Why do people act in an inconsistent manner?  Why is the same person loving, kind and helpful one day (or minute) and spewing hate, threats and insults the next?  Who are they, really?  The nice one or the mean one? And for Pete's sake, how can I know when they are going to be one or the other?!

Our easy answer is splitting-  someone can't handle the ambivalent, the gray area.  They need to make sense of the world in simple terms so they turn everything black or white- good or bad. 

But Wait- There's More!
Okay, I agree.  I believe that splitting is a thing and some people do it for the sake of clarity. But I also think there's more.  From my experience and understanding, people go "Jekyll & Hyde" as a mechanism of self-defense.

You see, your loved one may be a nice, cooperative person.  They may really care about you (and other people).  Those promises you hear, those kind gestures you see, may all be genuine and authentic.

Then there's a trigger. Perceived perhaps by only your loved one. Perceived perhaps by only your loved one's unconscious.  And your loved one's limbic system lights up.  It's fight-or-flight time, baby.  Your loved one's danger alarm has sounded and he or she is ready to rumble.  It doesn't matter if you are the cause of the trigger or not.  You are most like the suspected cause of the trigger and therefore to blame.  You are the enemy.

"But I get triggered and I don't act that!" you might say.  This may very well be true. You see, individual responses to triggers are different. Not everyone does a Hyde. That is why our human stress-response is no longer recognized as simply 'flight or fight.'  It is now recognized as a 4F response- fight, flight, fawn or freeze. 

So, while your lovey may respond with fight (which has now become your experienced threat), you in turn may respond with...
- flight (shutting down or running away)
- fawn (trying to fix, placate or please), or
- freeze (going blank, disassociation).

If you think about it, none of these 4F's are productive in a relationship.  They are however, helpful for survival.  Think about a bear protecting her cubs or a gazelle fleeing when faced with the odds of becoming dinner. 

That's Great, But How Does This Help Me?
Now that we know this behavior is simply a manifestation of biology, we can
1) stop taking it so personally when it happens
2) bring some understanding to our own experience so our limbic systems don't catch on fire, 
3) offer some compassion and support to Boo when we notice he or she is having a 4F response, and
4) talk about it when he or she is calm and rational.

Relationship can be hard work, my friends, especially when the one we love has a sensitive stress-response.  Remember to take care of you! - M

Photo credit: www.tes.com/teaching-resource 
Trauma research credit: Bessel van der Kolk and Dan Siegel

Most of us chose our love interest in this way:  We find someone attractive, witty and bright (or whatever qualities we find appealing) and we begin to ask this person (in non-direct ways, of course) "Am I good for you?!"

Am I beautiful or handsome?  Do you find me funny and intelligent?  Am I a good cook / conversationalist / provider...? We put our best foot forward.  We try to impress, woo and seduce.  We play "Pick me!"

When we could rather be asking, "Are YOU good for ME?"  (See this video on codependency and enabling for more info on this subject.)

Specifically: Will you protect my heart?  Will you be a good friend as well as a lover? What can I expect on a day-today reality in relationship with you? In effect, should I pick you?

Below are more detailed questions we might not only ask the potential partner directly (their response to the questions themselves will be telling), but ask ourselves in relation to the behaviors and attitudes we see in the potential partner, as well...

Tell me how you know that you are a person of integrity?
What are your core values and how are they played out in your daily life?
How will you protect my investment in you?
How will you remain faithful in your commitment- even during the difficult times?
Are you good for me emotionally, spiritually and physically? In what ways would I be able to experience this as a reality in my life?
How will you challenge me to grow as a person? 
Will you pray with me and for me? Tell me about that.
How can I see that you are a good parent (or good parent material) and a healthy role model for my children and/or our future children?
Who are you when no one is looking?
Tell me about a time when you persevered in an impossible situation?
Tell me about a time when you helped another person through a difficult time? 
How do you handle conflict, rejection and life's traumas?
What struggles have you overcome and which ones are you still facing?
How have you sufficiently dealt with your baggage to the point where you can be fully present in an adult-to-adult relationship?
How do you handle temptation?
Where do you see yourself in 5, 10 or 20 years?  What is your plan to get there?
How do you balance your desires with the desires of those whom you love?
What do you usually do in your free time?
On a scale of 1-10, how important is faith, physical beauty, honesty, education, television, fast food, exercise, money, material possessions, time with extended family, attending religious activities, hosting parties, career advancement, etc.

