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18 min read

Under the Hood: Volume 2

This week, I want to share the two interactions highlighted in this week’s newsletter. These interactions are a glimpse into how ChatGPT can be used as an expert and help solve problems outside your current knowledge base. The first interaction was simple, leading to successful implementation in one try. The second interaction was a challenge, but really shows the power of these models (ChatGPT 5-Thinking was used). There is a lot to unpack, but you can clearly see the power of collaboration and problem-solving—and to think, it’s all happening with my own AI expert!

Interaction 1: ChatGPT Instructions to build main domain and DNS settings:

Step 1 — Canonical domain + DNS records (Ghost-Pro). You said you want www → root. Here’s the exact config for that on Ghost(Pro):

Make mindovermoney.ai the primary (root) and redirect www to it:

  • CNAME: @ → YOURSUBDOMAIN.ghost.io
  • A record: www → xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (this A record powers the www→root redirect)If your DNS host doesn’t allow a CNAME at the root, Ghost recommends routing DNS through Cloudflare (free) so you can still use root-as-primary. 

Clean-up checklist

  • Remove any old/conflicting A/AAAA/CNAME records for @ or www.
  • Double-check there isn’t a stray wwww (four w’s) host from past attempts.
  • Your Ghost subdomain is visible in Ghost Admin → Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain when you activate.

Activate in Ghost

  1. In Ghost Admin → Ghost(Pro) → Domain, enter mindovermoney.ai and click Activate.
  2. Ghost auto-provisions SSL once DNS is correct.

Quick verify

  • Visit both mindovermoney.ai and www.mindovermoney.ai — both should load the root URL.
  • Optional: spot-check DNS with a global checker after you save records. (Ghost notes propagation timing varies.)

Interaction 2: ChatGPT Instructions for Email Configuration:

Great—moving to Task 3 (sending email from admin@mindovermoney.ai).

One key detail first: Who is hosting your email for admin@mindovermoney.ai (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho, Fastmail, Proton, Cloudflare Email Routing, or your web host/cPanel)?Once I know that, I’ll give the exact DNS (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) + SMTP steps for your provider and, if you want, the Ghost “custom sending domain” steps so newsletters can come from that address too.

You said:namecheap is hosting

ChatGPT said: Great—Task 3: make admin@mindovermoney.ai send mail successfully (Namecheap). I’ll keep this tight and accurate. We’ll do DNS auth first, then your mail app/Reply-From in Ghost.

A) DNS records (Namecheap → Advanced DNS)

  1. MX (for receiving)
    • @ MX mx1.privateemail.com priority 10
    • @ MX mx2.privateemail.com priority 10 Namecheap+1
  2. SPF (authorize Namecheap to send)
    • @ TXT v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all (Only one SPF TXT at the root. If you have another, merge includes; don’t keep two.) Namecheap+1
  3. DKIM (sign your mail)
    • In Namecheap Private Email → Manage → DKIM → Generate, then Show DKIM and add the TXT it gives you:
      • default._domainkey TXT (paste the long DKIM value) (Propagation ~60 mins.) Namecheap
  4. DMARC (required for Ghost custom sending domain; start safe)
    • _dmarc TXT v=DMARC1; p=none; (You can add reporting later: rua=mailto:admin@mindovermoney.ai.) GhostNamecheap

Tip: Ensure there’s no CNAME at the root (@)—it breaks MX delivery. Namecheap

B) Your email app / webmail (so you can send) - Use Namecheap Private Email SMTP settings:

  • SMTP server: mail.privateemail.com
  • Port/Encryption: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS/STARTTLS)
  • Username: full email (admin@mindovermoney.ai)
  • Password: mailbox password
  • Auth: required (SPA/NTLM off) Namecheap+1
  • Send a test to a Gmail account → “View original.” You want SPF: PASS and DKIM: PASS.

C) (Optional but recommended) Ghost newsletters from your domain:

If you want Ghost emails to show From: admin@mindovermoney.ai:

  1. Ghost Admin → Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain → Custom sending domain → Setup. Copy the exact DNS records Ghost shows and add them in Namecheap. (DMARC is required.) Wait for green checks, then Activate. Ghost
  2. Set the From address in Ghost: Settings → Email newsletter → (select your newsletter) → Email addresses → set sender to admin@mindovermoney.ai (you may get a verification email). Ghost

D) Troubleshooting quickies

  • Still can’t send from your mail app? Double-check you’re using 465/SSL or 587/TLS and authenticating with the full address. Namecheap
  • SPF fails? You likely have two SPF TXT records—merge into one. Namecheap

Yes/No check: Are you using Namecheap Private Email (not just forwarding) for admin@mindovermoney.ai?

