The Cost of Numbing: Why Thawing Matters

Denial acts as a survival mechanism that "disables" our feelings, eventually muting our capacity for joy along with our pain. Realizing we are powerless to control our emotions on our own is the first step toward thawing what we froze.

• Numbing is never selective
  • When you shut down painful grief, you accidentally shut down joy and wonder too
• Freezing was a survival skill
  • Going numb wasn't a character flaw; it was the only mercy available to help you survive
• Feelings are information, not sin.
  • Emotions are data signals about unmet needs or crossed boundaries, not reflections of weak faith.
• Accuracy begins the thawing process.
  • Moving beyond "I'm fine" to specific words like "scared" or "grieved" helps you move to ...