The most common way we harm ourselves is by PRETENDING it isn’t a big deal. We minimize how hurt or angry we are, pretend smoking or drinking just this time won’t make a huge difference, or having that last piece of cake, and then distract ourselves to keep it all at bay.
We use distracting ourselves to help us pretend. It takes the edge off whatever feeling or insight we don’t feel ready to sit with.
We distract ourselves by eating, watching NETFLIX, spending hours on social media like Facebook, Twitter, Snap chat or Instagram. Some of us just stay busy all the time…working, cleaning, rearranging, fixing other people’s problems (often even when they didn’t ask for help), worrying, spending time in other people’s heads worrying about what they are thinking or feeling etc.
All of these strategies are like body guards that keep us from having to fully acknowledge that we are hurting ourselves in some way.
The thing is, we are actually biologically programmed to be well. So once we are clearly consciously aware that what we are doing is hurting us, it becomes A LOT harder to keep doing it. We still can, after all, most of us have a well- established self sabotaging streak, but it becomes MUCH more uncomfortable.
Watch this great video that tells us more about this, to find out more about how you can break that bad habit you have been trying to shake for ages…
See you next time!