We can disconnect from ourselves in so many different ways. Sometimes it’s deliberate. Other times automatic.
We avoid discomfort by numbing with food, alcohol, Netflix, social media.
We tell ourselves that it’s stupid to feel a certain way.
We criticize ourselves for mistakes.
We ignore our intuition.
We say yes when we mean no.
We blame ourselves.
We attach our worth to our weight, our income, our accomplishments.
Why is any of this a problem?
Disconnection begets disconnection. It leads to more numbing. It can put you at a higher risk for depression and anxiety.
Mindfulness is the antidote to disconnection. It requires paying attention to your thoughts and how you talk to yourself and noticing when and why you numb. Sometimes we don’t notice until later that we’ve slipped into autopilot. As we become more aware we can choose differently.
Right now I’m reading the book in this photo (Good Morning, I Love You by Shauna Shapiro, PHD). It takes the woo out of mindfulness and backs it up with science.
If you’d like some help getting started with a mindfulness practice in order to change a habit, click this link to sign up for a free session.