what are you numbing yourself with?

What Do You Numb Yourself With?

 

Something I am realizing lately is how much we all numb ourselves. Numb our feelings. Our truths. Our emotions. 

It is no secret that uncomfortable feelings are well... uncomfortable. We don't like to feel sad or angry or jealous or upset or anxious, etc. 

So what do we do? We try to numb it. We turn on our TVs and binge Netflix. We pour ourselves a drink or light up a cigarette. We scroll mindlessly through our phones, aching for a notification to get that hit of dopamine. 

I'm not saying all of this is so terrible. We all do it from time to time. Netflix can be relaxing. But when we engage in something to avoid uncomfortable feelings or engage in risky behaviors like smoking or excessive drinking, that's when the trouble starts. 

So stop for a second and really think about it.

• What emotions or feelings are your triggers? What uncomfortable sensations do you regularly avoid?
• How do you numb yourself? TV? Alcohol? Your phone? A relationship? 

So what now?

Next time your trigger appears and you start to reach for your phone or go to pour yourself a drink or whatever you do, stop for a moment. Do you REALLY want to do this or are you trying to numb the emotion? 

If you are trying to escape, reframe your thinking. What could be more constructive right now? How can you truly feel and release this uncomfortable feeling?

If you need some help with this, I can help with personalized 1:1 coaching. I am accepting  clients now! Click here for more information & to apply. 

Remember, ever let anyone dull your sparkle, especially not yourself. 

---