If it seems like everyone from Oprah to your best friend is raving about the new book, The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About, by bestselling author, podcast host, and former lawyer, Mel Robbins, it's because they are.
The book, which was released December 24, 2024 and published by Hay House, is currently #1 on Amazon Charts with the most copies sold for the week of Feb. 9, 2025. It is already a New York Times, Sunday Times, and Audible Bestseller with over 29,000 reviews on GoodReads. In addition to promoting it on morning TV and the podcast circuit, including her own podcast, The Mel Robbins Podcast, Robbins recently announced an international tour to celebrate the book, including upcoming appearances in Toronto, Boston, Chicago, New York, and London.
On MelRobbins.com, the book is described as: "Mel Robbins, New York Times bestselling author and world-renowned podcast host, introduces The Let Them Theory—a groundbreaking approach to reclaiming your life by focusing on what you can control and releasing what you can't." In it, Robbins claims she discovered the theory following a conversation with her daughter when taking her son to prom in May 2023.
However, a writer on Substack is arguing that Robbins is not the originator of this theory. In a Jan. 7, 2025 post, Sage Justice, a playwright, author, and activist, published an article titled "Mel Robbins and Plagiarism" in which she alleges Robbins stole the concept and "Let Them/Let Me" phrases for her book from writer and poet Cassie Phillips without giving proper credit. Justice is joining a growing movement of voices speaking out on behalf of Phillips, who has also been positioning herself as the original creator of "Let Them" since 2019.
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Claims of Plagiarism Over the "Let Them" Theory
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
Robbins describes the "Let Them" theory as "a mindset tool that instantly helps you identify what is in your control and what is not in your control." In the book, she helps readers release what they can't control, such as other people's actions, thoughts, and words ("Let Them"). The key second component, she explains, is deciding what actions, thoughts, or words you do next ("Let Me") since those are within your control.
Fans have clung onto this as a radical new way to navigate everything from friendships to romantic relationships, their habits on social media, and more.
However, in her Substack post, Justice argues that "Let Them" is not a new theory. She writes that she recognized it from a poem called "Let Them" written by author Cassie Phillips in 2019.
When listening to the audiobook version of Robbin's The Let Them Theory, Justice describes how she was waiting to hear credit given to Phillips, but it never came.
"I listened to the entire book, even the appendix, special thanks acknowledgments and closing credits-twice; nowhere did I hear, 'Thank you to the woman who wrote the viral poem that I based an entire book upon,'" writes Justice. (Best Life can verify there is no mention of Cassie Phillips in the book.)
By allegedly inquiring about this in a public comment on one of Robbins' social media posts promoting the book (Robbins has reportedly not responded), Justice was connected to Phillips and interviewed her about the situation.
In their conversation, which Justice quotes in her Substack post, Phillips told Justice that her original poem "Let Them" was written in 2019. In September 2022, she said it went viral after she posted a photo of the phrase "Let Them" tattooed on her own arm. In October 2022, Phillips said her follow-up poem, "Let Me," also went viral.
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Mel Robbins Shares Discovery of "Let Them" on Social Media
On May 13, 2023, Mel Robbins posted an Instagram Reel sharing her discovery of "Let Them":
"I just heard about this thing called the “Let Them Theory” and holy crap… I absolutely LOVE this!!!!" wrote Robbins in the caption. "Stop wasting energy on trying to get other people to meet YOUR expectations. Just LET THEM show you who they truly are. And then YOU get to choose what you do next. BOOM! 💥"
In a May 23, 2023 episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Robbins describes how the Reel received "over 14 millions views" in less than a week. She then goes on to describe the theory in length and how she discovered it after speaking to her daughter at her son's prom photos:
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
Cassie Phillips Defends Origination of "Let Them" Via Facebook
Phillips claims Robbins took the "Let Them" theory around this time and started promoting it as her own. "She [ended] up using that to build an entire following about it," Phillips told Justice. "She announced her novel releasing in September/October of 2024 saying she dedicated 2 years to creating the theory, but [she] had only been involved for 1.5 year building a fandom and incorrectly explaining it."
Phillips' own Facebook and Instagram accounts are populated by posts dating back to 2022 referencing "Let Them" and her poem (Best Life could not find a direct link to the original poem allegedly published in 2019).
On September 28, 2022, Phillips reposted a fellow Facebook user's mention of her, along with a full copy of her poem and a photo of a tattoo reading "Let Them."
"I saw this tattoo on facebook the other day & as I read the meaning behind it my body instantly got covered in chills. I needed this! Some of those words I needed to hear I posted below. You may need them too," the fan wrote.
Phillips captioned the repost: "I am humbled… just humbled y’all."
Screenshot of Facebook post by Dani Wagner reposted by Cassie Phillips featuring "Let Them" poemhttps://www.facebook.com/cassie.sturgill/posts/581...
On October 13, 2022, Phillips posted a photo of her own "Let Them" tattoo on her arm with a caption reflecting on "going viral."
"If someone would have told me a month ago that I would go viral, I would have laughed. I am truly humbled. This has been an incredible journey and I will never be able to thank everyone enough," Phillips wrote. "I hope you find yourself without the approval of others, that unapologetic version of you. And on the hard days, the days you decided to 'let them', I hope you remember your worth. Because your value will never decrease from someone’s inability to see your worth. Once you get to that liberating moment of realizing self-worth, I hope you remember that it’s finally time to 'Let You.'"
