Our attempts to avoid pain, create pain.

Yikes! That’s a hard pill to swallow. True though, unfortunately.

I think we are all guilty of this at one time or another, and certainly in the beginning stages of grief and loss, knowing how to distract ourselves from the pain is a much needed tool. The problem happens when what we once needed for survival, we embrace as a lifelong habit. What was once beneficial for us, becomes harmful to us.

What are your “go to” avoidance tactics? Do you know them? Mine is TV for sure. If I don’t want to deal with my emotions or circumstances, vegging out in front of the TV for a couple of hours is just the trick to take my mind off of things. Sometimes TV can be a helpful distraction when the emotions are overwhelming, but if I’m not careful, TV can become a way to avoid the feelings all together. If we avoid our emotions to the point of suppressing them, that creates all sorts of problems in our minds and bodies. Those feelings are bound to come out one way or another and probably wreak havoc in the process.

Knowing your avoidance “go to” is also a good way to keep tabs on yourself to determine if you are actively avoiding something that needs to be dealt with. I know that if I find myself watching TV more than normal I need to take a look under the hood to determine what it is I’m trying to avoid.

What is your distraction tool? Is it healthy or harmful to you in this season? What are some good boundaries you can put in place to make sure it doesn’t hinder your healing?

As always, believing you are on your way back to living a life you love and cheering you on every step of the way!

Much Love,

Kelli