Avocados, Bubble Baths, and Numbing Behaviors
The other day I was cutting an avocado, only to find myself with green stains all over my poor shirt, the third casualty in 24 hours of flying, splattering, or falling food. This sudden regression to my toddler years made me realize something was off.
Mental and energetic blocks that we haven’t consciously acknowledged can manifest in uncharacteristic behavior—from road rage, to botching simple tasks, to forgetfulness, to crying during Tide commercials when you normally get through Titanic dry-eyed.
We hear incessantly about the importance of self-care. Taking time to work out, eat well, meditate, or take bubble baths is critical. But in addition to that, we can take care of our mental health directly by paying attention to these types of behaviors. Otherwise, taking a bath or working out could be a numbing behavior that soothes the pain but doesn’t solve the problem.
When I notice atypical behavior, I check in with myself:
What is bothering me or stressing me out? What unacknowledged or dismissed concern is causing this behavior? It’s often something I thought was “fine” but isn’t.
Am I unconsciously mirroring someone in my close proximity who is stressed, angry, or fearful?
What is the collective energy around me, and how much of it am I exposing myself to?
Once I stop to ask these questions, the problems are usually easy to diagnose. Getting my own fears and worries in the open is a big step towards handling them. Recognizing someone else’s worry helps me help them, or if I can’t, stay neutral around them and not mirror their angst. Acknowledging negative energy in the collective consciousness helps me regulate my exposure to it—either by limiting my consumption of news and social media or by monitoring my emotional and physical response when I’m around that energy.
Next time you’re in a bubble bath, make sure you’re there for the right reasons.
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