Thoughtful Thursday & Numbing the Light

"When we numb the dark, we numb the light."

I love this quote from Brené Brown.

Experiencing highly intense emotions can be very uncomfortable. 

We can feel vulnerable.

Most of us try to move away from those uncomfortable emotions so we don't have to feel vulnerable or uncomfortable.

We don't allow ourselves to feel or process these feelings.

We go right to numbing them by buffering them with anything that will give us relief as quickly as possible.

In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené shares some things that we turn to "take the edge off" from feeling negative emotion.

Things like "alcohol, drugs, food, sex, relationships, money, work, caretaking, shopping, planning, perfectionism, constant change, and the Internet."

However, when we turn to our buffers we limit our ability experience the positive or comfortable emotions.

Emotions like peace, love and joy.

Brené also teaches that there is "no such thing as selective emotional numbing."

We can't just decide we will only numb the negative emotions and only fully engage in the positive emotions. 

When we lose our ability to tolerate the uncomfortable, we lose are ability to truly experience joy.

We live in a world of opposition. 

This contrast of life is what makes life beautiful and full.

Brené goes on to teach that joy can be as "thorny and sharp as any of the dark emotions.  To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn't come with guarantees--these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain."

But when we lean into the uncomfortable we are actually able to create more "joy, gratitude, and grace" in our life.

Are you ready to lean into the uncomfortable to invite more light into your life?

Give it a try!