Thread: Dying To Live
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Old Aug 10, 2012, 07:03 PM
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trdleblue trdleblue is offline
Poohbah
 
Member Since: Jun 2012
Location: Washington D.C.
Posts: 1,060
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBunnyWithin View Post
Previous posters have made excellent points, and I agree completely. But I feel you're looking at this too much from a black and white perspective. Besides, it's been my experience that you will not be able to let go of the control all at once. Even if you want to, even if you try, it just ain't gonna happen. All those defenses you have in place are not going to collapse all at once. It's a gradual process, log by log as someone said. A controlled burn, like someone else said.

And also .... you're not giving up control of your emotions but gaining more control. Right now the only way you can stay in control is to block all of them, all or nothing. You feel like if you lose control the emotions will engulf you and sweep you away, and you will be helpless. Not so! You can learn to MANAGE your emotions.

Example - allowing yourself to cry doesn't mean from this point on you'll cry at the drop of a hat. You can allow yourself to cry - or not - depending on the situation. If you feel tears coming on in the middle of a business meeting, you'll be able to recognize it and hold off until later when it's safe to cry. But if it's a personal situation where tears would be good, you can let them flow. In other words, YOU'LL HAVE MORE CONTROL THAN YOU DO NOW.

It'll take some work to get through this, but please don't feel that you have to die to do this. Some parts of you will have to be deconstructed and rebuilt, but you'll still be you. Just better. And happier.
I agree with so much that is said here. I'm trying to not block my emotions, and it's hard. I've been blocking and pushing away my feelings for so long. It's a defense mechanism that I'm quite good at, and one I'm learning is difficult to stop. For me, I agree that it's about gaining more control. The emotions have always been there and I've probably held onto more by not letting myself feel them.