Since 2022, Phillips has shared products featuring the "Let Them" phrase, such as t-shirts and blankets made by others, as well as fan messages sent to her about her poems. There have also been many images of tattoos shared—which are also shared in Mel Robbins' book. (Best Life cannot verify if they are the same images.)
On July 27, 2023, Phillips made the first mention of Mel Robbins on her Facebook page:
"If you’re here for 'Let Them'-You've found me," Phillips writes. "But I’m not sure what you’ve found. Some days I get overwhelmed. My tattoo and my words are everywhere. All over Tik Tok [sic], trending on Twitter and Facebook. Plastered on cups, backpacks, hoodies, t-shirts, and decals. Then when each time a celebrity picks it up, it goes viral again. And then here comes my supporters ready to battle for me. It’s a lot and at times too much. I never thought I would make this post. My words went viral years ago before any celebrity decided to monetize it."
"I do not endorse Mel Robbins and her devious use of my words, the poem, and the mantra," she continues. "She has yet to release an apology or a statement about the intellectual property theft."
Since posting, Phillips edited the comment, marked "Edited 12/24," in which she states: "I have never been ok with someone paying for words that are free. A support system and movement that is FREE. There are support groups using 'Let Them' across different social medias that offer free guidance and help. You do not need to buy or purchase a $30 book from a self-acclaimed author to join the Let Them Movement. Someone who jumped on the bandwagon to make $."
Public Calls for Justice
In her Substack post, Justice calls out Hay House, the publishers of Robbins' book, for its recommended practice to authors to "use A.I." for research. "It's just another way of encouraging them to plagiarize because AI is trained off of our words [those of us who share on public platforms to inspire others]," Justice recounts saying in her conversation with Phillips.
"It angers me that [writers with] larger followings can do as they please!" Phillips told Justice. "If we don't take a stand, what does this mean for the beginning writers? To allow this to continue, means that larger followed authors or writers can commit theft, use AI, and steal from originators for FOLLOWS and for MONEY. This violates everything writers stand for."
Justice ends her post by arguing that Mel Robbins ("a former lawyer," Justice points out) should give proper credit to Cassie Phillips. She suggests that, until she does so, the public should not support Robbins by buying copies of her book.
Justice then goes on to promote Phillips' forthcoming book,Let Them: Words for the Healing Soul, which had a release date of February 1, 2025 on Amazon.
However, at the time of writing, the Amazon listing is no longer active. On her Facebook page, Phillips wrote in a February 14 post that she pulled her own book in response to another Amazon book listing by an impostor called The Art of Letting Them by Cassandra Phillips.
"This book is available on Amazon. IT IS NOT ME," writes Phillips. "It is a publisher/person attempting to make money using MY name with one change in the spelling (L).I do not know who this is, nor do I endorse it. Until Amazon responds back and handles this with Grace, I’ve pulled my book."
Meanwhile, strangers on the Internet are posting content seeking justice for Phillips, including this recent Reel by @gentlerebelhaven:
A Fight Over Trademark
In a follow-up Substack post published January 21, 2025, titled "Can Mel Robbins Trademark Your Words?", Justice introduces her readers to the ongoing Trademark battle over the phrase "Let Them."
Public records show Mel Robbins Productions, Inc., filed for trademark rights for "Let Them" on July 11, 2024. The trademark was requested to cover "Education and Entertainment Services," "Houseware and Glass Products," "Leather Products not including clothing," "Paper Goods and Printed Material," "Computer & Software Products & Electrical & Scientific Products," "Clothing Products," and "Fabrics."
The application was denied on August 30, 2024. A letter of protest was sent on November 16, 2024, and "non-action" was emailed on November 18. On February 10, 2025, an application extension was requested and accepted.
If Mel Robbins Productions, Inc., acquires trademark approval, any products or materials fitting the above descriptions will owe a licensing fee to the company.
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In the public documents, the United States Public Trademark Office (USPTO) states in prior arguments and evidence within the case in regard to trademark classes 9 ("Computer & Software"), 16 ("Paper & Printed Materials"), and 41 ("Education and Entertainment Services"):
"Registration is refused because the applied-for mark is a slogan or term that does not function as a trademark or service mark to indicate the source of applicant’s goods and/or services and to identify and distinguish them from others."
It goes on to state:
"The attached evidence, from third-party webpages, shows that the term or expression 'LET THEM' and/or '"LET THEM THEORY' is commonly used on a wide-array of goods and/or services to reference letting go of control and expectations and instead allowing others to make their own choices... Additionally, the prior provided evidence demonstrates that the wording 'THEORY' describes applicant's educational and instructional materials and/or services that encompass application of beliefs or principles to guide action or assists comprehension or judgment for the commonly used phrase 'LET THEM.' Taken together, because consumers are accustomed to seeing this term or expression commonly used in everyday speech by many different sources, they would not perceive it as a mark identifying the source of applicant’s goods and/or services but rather as only conveying an informational message."
In a "January 2025" edit to Justice's second Substack post, she includes a quote from Phillips claiming that the evidence presented in the trademark application is her work.
"The 18 photos used as documents? My work," Phillips tells Justice. "My published work. Survivors and their tattoos with my handwriting. Etsy shops with my permission and handwriting. My poetry and mantra plastered all over articles dating back to 2021 and 2022.'"
This is a developing story. Best Life has reached out to Mel Robbins, Hay House, Cassie Phillips, and Sage Justice for comment, but has not heard back at the time of publishing.
