You are not your coping mechanism

Dear One,

You are not your coping mechanism.

You are not your coping mechanism.

You are not your coping mechanism.

You are you, layered by layers of protection. You were wired to grow calloused. You were wired to pave over your soft spots. You were wired to be hypervigilant. You were wired to find ways to feel less of the thing that is the worst.

And then one day, you might realize that you're furious. Or lost. Or so disconnected that you don't even remember what connection is. And you might think that this is you. But you are not your coping mechanism.

And this is exciting because it means you get to discover who you are, separate from the protections, the walls, the defenses. You re-wire yourself. You empower yourself with choices where before only defaults existed.

Your coping mechanism might still be there. It's on stand-by, just trying to help you out. And you might reach for it. You might tumble into it. But you'll know it for what it is -- the best way your younger nervous system knew to keep you safe. And you can let it know that new sources of safety are in the making -- like functional boundaries. Like self-knowledge. Like the ability to diagnose your self-care needs based on a whisper, rather than a scream.

Therapeutic yoga helps to wiggle some more space between you and the clutches of your coping mechanism. So that you can see it with a 360 degree view. Hold it, appreciate it, and perhaps even set it free.

See you on the mat. ~ Alex