Letting go of our old survival mechanisms is no easy task.
When our Coping mechanisms start at a very young age and get repeated over time, we do what we know best.
This just reinforces our ways of coping over and over again. However, there comes a time where our old protective mechanisms no longer serve us in the same ways.
Having to be in chronic flight or flight is exhausting. Being always “on guard” takes a toll on the body.
Having to be always “be on” or feeling like you need to “entertain” to keep the peace is burdensome.
Having to numb out in order to be intimate is not ok.
Having to drink in order to be around abusive family members is problematic.
Learning to let go of these old ways of survival is possible when we help unburden the parts of ourselves that learned to live this way. These parts deserve acknowledgement and gratitude for protecting you in the best way they knew how. It now time to help retire these old roles.