You said:yes

ChatGPT said: Thought for 25s. Awesome—moving to Task 3: make admin@mindovermoney.ai send mail (Namecheap Private Email). I’ll keep it crisp. Do these in order, then I’ll ask one check.

A) Namecheap DNS (Advanced DNS)

  1. MX (receive):
    • @ MX mx1.privateemail.com priority 10
    • @ MX mx2.privateemail.com priority 10 Namecheap+1
  2. SPF (authorize Private Email):
    • @ TXT v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all (Only one SPF at root; if you already have one, merge—don’t create a second.) Namecheap
  3. DKIM (sign your mail):
    • In Namecheap Private Email → Manage → DKIM → Generate; add the TXT it gives you: default._domainkey TXT (long DKIM value) Namecheap
  4. DMARC (baseline policy):
    • _dmarc TXT v=DMARC1; p=none; (DMARC is required if you later use Ghost’s custom sending domain.) Ghost
  5. No CNAME at root: ensure there is no CNAME on @ (it breaks MX). Namecheap

B) Send from your mailbox (SMTP settings). Use these in your mail app/webmail:

  • SMTP server: mail.privateemail.com
  • Port/Encryption: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS/STARTTLS)
  • Username: admin@mindovermoney.ai (full address)
  • Auth: required; SPA off Namecheap+1

Send a test to a Gmail account → “Show original.” You want SPF: PASS and DKIM: PASS on that test. Namecheap

C) (Optional) Make Ghost send from your domain

  • In Ghost Admin, set up a custom sending domain and add the DNS it shows you; DMARC is mandatory. Then set the newsletter From address to admin@mindovermoney.ai. Ghost+1

Quick check: Have you added/confirmed MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC in Namecheap and sent a test that shows SPF=PASS & DKIM=PASS?

  • Reply yes → I’ll jump to Task 4 (rewrite your About page).
  • Reply no → tell me which step is failing, and I’ll troubleshoot that one thing.

You said: I need more detailed instructions on step C) (Optional) Make Ghost send from your domain Break down into more detail and step by step instructions to ensure completion

ChatGPT said: Thought for 49s. Awesome—let’s do Task 3C one step at a time. We’ll start inside Ghost to reveal the exact DNS records you need; then we’ll add them in Namecheap.

Step 1 — Open Ghost’s “Custom sending domain” and copy the DNS records

  1. In Ghost Admin go to Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain.
  2. In Custom sending domain, click Setup.
    • (This feature requires the Creator plan or higher and that your site already uses a custom domain.) ghost.org
  3. Ghost now shows you a small list of DNS records to add at your registrar (typically a few CNAME/TXT records for DKIM/verification).
    • DMARC is required for custom sending domains; Ghost even shows a starter record (_dmarc with v=DMARC1; p=none;). ghost.org
  4. Copy each record exactly (Host/Name + Value/Target) and keep this browser tab open—we’ll paste them into Namecheap next.

Quick check: Do you see the DNS records list on that Ghost screen now? (If yes, say ready and we’ll add them in Namecheap.)

You said: yes

ChatGPT said: Thought for 17s. Awesome—let’s finish Task 3C step-by-step. You already have Ghost’s DNS records on screen. We’ll add them in Namecheap, verify in Ghost, then switch the sender.

Step 2 — Add Ghost’s records in Namecheap (Advanced DNS)

  1. Log in to Namecheap → Domain List → mindovermoney.ai → Manage → Advanced DNS.
  2. For each record Ghost shows:
    • Type: match exactly (usually CNAME or TXT).
    • Host/Name: paste exactly as shown (keep underscores like _domainkey; don’t add the domain).
    • Value/Target: paste exactly (no extra spaces/quotes).
    • TTL: leave Automatic (or 30 min).
  3. DMARC (if you don’t already have it):
    • Host: _dmarc
    • Type: TXT
    • Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:admin@mindovermoney.ai (If you already created a DMARC record earlier, edit that one—don’t add a second.)
  4. Click Save All Changes.Common pitfalls: picking the wrong Type, trimming underscores from Host, adding a second SPF/DMARC instead of editing, or pasting with leading/trailing spaces.

