You know what I used to call numbing out? A mini vacation. Whether it was wine at the end of the day (I’m now 13 years sober), scrolling endlessly, or just anything to avoid feeling the full weight of my emotions, it all came down to one thing: avoidance. And that’s exactly what I’m getting into in this solo episode, the real reasons we numb, what it costs us, and how to begin doing something different. This one goes beyond “just stop doing it.” I’m talking about the discomfort, the deep emotional wiring, and why it makes total sense that you’ve been avoiding hard feelings. But also, how the shift starts. (Hint: it’s not by beating yourself up.) I’m pulling straight from my book How to Stop Feeling Like Shit and breaking down specific tools to start feeling your feelings, even if you’re a beginner. What You’ll Hear: How numbing and avoiding are really about running from emotions What my therapist told me that I really didn’t want to hear (spoiler: she was right) The “holy emotions” we’re often most afraid to feel: grief, shame, terror, rage The biggest clues that you might be avoiding emotions (including the empathy test) Three key tools to start feeling your feelings: acceptance, curiosity, and self-trust The role of somatic work, breathwork, and psychedelic therapy in emotional healing You’re not broken because you’ve been numbing out. Your body’s been doing its best to keep you safe. This episode is about getting curious, not judgmental; and starting to build a new way forward, one brave feeling at a time. Resources: How to Stop Feeling Like Shit - The 8-Week Experience How to Stop Feeling Like Shit (book) Minisode 675: New Level, Old Devil: Why Family Of Origin Stuff Keeps Showing Up Episode 658: Lesson 1 on self-abandonment, codependency, and self-trust Episode 659: Lesson 2 on The Four Holy Emotions: How Grief, Terror, Rage, and Shame Unlock Your Power My Ketamine Therapy Journey secret podcast series Facing Love Addiction, Pia Mellody When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chodron Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/676 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices