Hi SM. Sorry you are hurting.

IDK but am not sure anyone has the answer to self-protection from all emotional/heart pain. I suspect it's highly individualized in any case: that would only make sense, since so much of what pains us has its roots in our personal histories & how our expectations are formed.

I decided many yrs ago that since I could do nothing about the former, I'd try to control the later -- my expectations -- more clearly. Mixed success!

I also try to look at what hurts and why, as opposed to trying to paper over it (which was my former tactic -- talk about futile! sigh). If I understand that I'm waaay thin-skinned about a particular subject, it's sometimes possible to just rise above the bullcrap....and sometimes it isn't, of course. I figured out that I can't duck all the slings and arrows that hit me in my sore spots.....But :I can decide how/if I respond. Maybe I'm deluding myself, but it makes me feel way more in control...and that's a good thing!

xo

Chyia, imo of course