Quick check: Have you added/saved all the DNS records Ghost listed? (If yes, say saved and we’ll verify in Ghost.)

You said: yes

ChatGPT said: Thought for 18s. Great — let’s finish Task 3C.

Step 3 — Verify records in Ghost

  1. Go back to Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain → Custom sending domain.
  2. Click Verify / Check DNS.
  3. You should see green checks on all records. If any show red/pending, note the exact record name Ghost flags.DNS can take ~5–30 minutes. If something fails, 95% of the time it’s a host/value typo in Namecheap (see “Fixes” below).

Step 4 — Set the “From” address in Ghost

  1. Go to Settings → Email newsletter.
  2. Open your newsletter → Email addresses.
  3. Set From email to admin@mindovermoney.ai.
  4. Sender name: “Neural Gains Weekly” (recommended).
  5. Reply-to: admin@mindovermoney.ai (keep it monitored).

Step 5 — Send a deliverability test

  1. In the same screen, use Send test (or publish a tiny test post to yourself).
  2. Send to a Gmail and an Outlook address you control.
  3. In Gmail, open the test → ⋮ → Show original. Confirm:
    • SPF: PASS (aligned with mindovermoney.ai)
    • DKIM: PASS (d= mindovermoney.ai)
    • DMARC: PASS (policy = none is fine to start)

If you still see “via …” or DKIM signed by a non-matching domain, the custom sending domain hasn’t taken effect yet.

Fast fixes if verification fails in Ghost

  • Wrong “Host” format (Namecheap gotcha): Enter only the label Ghost shows (e.g., s1._domainkey), not the full domain. Namecheap appends your domain automatically.
  • Record type mismatch: If Ghost shows CNAME, don’t add TXT. Match types exactly.
  • Extra/duplicate SPF or DMARC: You must have one SPF TXT at root and one _dmarc TXT. If you already had them, edit instead of adding a second.
  • Leading/trailing spaces or quotes: In Namecheap’s Value field, paste the value without quotes and with no extra spaces.
  • Propagation: Wait 15–30 minutes, then click Verify again in Ghost.

Quick check: On the Custom sending domain screen, do you now see all green checks, and does a Gmail test show SPF/DKIM/DMARC = PASS for mindovermoney.ai?

  • If yes, we’ll move to Task 4: rewrite your About page.
  • If no, tell me which specific record Ghost still flags (copy the name it shows), and I’ll pinpoint the exact change to make in Namecheap.

You said: I got that working. But, I still cannot get outbound emails to work. I need step by step help getting my email to work to send emails

ChatGPT said: Thought for 22s. Great—let’s fix outbound sending for admin@mindovermoney.ai one step at a time. We’ll first isolate whether the problem is server-side or your mail app settings.

Step 1 — Server-side sanity check (Webmail)

  1. Open Namecheap Private Email Webmail (use your Private Email login page).
  2. Sign in as admin@mindovermoney.ai with your mailbox password.
  3. Compose one test email to a Gmail address you control and one to an Outlook/Hotmail address.
  4. Subject: Test from admin@mindovermoney.ai | Body: Just a test.
  5. Send both. Then:
    • Check Sent (confirm they left the outbox)
    • Check for any bounce messages arriving back
    • Look in Gmail/Outlook Inbox and Spam

Quick question (pick one):

  • A) Both tests arrived
  • B) Neither arrived (or bounced)
  • C) Only one arrived / went to spam

Tell me A, B, or C and I’ll give you the exact next step.

You said: I use Private Email to host my admin@mindovermoney.ai email box. The setup is through namecheap

ChatGPT said: Thought for 18s. Great—let’s fix outbound sending one step at a time.

Step 1 — Send from webmail (proves the mailbox itself can send)

  1. Go to https://privateemail.com and log in as admin@mindovermoney.ai. Namecheap
  2. Compose two tests:
    • To a Gmail you control
    • To an Outlook/Hotmail you control Subject: Test from admin@mindovermoney.ai → Send.
  3. Check Sent in webmail (confirm they left). If a bounce arrives, note it.

Tell me which is true:

  • A) Both arrived
  • B) Neither arrived (or bounced)
  • C) Only one arrived / went to spam

I’ll give the exact next step based on A/B/C.

You said: I only did a Gmail test. It went through but went to spam

ChatGPT said: Thought for 17s. Got it—thanks. Since Gmail put it in spam, let’s verify authentication first (this is the #1 signal Gmail checks). We’ll do just this step now.

