[PODCAST TRANSCRIPT]
Hello everyone, I’m Savannah Alalia, and welcome to the latest episode of the High Functioning Human podcast, where you connect to yourself as a high-functioning human.
In today’s episode, which is called Beyond the Surface, we are really going to be building on our discussion from the last episode, Emotional Infiltration. So if you missed that one, then I encourage you to go back and listen to it because it will give you the context and the foundation for what we are going to be talking about today.
Let’s explore how being overly attuned to the world around you might lead you to overlook your own inner emotional landscape, essentially feeling everything that’s outside and missing what’s inside.
I personally have to really watch myself when it comes to speaking to other people about what’s going on for them, both physically and emotionally. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I hardly ever work one-to-one anymore. I love helping people, it is literally one of my passions, and I know that what I do, especially when I touch people hands-on, can be really transformative.
But as I’ve been working on my own body and unravelling years of stuck fascia and chronic pain, it has become increasingly clear that keeping a distance from other people’s stories, especially when their boundaries are messy, is an essential part of keeping myself healthy and functioning to the best of my ability.
Have you ever found yourself so caught up in responding to the emotions of others that you overlook your own feelings? It’s so easy to slip into that role when you’re feeling so much for others that your own emotions get pushed aside. Being overly responsive to the world around you is a topic I spoke about in a previous episode, Emotional Infiltration, and it might make you highly empathic or sensitive, which can be incredibly valuable.
But there’s a twist: sometimes that external focus can actually be a way of dodging dealing with your own deeper emotions. Fixating or delving too deeply into others might have you noticing signs of disconnect from your own inner voice, such as discomfort from being alone where your own thoughts feel overwhelmingly loud.
Perhaps you find yourself consistently absorbed in others’ issues, always problem-solving or lending a shoulder to cry on. Maybe you like to think of yourself as a helper, and while those traits are incredibly commendable, they can become problematic if they prevent you from attending to your own emotional needs. This overlooking can lead you down a slippery slope.
I’ve spoken about what happens when pain in your body gets so bad that it goes numb, and you may have heard me say that ‘numb is the enemy’. What we’re discussing here can be even more deceptive than being numb. You are still feeling intensely all the time, but what you are feeling is other people’s emotions instead of your own.
And for a time, that can be okay until it no longer is. And sometimes, or eventually, your own emotions will catch up and bite you when you least expect it. Was there a moment when you realised that you needed to start paying more attention to what was happening inside of you? I’d love you to share your experiences in the comments below or send me a message. Hearing your stories can help us all feel more connected and less alone on our journeys.
If you started applying the tips from last week’s episode, you might already have noticed a shift in how you respond to external situations and how these external factors influence your emotions. Just remember to stay tuned into your own emotions and respond to your needs as part of the process. It’s perfectly okay to start small.
For me, regular journaling has been transformative, giving shape to my inner voice throughout the day and serving as a release valve for any emotions that might come up. Even if it’s just a free flow of words rather than a structured thought process, the act of journaling can be incredibly cathartic.Additionally, incorporating regular fascial release can be transformative, particularly as suppressed emotions can become physically manifest in your body. Having everything opened and moving will help you both in your physical body and your emotional health. For beginners, starting with facial work can be particularly effective. You may enjoy one of my Face Symmetry programs, which are designed to help you find balance both internally and externally.
Remember, intuition comes from within, but you must be open to listening to it. Take time to learn to trust your instincts and follow that intuition, because the world really does need your voice and the magic that it brings to us all.
As always, I remain a cheerleader for your inner self-worth,
