Quick Spoon: What if seeking relief gets in the way of reflection?

Sometimes the things we reach for to make ourselves feel better can also stop us from finding out what's really going on.

In this Quick Spoon, I reflect on an observation from Dr Ryan Kemp about our culture's focus on the immediate — "now, do it, enjoy it, live for the moment."

That got me thinking about what we do when we've had a difficult experience.

We feel stressed, so we distract ourselves.

We feel frustrated, so we vent.

We feel uncomfortable, so we do something that takes the edge off.

And sometimes that's exactly what we need.

But what if the relief gets in the way of the reflection?

What if we never quite get to ask:

What is this experience trying to tell me?

So here's something to try.

The next time you find yourself looking for some immediate relief, give yourself a little space before you reach for it.