Step: Check Gmail’s “Show original”

  1. Open the test email in Gmail.
  2. Click the ⋮ (three dots) → Show original.
  3. Find these lines and note the results:
    • SPF: PASS / FAIL
    • DKIM: PASS / FAIL — and the d= domain (should be mindovermoney.ai)
    • DMARC: PASS / FAIL

Reply back with exactly what you see for those three (and the DKIM d= value). Then I’ll give you the precise next fix.

You said: SPF: NONE with IP xxx.xx.xxx.xx Learn more DKIM: 'PASS' with domain mindovermoney.ai Learn more DMARC: 'PASS' Learn more

ChatGPT said: Thought for 31s

Thanks—that DKIM/DMARC look good. Gmail marked spam because SPF is “NONE.” Let’s fix SPF for Namecheap Private Email step-by-step, then re-test.

Fix SPF in Namecheap (root domain)

  1. Go to Namecheap → Domain List → mindovermoney.ai → Manage → Advanced DNS.
  2. Find TXT records at the root (Host = @).
    • If you see more than one SPF (anything starting with v=spf1), delete the extras. You must have one SPF at @.
  3. Add (or edit) one TXT record exactly like this:
    • Type: TXT
    • Host: @
    • Value: v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all
    • TTL: Automatic (No quotes, no extra spaces, and make sure it’s at @, not at mindovermoney.ai or a subdomain.)
  4. Save changes. Wait 10–20 minutes for DNS to propagate.

Re-test (from webmail)

  1. Log in to Private Email webmail as admin@mindovermoney.ai.
  2. Send a new message to your Gmail address (plain subject/body).
  3. In Gmail, open it → ⋮ → Show original. Confirm you now see:
    • SPF: PASS (domain = mindovermoney.ai)
    • DKIM: PASS (d=mindovermoney.ai)
    • DMARC: PASS
    • If SPF still isn’t PASS: you either put the TXT on the wrong host, have two SPF records, or a typo in the value. Fix those and test again.

After SPF passes (deliverability nudge)

  • Send a few real messages (plain-text, low links) to warmed contacts who will reply—this helps reputation.
  • Keep Reply-To = admin@mindovermoney.ai.
  • You’re already good on DKIM/DMARC.

One quick check: after adding the TXT exactly as above and re-sending, what does Gmail’s Show original say for SPF (PASS/FAIL)?

You said:It still went to spam and shows SPF:NONE with IP xxx.xx.xxx.xx

ChatGPT said: Thought for 18s. Thanks—that “SPF: NONE” means Gmail can’t find any SPF record for mindovermoney.ai. That usually happens when the record was added in the wrong DNS provider or at the wrong host.

Let’s fix it one step at a time.

Step 1 — Confirm where your DNS is hosted (nameservers). In Namecheap → Domain List → mindovermoney.ai → Manage → Domain tab, what do you see under Nameservers?

  • “Namecheap BasicDNS”
  • or “Custom DNS” (e.g., Cloudflare, NS1, etc.)

Reply with exactly which one it shows, and I’ll give you the precise SPF record steps for that setup.

You said: Namecheap PremiumDNS

ChatGPT said: Thought for 41s. Great—since Gmail shows SPF: NONE, we’ll fix SPF on PremiumDNS first. Super short steps, then you’ll re-test and tell me the result.

Step A — Add the SPF record on PremiumDNS

  1. In Namecheap: Domain List → mindovermoney.ai → Manage → Advanced DNS.
  2. In Mail Settings, pick Private Email and Save (this ensures the correct MX set). Namecheap
  3. In Host Records, click Add New Record → TXT Record:
    • Host: @
    • Value: v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all
    • TTL: Automatic
  4. (DKIM is already passing, so no change. DMARC is already set.)

Step B — Re-test from webmail

  1. Log in at privateemail.com and send a fresh test to your Gmail. Namecheap
  2. In Gmail, open the message → ⋮ → Show original. Confirm:
    • SPF: PASS (domain = mindovermoney.ai)
    • DKIM: PASS (d=mindovermoney.ai)
    • DMARC: PASS

Did SPF change to PASS?

  • If yes: we’ll do two quick reputation nudges to keep you out of spam and move to Task 4.
  • If no: tell me exactly what you see in Advanced DNS → Host Records for TXT at @ (a quick paste/screenshot description), and I’ll pinpoint the fix.

