The importance of giving yourself options
Ivy Griffin
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” the saying goes. But how does this apply to our mental and emotional well-being?
Sometimes when we find ourselves really overwhelmed by a particular situation or person, this can be an indicator that we are giving it too much energy. By that, I mean that we are investing too much time, thought, and maybe even physical energy into something.
Avoidance can also be an indicator we are investing too much of ourselves in something. For instance, we may avoid doing something because we fear how awful we will feel if we mess up or something goes wrong. It’s one thing to feel uncomfortable or kind of bummed about something, but if we find that we feel completely overwhelmed by it, this may be a sign that we are giving it too much of our energy or letting it determine our whole value as a person.
When we invest in our time and energy in multiple pursuits, interests, and people, no one thing or person has the power to alter our worthiness or completely overwhelm us. For example, I love to create art but if I feel stuck in that area, I know that it does not change my worth as a person. I invest my time and energy into many different areas that I find rewarding.
So, if you needed permission to spend more time doing different things you enjoy--here it is! Not only will we have richer, fuller lives if we vary our interests and our relationships, but we give ourselves many more opportunities to have rewarding experiences, and we take some of the power out of the more stressful elements of our lives.
AMFT #99821
Supervised by Ivy Griffin, LMFT #51714
thrivetherapists@gmail.com
916-287-3430