Monday, October 17, 2022
When something traumatic happens, the mind denies the truth with shocking “disbelief.” Simply put, when you lose a loved one, go through a breakup, or experience loss in any form, the brain’s first reaction is to deny that a new reality has made you face it.
The mind is tough. It creates a convincing, dramatic protest of the truth. Why? Because the brain is a record of the past. It’s hard to face new realities, when loss occurs, because your brain has yet to experience those new truths. It’s simply fear, masquerading as reality, when life pushes you into a new truth through loss.
Life will shake you, but it can’t stop you. Even people with severe physical disabilities still do amazing things! The only people on the planet who aren’t capable of doing anything are in the graveyard. You are still alive, and you are safe. You have to realize everything is temporary, that life will take things away from you, and that you have to stay open and accepting in life. Growing up is leaning into the fear of the unknown. You’ll get better at recognizing when you’re being a catastrophist. When life knocks you down, the only way to properly get up is to face your new reality, not to look back at what you lost. I don’t know why this is so hard to do, but life will give you numerous opportunities to practice seeing and fully embracing the truth.