You said: It went to my inbox but it still says 'SPF:NONE with IP xxx.xx.xxx.xx'

ChatGPT said: Thought for 25s. Got it — this is almost certainly because your SPF was added as an SPF-type record (deprecated) instead of a TXT record. Gmail only evaluates SPF published as TXT. Let’s fix that cleanly.Fix: publish SPF as a TXT at the root (@)

  1. Go to Namecheap → Domain List → mindovermoney.ai → Manage → Advanced DNS.
  2. In Host Records, delete any record whose Type is SPF or TXT SPF at Host @.
  3. Click Add New Record → choose TXT Record (not SPF).
    • Host: @
    • Value: v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all
    • TTL: Automatic
    • Save.
  4. Wait ~5–15 minutes.Re-test from webmail
  • Send a fresh test from admin@mindovermoney.ai (Private Email webmail) to Gmail.
  • Gmail → ⋮ → Show original. You should now see:
    • SPF: PASS (domain = mindovermoney.ai)
    • DKIM: PASS (d=mindovermoney.ai)
    • DMARC: PASS

If SPF still shows NONE, it means the TXT isn’t at @ or there are two SPF strings. In that case, we’ll look at exactly what you have under Host Records.Quick check: after replacing the SPF as TXT at @, does Gmail’s “Show original” now report SPF: PASS?

You said: Can you access my Namecheap to find the issue? Or can i share a screenshot of the host records?

ChatGPT said: Thought for 26s. I can’t access your Namecheap, but a screenshot will let me pinpoint the SPF glitch fast.Please share one screenshot of Advanced DNS → Host Records showing just: Type, Host, Value, TTL for:

  • TXT at @ (any v=spf1 and _dmarc)
  • TXT at default._domainkey (DKIM)
  • MX at @ (mx1/mx2.privateemail.com)

Feel free to blur other entries. If a screenshot is hard, copy/paste those three rows instead. Once I see that, I’ll tell you the exact one-line fix.

You: Here is a screenshot of the host records

ChatGPT said: Thought for 1m 44s. Thanks for the screenshot—this explains it.

What’s wrong (quick). Your apex/root (@) has a CNAME to mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io.. By DNS rules, a name with a CNAME cannot also publish TXT/MX/etc. So Gmail ignores your SPF TXT at @, which is why you still see SPF: NONE. Stack Overflow

We have two clean fixes. Pick one:

A) Fastest (switch to www as primary): Keep SPF at root and move the CNAME to www (this is an official Ghost pattern: www → CNAME to Ghost; root @ → A record xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx to redirect). Ghost

B) Keep root (no www): Move DNS to a provider with CNAME flattening (e.g., Cloudflare). Then you can have @ behave like a CNAME and serve TXT/MX so SPF works. Space Ninja

If you choose A (fastest), here are the exact steps:

  1. Namecheap → Advanced DNS
    • Delete the CNAME at Host @ (mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io.).
    • Add A record: @ → xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (Automatic TTL).
    • Ensure CNAME: www → mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io. (keep as-is if already set).
    • Keep your TXT records:
      • @ TXT v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all (only one SPF at @) Namecheap
      • _dmarc TXT v=DMARC1; p=none
      • default._domainkey TXT (your DKIM)
    • Mail Settings: “Private Email” (so MX for mx1/mx2.privateemail.com stay active).
  2. Ghost Admin → Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain
    • Set Primary domain to www.mindovermoney.ai. (Ghost supports www-primary with the above DNS.) Ghost+1
  3. Wait ~10–20 min → send a webmail test to Gmail → Show original should now show SPF: PASS, DKIM: PASS, DMARC: PASS.

If you choose B (keep root), the steps are:

  1. Create a free Cloudflare account, add your domain, change nameservers to the ones Cloudflare gives you.
  2. In Cloudflare DNS (DNS-only / gray cloud for the Ghost record):
    • @ CNAME mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io. (flattened at apex)
    • www CNAME mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io. 
    • @ TXT v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all
    • _dmarc TXT v=DMARC1; p=none
    • default._domainkey TXT (your DKIM)
    • @ MX mx1.privateemail.com 10 and @ MX mx2.privateemail.com 10 Cloudflare’s flattening lets the apex behave like a CNAME and serve TXT/MX, so SPF will be seen. Space Ninja

One question so we proceed correctly: Do you want to go with A) switch to www as primary (fastest), or B) keep root and move DNS to Cloudflare?

