"Remember that moment when you realize you've been living the same story over and over, just with different characters? I hit that wall about eighteen months ago, sitting in my third therapist's office, finally hearing someone challenge me instead of just nodding along. That's when the real work started-not the comfortable kind where you get validation for your struggles, but the uncomfortable kind where you face the patterns that have been quietly steering your life."
"When you're healing, that compulsive need to fill every moment starts to fade. You realize that Elizabeth Barlow, PhD, LICSW was right when she said, "Positive habits don't just boost your self-esteem, either. They can also reduce stress and anxiety by offering a degree of structure and predictability to your everyday life." The difference? Now your habits serve you, not your need to avoid feeling things. You can sit with an empty Saturday afternoon without immediately reaching for your laptop."
A therapy breakthrough prompted active work on recurring life patterns instead of seeking validation. Healing is nonlinear and marked by observable changes as old behaviors loosen their hold. One sign is a fading compulsion to fill every moment; routines start serving well-being rather than avoiding feelings, and empty time becomes tolerable. Another sign is recognizing emotional triggers as echoes of past wounds, which allows responses without being controlled. Developing positive habits provides structure and predictability, reducing stress and anxiety and enabling healthier emotional regulation and self-worth measures beyond productivity.
Read at Silicon Canals
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