Are You Running From Yourself?

"We are living in a world of running people. I wish we were all running to improve our health and well-being, but I'm afraid that instead we are mostly "running" to escape the emotions inside of us. When you are moving, you're distracted, driven, and occupied. This keeps you from having to feel what it's like to be in your own skin."

"When you are moving, you're distracted, driven, and occupied. This keeps you from having to feel what it's like to be in your own skin. In contrast, when you stop moving, your inner self appears, and you are forced to reckon with it. Your inner self includes everything that makes you you, like your life experiences, your memories, and most importantly, your feelings."

"To determine whether you are a member of the "running" group, answer these questions about yourself in generalbefore reading on: Do you like to stay busy all the time? Do you typically prefer not to be home alone? Do you feel restless when you're not doing something? Is it hard for you to sit down and relax? Do you harbor a feeling that you need to be productive at all times?"

Constant busyness frequently functions as an unconscious strategy to avoid uncomfortable emotions. People use movement and constant activity to distract themselves from feeling what it is like to be in their own skin. Restlessness, a need for perpetual productivity, and inability to be alone often signal avoidance. Childhood emotional neglect can leave people without skills to recognize and process feelings. Unfelt emotions do not vanish; they resurface as restlessness, discontent, and a compulsion to stay occupied. Learning to sit with and feel emotions can bring calm, clarity, and deeper connection to self and others.

Read at Psychology Today