You said:Go with A and break down the steps in more detail

ChatGPT said: Thought for 21s.Great—here’s Option A (www as primary) broken down precisely for your current DNS.Goal

  • Root mindovermoney.ai → redirect to www.mindovermoney.ai
  • www.mindovermoney.ai → hosted by Ghost
  • Keep SPF/TXT at @ so Gmail can see it (fixes “SPF: NONE”)

Step 1 — Swap your DNS records (Namecheap → Advanced DNS)

Change these two only:

  1. Root (@)
  • Delete the CNAME @ → mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io.
  • Add A @ → xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (TTL: Automatic)
  1. www
  • Delete the A www → xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
  • Add CNAME www → mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io. (TTL: Automatic)

Leave the rest exactly as-is:

Save changes. Give DNS 5–20 minutes to propagate.

Step 2 — Make www your primary in Ghost

Ghost Admin → Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain → set Primary domain to https://www.mindovermoney.ai → Save.

Step 3 — Verify web + email

Web check

  • Visit mindovermoney.ai → it should 301 → www.mindovermoney.ai
  • Visit www.mindovermoney.ai → site loads normally

Email check (from webmail)

  1. Send a fresh test from admin@mindovermoney.ai to your Gmail.
  2. In Gmail: ⋮ → Show original. Expected:
    • SPF: PASS (domain: mindovermoney.ai)
    • DKIM: PASS (d=mindovermoney.ai)
    • DMARC: PASS

If SPF still shows “NONE”

  • Re-check Type/Host: SPF must be a TXT at @ (exact value: v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all)
  • Make sure there’s no CNAME at @ anymore, and only one SPF TXT at @.
  • Wait another 15–30 minutes and re-test.

Quick confirmation: After making those two DNS swaps and sending a new Gmail test, what do you see in Show original for SPF/DKIM/DMARC?

You said: what the first step, what kind of record am I adding?

ChatGPT said: Thought for 4 seconds. An A record.

Ready to do the next step (set www → CNAME → mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io.)?

You said: yes, ready

ChatGPT said: Great—let’s set www → CNAME → Ghost.

Step — Point www to Ghost

  1. In Namecheap → Advanced DNS, find the existing A Record with Host = www → Delete it.
  2. Click Add New Record → Type: CNAME Record
    • Host: www
    • Value/Target: mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io.
    • TTL: Automatic
  3. Save. Make sure there’s only one record for www (this CNAME). Wait ~5–10 minutes.

Quick check: can you confirm it’s saved exactly like above (CNAME www → mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io.) and there’s no remaining A record for www?

You said: This broke everything. I get an error on Ghost ' Unable to detect a valid CNAME record for www.mindovermoney.ai.'

ChatGPT said: No stress—this is fixable. Ghost only accepts the exact CNAME target it shows in your dashboard. We’ll verify that and re-point www cleanly.

Step 1 — Grab the exact CNAME target Ghost expects

  • In Ghost Admin go to Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain.
  • In the Custom domain area (where it’s warning about www), it shows a line like: “Point www.mindovermoney.ai to CNAME → XXXX.ghost.io”
  • Copy that XXXX.ghost.io string exactly (no spaces).Reply with the exact target Ghost shows (e.g., mindovermoney-ai.ghost.io, mindovermoney.ai.ghost.io, etc.).Once I have that value, I’ll give you the precise Namecheap edit (including whether to remove the trailing dot) and the verify step.

You said: mindovermoney-ai.ghost.io

ChatGPT said: Thought for 13s. Perfect—Ghost expects www → CNAME → mindovermoney-ai.ghost.io (note the hyphen). Let’s set that exactly.

Do this in Namecheap → Advanced DNS

  1. Find any existing www record (A or CNAME) → Delete it.
  2. Click Add New Record → Type: CNAME Record
    • Host: www
    • Value/Target: mindovermoney-ai.ghost.io (no trailing dot)
    • TTL: Automatic
  3. Save.
  4. Ensure there is only one record for www (the CNAME you just added). No A/URL Redirect records for www.

Keep these as-is

  • @ (root) = A record → xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (for root→www redirect)
  • TXT @ = v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all
  • TXT _dmarc = v=DMARC1; p=none
  • TXT default._domainkey = your DKIM
  • The ghost / email.ghost records for Ghost sending domain

Verify - Wait 5–10 minutes, then in Ghost: Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain → Verify/Check. You should see a green check for the www CNAME.

