I totally get this, but I would add some nuance, if you don’t mind.
Trauma is like scar tissue. I understand what you’re saying about trauma and shaking it out, but you’re not shaking out the trauma, because that would be like shaking of a scar. You can’t do that, but you can shake off the reaction of pain that you have when that old wound is poked.
I also want to push back a little on the notion that you’re the kind of person who has this kind of response. We’re all that kind of person, which is to say simply human.
We all have reactions and we all get triggered. But we all have different triggers. And certainly some people are more sensitive than others.
Sensitivity is a strength, not a weakness. There’s also a difference between being sensitive and being triggered a lot or having a strong emotional reaction to something. We’re all capable of strong emotional reactions, but we’re not all aware of what’s going on.
Sensitivity is not a hair trigger emotional response. It’s the ability to notice something. There are plenty of people who fly off the handle and they either don’t know what it was that set them off, or they have no interest in looking into it.
Sensitivity allows you to examine what happened and to learn more about it so you can have the potential for a different experience next time rather than flying off the handle and sticking your head back in the sand.
Beautifully said! I wish someone had told me when i was younger that sensitivity is strength. You definitely can’t just shake off a traumatic event for sure!! I appreciate that you put that into words.
the lack of interest in looking at pain or trauma or the triggered result of reactiving trauma is dullness, it's ignorance. and looking at it not only takes sensitivity, it takes strength. it takes resilience to put your hand on the eye of the stove and leave it there until you can't take the heat anymore.
just turning away from pain, not leaving your hand on the eye for even a split second is what so many people do and they call it strength. they call it stoic (nonsense). they call it brave to shove all the demons in the closet and consider them conquered, because they "have control over them" as if they've cornered them somewhere. that is the height of ignorance, because those demons will get out.
and they're not even demons, they're just you...parts of you...and they're not scary, they're just scared. turning your back on them IS trauma.
Oh absolutely. I have a piece called “the emotional bruise” i would love to get your thoughts on it! It’s just about sitting with yourself in an uncomfortable moment
I love this. i’ve never so directly compared that need to shake and run around and let the bad vibes exit the body with what we’ve seen and become accustomed to animals doing!
this was so so interesting and something I now want to research further. love it girl. 🤍
i did not even consider why animals shake after exiting a dangerous situation. i’m going to keep this in mind moving forward. great piece!
p.s. i hope you and your coworker are on good terms after that exchange. if not, i hope it gets better.)
Thank you, sara!! Yes we came out the other side!
Been pondering a boundary message for years and it eats me up like Uroboros 🐍 so I know what I'm doing tonight 🫨
Send it then go for a run!
If I wasn't seeing them for my brother's wedding I would, might do it in person after! Could be fun.
I totally get this, but I would add some nuance, if you don’t mind.
Trauma is like scar tissue. I understand what you’re saying about trauma and shaking it out, but you’re not shaking out the trauma, because that would be like shaking of a scar. You can’t do that, but you can shake off the reaction of pain that you have when that old wound is poked.
I also want to push back a little on the notion that you’re the kind of person who has this kind of response. We’re all that kind of person, which is to say simply human.
We all have reactions and we all get triggered. But we all have different triggers. And certainly some people are more sensitive than others.
Sensitivity is a strength, not a weakness. There’s also a difference between being sensitive and being triggered a lot or having a strong emotional reaction to something. We’re all capable of strong emotional reactions, but we’re not all aware of what’s going on.
Sensitivity is not a hair trigger emotional response. It’s the ability to notice something. There are plenty of people who fly off the handle and they either don’t know what it was that set them off, or they have no interest in looking into it.
Sensitivity allows you to examine what happened and to learn more about it so you can have the potential for a different experience next time rather than flying off the handle and sticking your head back in the sand.
Beautifully said! I wish someone had told me when i was younger that sensitivity is strength. You definitely can’t just shake off a traumatic event for sure!! I appreciate that you put that into words.
me too.
the lack of interest in looking at pain or trauma or the triggered result of reactiving trauma is dullness, it's ignorance. and looking at it not only takes sensitivity, it takes strength. it takes resilience to put your hand on the eye of the stove and leave it there until you can't take the heat anymore.
just turning away from pain, not leaving your hand on the eye for even a split second is what so many people do and they call it strength. they call it stoic (nonsense). they call it brave to shove all the demons in the closet and consider them conquered, because they "have control over them" as if they've cornered them somewhere. that is the height of ignorance, because those demons will get out.
and they're not even demons, they're just you...parts of you...and they're not scary, they're just scared. turning your back on them IS trauma.
Oh absolutely. I have a piece called “the emotional bruise” i would love to get your thoughts on it! It’s just about sitting with yourself in an uncomfortable moment
Send me the link. That’s exactly my experience this very moment
https://open.substack.com/pub/softchaosdispatch/p/when-an-emotional-bruise-forms?r=5idiqu&utm_medium=ios
I love this. i’ve never so directly compared that need to shake and run around and let the bad vibes exit the body with what we’ve seen and become accustomed to animals doing!
this was so so interesting and something I now want to research further. love it girl. 🤍
Right! It blew my mind when my yoga teacher mentioned it! Really gave a new light to how stress develops and deposits in the body.
Catch me shaking after every time I open canvas
For real!!