright, you get to pay.

Then for me, with all the refined sugars we're eating, America's experiencing a virtual epidemic of juvenile diabetes.

It's a fun, fun.

We all know Debbie Downer's in real life.

People who can't help but accentuate the negative, who focus on the faults and flaws of others, who always, always see the glass as half empty.

A lot of people, that's the one people come up to me and they're like, oh my gosh, that is my sister.

That's my mother.

Like, everyone has with Debbie Downer, so I think that's why it hit so hard, but um...

This week on Hidden Brain, the surprising psychology of mindsets, why they matter and how to master them.

What we can do with our minds, what we can do with our intention and our energy is incredible and it's a power that we often fail to realize is even there.

...