407. Containment, Self-Abandonment & How to Feel Everything Without Making Others Pay for It
Description
We talk a lot about boundaries, but almost always in the context of protecting ourselves from other people.
This episode is about the boundary no one talks about: the one you hold with yourself.
I'm diving into containment, which is the ability to feel your emotions fully without discharging them onto someone else, and why lack of containment quietly destroys intimacy, even when you think you're "just being honest."
Moreover, I truly believe that every human is capable of emotional regulation, and am pulling apart the idea floating around the New Age / polarity world that men should be the stoic containers for the unbridled rage and emotional expression of women.
We'll explore:
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Why the most important boundaries are self-boundaries
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How emotional dumping differs from real vulnerability, and examples of the difference between the two
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Why anxiety, sadness, and fear can be just as uncontained as anger
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The difference between sharing to connect vs. spilling to feel better
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How to be raw, honest, and unrehearsed without abandoning responsibility
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Why containment is a human relational skill - not a gendered one
This isn't about suppressing emotions or trying to be nice (which is often dishonesty in disguise.) It's actually an invitation into deeper intimacy, true connection, and allowing your authenicity to shine through in a way that invites others in rather than pushing them away unconsciously. It's about self-leadership, relational safety, and learning how to feel everything without making the people you love pay for it.
So much to unpack here! Let's dive in, AND...
Don't forget to check out my BRAND NEW podcast Love in Practice, co-hosted with my husband Kelly Gardner. You can find it on Youtube or anywhere you listen to podcasts! Listen here.
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