Denial-Proof.
I was reading Mathew McConaughey’s new book “Green Lights” and he talked about how his mother beat cancer, not because of cancer treatment but because of pure denial.
Have you ever heard the saying mind over matter? It’s the ability to control your physical condition by using the mind.
Our brains are incredibly powerful. And some days I wish I was like Mathews mother. But I’d want to be in denial about loss of those I care about, grief, terrible drivers who give me road rage, the people who talk shit for no other reason besides there is nothing else exciting in their life. All these things would go away. Poof!
Lucky for me, the universe decided to make me an empath. If you believe in that kind of thing. Web MD says Empaths are real but it also says you have cancer pretty much anytime you look up a symptom. So its debatable. But let’s continue on…
Empath - a person with the ability to sense the mental or emotional state of another individual.
I feel not only my emotions, I get to also feel EVERYONE ELSES.
Joy, surprise, anger, fear, sadness all the emotions you can think of I feel from other people and from myself. Can you imagine how I feel at a funeral? Yeah for real. Or how about when the world is closing down due to Covid? Everyone going through the loss of loved ones and their jobs. My emotional capacity broke. I broke, but we won’t get into that.
What we will address: how to stop letting all the emotions from others overwhelm you. Being in denial is not your answer.
THIS ALSO APPLIES IN THOSE WHO BOTTLE EMOTIONS UP. Because let’s face it one day you’ll explode or have serious medical health conditions because you never dealt with your shit and never learned to stop taking on others emotions.
Being an empath is a blessing and curse. I care so much about those around me to the point where it physically pains me if they are mentally hurting. And even though I can truly empathize when people are going through a hard time. I feel their pain even when I don’t want too.
I have had to radically accept living in denial is not the answer or an option, I have discovered a way to put a mental Sliding Glass Door to block the exterior emotions from hitting me.
Over the years I developed the awareness around the moment I start taking on someones else’s emotions. It’s usually when they start describing the situation in depth and I hear their tone of voice change.
In this exact moment I remind myself these emotions are not mine to take on. These emotions belong to someone else. Feeling how they feel, is really none of my business. My business is being there to mentally and emotionally help this person I care about. If I am drowning with them, how do I expect to help them?
I kindly give back that energy to my friend or family member and visualize closing the glass door. I still see the emotions through the glass door and I feel my emotions for that person, but I don’t place their emotions on mine.
After practicing this mental power, I realized that I am more helpful when handling mass amounts of emotions. I focus on my thoughts separately, and this benefits those around me who I truly care about.
We want to help those who come to us, but protecting ourselves from the hurt can actually benefit our loves ones around us. How can you take care of someone else if you can’t take care of you? Denial sure won’t do it for you.