I had a chance to listen to Brene Brown's podcasts recently which I love. I got so many a-ha ideas that I'm wanting to share with you!
The first is related to interactions with my younger daughter who's a freshman in college. She is experiencing her first time living away from home along with all of its security and comfort. She feels stressed and anxious about being left out of friend groups as well her intense school workload for nursing.
It is agonizing for me to see her struggle and in pain. I want to take it away. Fix it. Drive 11 hours and beat up those 'mean' girls who are excluding her. But the rub is, I want to do this so I'm no longer feeling uncomfortable and in pain as much as to support her! I also don't want to feel vulnerable.
Herein lies the crux of being human. Feeling hurt, pain and anxiety is excruciating! It's actually designed this way to get our attention. To let us know something matters, that we have an unmet need.