Quick confirmation: after saving the CNAME www → mindovermoney-ai.ghost.io (no dot) and verifying in Ghost, do you now get the green check?

You said: Yes and now www.mindovermoney.ai works. But mindovermoney.ai does not work

ChatGPT said: Thought for 24s. Nice—www is live. Now we just need the root (mindovermoney.ai) to 301 → www.

Fix the root in Namecheap (PremiumDNS)

  1. Go to Advanced DNS.
  2. Delete any record at Host = @ that is CNAME or URL Redirect (if present).
  3. Add an A Record:
    • Type: A Record
    • Host: @
    • Value: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
    • TTL: Automatic
    • Save.
  4. Leave your other records exactly as-is (SPF TXT @, _dmarc TXT, DKIM TXT, CNAME www → mindovermoney-ai.ghost.io, etc.).

After saving, give it a few minutes and try both: http://mindovermoney.ai (should jump to https://www.mindovermoney.ai). https://mindovermoney.ai (should also jump to https://www.mindovermoney.ai)

Quick check: In Advanced DNS, do you now see a single A record: @ → xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (and no CNAME/Redirect at @)?

You said: yes

ChatGPT said: Great—DNS is now in the right shape. Let’s finish Task 3 with two quick verifications, then we’ll move to Task 4 (About page rewrite).

Final checks (takes 2 minutes)

  1. Ghost primary domain
    • Ghost Admin → Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain → confirm Primary is https://www.mindovermoney.ai.
  2. Email deliverability
    • Log in to Private Email webmail as admin@mindovermoney.ai.
    • Send a fresh test to your Gmail.
    • In Gmail: ⋮ → Show original. You should now see:
      • SPF: PASS (domain = mindovermoney.ai)
      • DKIM: PASS (d = mindovermoney.ai)
      • DMARC: PASS

Please tell me: Does mindovermoney.ai now 301 to www in your browser? What do you see for SPF/DKIM/DMARC on the new Gmail test (PASS/PASS/PASS)?

Once you confirm, I’ll write your About page in your voice, aligned to Neural Gains Weekly.

You said: No, when i go to mindovermoney.ai this error populates 'This site can’t provide a secure connection mindovermoney.ai sent an invalid response. Try running Windows Network Diagnostics. ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR'

ChatGPT said: Thought for 1m 34s. Got you — the www side is good; the root (apex) is throwing SSL because Ghost hasn’t finished wiring the redirect for the apex yet. We’ll fix it cleanly. Fix the apex SSL/redirect (step-by-step)

  1. Confirm DNS (you already did but double-check):
    • @ → A record xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (one A only; no CNAME/URL redirect at @).
    • www → CNAME mindovermoney-ai.ghost.io (exactly). (This is Ghost’s recommended “www-primary” setup; the A record powers the HTTPS redirect from root to www.) Ghost
  2. Re-activate the domain in Ghost (forces cert check):
    • Ghost Admin → Settings → Ghost(Pro) → Domain.
    • Make sure Primary domain is https://www.mindovermoney.ai.
    • Click Activate (or Verify/Check if shown). This re-triggers SSL + redirect setup for both www and the apex. Ghost
  3. Test both protocols separately:
    • Visit http://mindovermoney.ai → it should 301 to https://www.mindovermoney.ai.
    • Visit https://mindovermoney.ai → it should also 301 to https://www.mindovermoney.ai.
    • If http works but https fails, Ghost hasn’t finished issuing the apex certificate yet.
  4. Nudge the cert (safe toggle):
    • On the same Domain screen, click Activate again (it’s idempotent).
    • If the page shows per-record checks, ensure all are green. (Ghost’s guide confirms the A-record IP handles HTTPS redirects once active.) Ghost
  5. Sanity checks outside your browser cache:
    • Try on mobile data or a different browser/profile.
    • In Chrome, type mindovermoney.ai, then hit Ctrl+Enter to force a fresh fetch.

If it’s still ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR after the above, it almost always means the apex A record is right but Ghost hasn’t completed the SSL for the apex. That’s a Ghost-side task; their help directs you to contact support to finalize the cert/redirect. Ghost Forum

Quick question: after Step 2 (Activate) and Step 3 (test http/https), what happens when you load https://mindovermoney.ai — does it now 301 to www, or do you still see the SSL error?

You said:It works