Podcaster and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss mentioned something he heard from psychologist, author and mindfulness leader Tara Brach. She asked, “What are you unwilling to feel?”
What a question. What are you unwilling to feel? And by not feeling it, does it lead to alcohol, gambling, drugs, relationship problems, commitment issues, stagnation and more?
It is easier in the moment to numb rather than dissect, discuss, confront, address or understand.
But it is always harder when things are left to fester.
What are you unwilling to feel? And why?
This is a hard question to answer on a normal day. Add a pandemic, economic stressors, mental anguish and political unrest, and it is almost inconceivable.
But is there one little thing we can do? Can we try talking to a friend, calling a help line, taking advantage of an employee assistance plan, going for a walk, reading a book, taking a deep breath? The smallest thing can be a start.
As co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill Wilson, said, “You can’t think your way into right action, but you can act your way into right thinking.”
What is a tiny piece of action we can take today that will help us feel and think something new?