A relationship can be one of the most draining and distracting of obstacles.
The people in our lives can push our buttons, tie us in knots, tie up our schedule, and take up every bit of our head space. And then, when we don’t have the bandwidth to move forward, we don’t realize that it's the relationship that's sapping our energy.
But I want to make one huge point here. It’s usually not the relationship itself that’s the obstacle, it’s how we react to it.
Are your reactions to a relationship holding you back? Do you know?
Here’s something that will bring clarity! Check out these descriptions, and see if you find yourself among them:
Replay Rita: The negative thoughts and feelings about a person keep cycling through her head, taking up too much space.
Clingy Cole: He’s attached to the point of not having good balance in his life.
Solicitous Sara: She tries to please others so much that she neglects herself and her life.
Fix-It Finn: He sees a need and steps in to helps others with something they should be taking responsibility for.
Sensitive Sophie: Whatever is going on with others affects her too much. She over empathizes, or her feelings are easily hurt.
Short Fuse Shaun: Like Sophie, he reacts quickly to someone, but his reaction is anger, bitterness, or frustration.
Fearful Faye: She doesn’t like attention, conflict, or people to think badly of her, so she doesn’t speak or act.
Which one are you? Or maybe you have another to add to the list. I think Replay Rita is biggest for me right now, or Sensitive Sophie. But I am, or have been all of them.
The better we see ourselves, the better we can overcome. Watch for the next installment in this series. You’ll develop a clearer picture of how this is playing out in your life, and find ways to reduce the drain and distraction.