Let’s be real, we all have our go-to methods of distraction. Whether it’s scrolling through social media, using food or alcohol as a crutch, or keeping ourselves so busy that we never have to stop and think.
Let’s be real, we all have our go-to methods of distraction. Whether it’s scrolling through social media, using food or alcohol as a crutch, or keeping ourselves so busy that we never have to stop and think.
But have you ever stopped to wonder why we’re so afraid of feeling? Why do we constantly seek external things to soothe us?
It’s a question that Amanda Goodfellow, a meditation and mindfulness teacher and the founder of Agile Mind, has been pondering for a long time. After a 30-year battle with mental illness, she knows firsthand the power of distraction and how it can keep us from dealing with our emotions head-on.
Amanda has post-graduate qualifications in Management and a Certificate in Meditation Teaching from the Australian Centre for Meditation and Mindfulness (ACMM). She’s also an accredited Kiloby Inquiries (KI) facilitator, a mindfulness-based therapy that helps people find freedom from their negative self-beliefs. This approach is what finally helped Amanda to overcome her mental illness and find true healing.
But Amanda knows that many people struggle with the same fears and negative self-beliefs that she did. We’re taught to suppress our emotions, to push them down and ignore them. But that only makes things worse.
The truth is, our feelings are there for a reason. They’re a crucial part of our emotional and mental well-being. And by learning to accept and process them, rather than push them away, we can truly start to heal.
That’s why Amanda is so passionate about sharing her story and helping others find their own path to recovery. Whether it’s through KI or something else, she believes that everyone can find the healing they need.
In her talk, Amanda shares her story of recovery from mental illness, including why mindfulness and talk therapy was not enough, and why fear of feelings is making us sick. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
So next time you find yourself mindlessly scrolling or numbing out with food or drink, take a moment to ask yourself, what am I afraid of feeling right now? And consider reaching out for some support and guidance to learn how to cope with the vicissitudes of life in a healthy way.
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