I recently got to really understand on an experimental level how avoidance and social support are really, really good coping mechanism. I used to think that avoidance wasn't a good coping mechanism. And I still think it has to be used appropriately, but if combined with other coping mechanisms like social support, for example, it can be very, very effective. So let's say if you're going through rough times, find a group of people that you genuinely like to hang around with, and maybe find one person, that'd be even better, to find one person that you can talk about your problems with.
It shouldn't be a one way thing. I feel like they should be able to talk to you and you should be able to talk to them, and they should like to listen because it should be someone whose goal is to listen, not to talk. I'm not saying they shouldn't say what they think because that's, I believe, getting it out is one step, but then hearing what someone else thinks about the situation. If it's someone who's opinion, you value and someone who's genuinely giving you their honest opinion, then it's almost always valuable.
And the thing, the problem is when we go through difficult times, we fail often to see things from another person's perspective. We only see it through our own lens. So then when someone tells us what they think about it, it's almost like sometimes they open a new door, or maybe you're withouting what you thought, and the other person confirmed it, or they confirmed something, or they say something completely opposite, and you're like, oh, I didn't think about that. So I don't know how to pause it because I'm on a laptop to use this new mic.
But basically, if you're going through a rough times, find a group of people that you like to hang out with. Find hobbies if your creative person creates, study, just don't avoid your emotions. I'd say maybe do some meditation. It won't feel good because you'll have to just sit there and observe everything that's happening in your head.
Non-genuinely, if that's how you decide to do the meditation. That's how I do it. Or you can do breathing or mindfulness or whatever, but definitely hobbies and friends. I'm going to record something else.
I'm going to stop this one here. Thank you for listening. Have a great day. I'm Robin.