Are You Running From Yourself? |
Recently, a friend told me that he rarely reads or watches TV because he can't sit still that long. I have several clients who take on far more than they can handle because they like to "stay busy." A surprising number of people, I've discovered, desperately avoid being alone.
We are living in a world of running people. I wish we were all running to improve our health and well-being, but I'm afraid that instead we are mostly "running" to escape the emotions inside of us.
When you are moving, you're distracted, driven, and occupied. This keeps you from having to feel what it's like to be in your own skin. In contrast, when you stop moving, your inner self appears, and you are forced to reckon with it. Your inner self includes everything that makes you you, like your life experiences, your memories, and most importantly, your feelings.
To determine whether you are a member of the "running" group, answer these questions about yourself in general before reading on:
I have come to realize that sometimes there is a surprising explanation for the need to run from oneself. It’s not society or the lure of technology. It’s childhood emotional........