#151 Avoidance Culture

The Joyful DVM Podcast: Empowering Veterinary Professionals

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise explores the concept of avoidance culture and how humans have a tendency to try to control and avoid uncomfortable emotions.

This behavior is rooted in our evolutionary past, where avoiding discomfort was necessary for survival. However, in the modern world, there are very few truly dangerous things that we need to avoid.

Despite this, we still spend a significant amount of time and energy trying to avoid uncomfortable emotions and control situations that could potentially lead to discomfort.

Dr. Wise emphasizes that discomfort is not always a sign of danger and encourages listeners to ask themselves what they are afraid of. By delving into the root of their discomfort, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of their fears and begin to let go of the need to control and avoid discomfort.

She also advises questioning the lies we believe and focusing on what is true in order to shift our perspective and change our experience of any situation. By paying attention to negative emotions and identifying the lies we believe, we can redirect our focus to what is true and alleviate the pressure we feel.

Overall, Dr. Wise highlights the prevalence of avoidance culture and the detrimental effects it has on our lives, and suggests that by challenging the lies we believe, we can let go of the need to try to control circumstances and avoid uncomfortable emotions and experience life more fully.

Key takeaways:

1. Humans have a tendency to control and avoid uncomfortable emotions, which is rooted in our evolutionary past.
2. In ancient times, avoiding discomfort was necessary for survival, but in the modern world, there are very few truly dangerous things that we need to avoid.
3. Constantly avoiding uncomfortable emotions keeps us busy and distracted, preventing us from fully experiencing positive emotions and enjoying our lives.
4. Feeling uncomfortable is not necessarily a sign of immediate danger or a problem that needs to be solved.
5. By asking ourselves "What am I afraid of?" we can gain a deeper understanding of our fears and let go of the need to control and avoid discomfort.
6. Negative emotions are offshoots of fear, and by questioning the lies we believe and focusing on what is true, we can shift our perspective and change our experience of any situation.
7. Paying attention to negative emotions and identifying the lies we believe can help alleviate the pressure we feel and make each day easier to navigate.
8. By recognizing that discomfort is not always a sign of danger and challenging the lies we believe, we can let go of the need to control and avoid uncomfortable emotions, allowing us to experience life more fully and enjoy positive emotions.

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Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay