My Comfort List

Wow... have you ever got to the point in a self-help book when you wanted to close slam the chapter shut?  Throw the book out the window?   Put the book on the bottom of your massive reading pile?

Today was the beginning of week 4 in my journaling workshop with Brene Brown.  I truly enjoy listening to Brene speak and as the words rolled off her tongue, I listened, engaged and became frustrated all at the same time.  This is really tough stuff.  This week we are differentiating between numbing and comforting ourselves.  The assignment was to do a series of collages... answering the following questions:

1.  What things trigger you to want to numb/comfort?
2.  What do you do to numb/comfort?
3.  What does comfort look like for you - create a comfort list.

I am doing this workshop with my husband, so I have built in accountability and he doesn't let me answer anything half way.  I guess doing anything like this with your spouse takes a filter and the ability to hide away.

So below you will see my journal entries.  They are not pretty!
I will break it down!

My biggest triggers!:
*Not having enough money.
*Feeling like there is too much pressing on my time, and that I am not enough.
*Feeling like I should earn more money.
*Fear!
*Feeling like I am unlucky or the risks I take don't pan out.

My top numbing activities!:
*Work harder.
*Run away - emotionally retreat inside myself, my house or even my bedroom.
*Over help others to make me feel better.
*Shop
*Over establish myself by being:  over-independent, controlling, defiant and angry.

How do I comfort myself?:
*I love to learn.
*I love to put my house in order and have my environment clean and neat.
*I love being with my family - just being!
*I love road trips - long rides, long talks, laughing, feeling heard.
*Creativity and breathing!