This getting-to-know-you process may take time.  Not everyone is forthcoming with their faults or weaknesses.  Often, people are not even aware of their shortcomings, as these are often covered with denial, projection, minimization or rationalization. (All relationship red flags, by the way.)

We may need to slowly get to the new person's habits, quirks, values and blind spots before investing too much of our emotions into the relationship. This goes against our modern-day quick-fix, convenience, slide left or right society.  But, it will provide us with less heartache in the long run.  

Not everyone is a "good fit" when it comes to romance or long-term commitments.  Not everyone will have the ability or desire to be a good mate.  How much pain can we avoid if we slow down and take the time to learn this information before we are overly involved with emotions, legalities, marriage, kids, or  other commitments? 

I wish I knew then what I know now;
Wouldn't dive in; wouldn't bow down.
Gravity hurts; you made it so sweet
Until I woke up - on the concrete.
- Katy Perry, Wide Awake

Choose to love wisely, my friends - M

photo credit: pixabay
topic credit: Toby Rice Drews  and John Lee 

I'm so tired of hearing people- professionals included- say that people attract unhealthy people because they themselves are unhealthy.  "You are co-dependent"... blah, blah.  

Here's the deal: You attract people who want what you have.  Nobody looks a piece of slop and says, "Mmmm, I want some of that."  No.  They are attracted to your light, your goodness, confidence, beauty, intelligence, and so forth.

But here's the backhanded compliment.  You knew it was coming.  Or, at least I hope you did: You stay with people because of your co-dependency.

Let that sink in.

Emotional Leeches
See, your newfound not-so-good-for-you friend, romantic interest or business associate was attracted to you for a reason.  Remember I said, they "want what you have"? And they will try to siphon the positives that are in you and destroy what is left. Think of the thief who steals your gas and puts water in your tank.... Not good.

In all fairness, I fully believe that most of the leeches do not do this on purpose.  They most likely are unaware that their inter-personal relationship skills are lacking.  They are oftentimes oblivious to the fact that they are desperately trying to fill their own emotional void, rather than enter into a mutually fulfilling partnership.  And, frequently they are suffering from unhealed trauma or attachment wounds.

So this isn't a blame-game.  People do what they need to do in order to survive.

Nevertheless, Guard Your Heart
All finger pointing aside, what can we do about such things?  First, we just accept the fact that people are going to be attracted to us. Maybe a few.  Maybe a lot.  Some, healthy. Some, not so much.  We get to meet various kinds of people on different levels of growth and on different parts of their own healing journey. We get to find out about them, see how they operate in life and watch the decisions they make.  

And then we get to choose to keep them around.  Or not.

Don't miss that part. We don't have to keep everyone who shows up on the welcome mat of our life.  I think a lot of us don't really get that. That's why we are swimming in nonsense.  That's why we are saying, "Wft happened?  How did I get here?" When really, we should have already done said, "Not my circus.  Not my monkeys" a long time ago. 

The lesson is: It's not only okay to 'pick and choose' your friends, it's wise.  Like putting a lock on your gas tank.  

I've honestly had to relearn this lesson from time to time. 

The Problem With NOT Being Picky
The co-dependency aspect kicks in when we realize that someone is choosing- as a lifestyle- to make poor, self-defeating, unhealthy decisions in their life... and then we keep them around.  In close proximity.  Where they have access to hurt us.

We think, "Oh, but they are a good person," or "Poor them, they are having a hard time," or (subconsciously?") "I can help them with my love/ friendship/ sex/ money/ pep talks."

Knock That Stuff Off!
Realize that 1) people make their own choices and 2) even when they didn't make this (whatever it is at the time) particular choice, they are on their own journey to learn and grow.  Rescuing them and/or excusing bad behavior only delays their personal, spiritual, emotional, financial and/or professional maturity.  You don't want to do that, do you?

Integrity is a stake here.  Yours and theirs.  You can protect integrity and honor their journey by setting - and keeping -  healthy boundaries.  Soon you will find that you don't even have to worry about how to politely excuse certain people from your life.  When you cut off the Co-D  "supply," they will leave on their own.

#problemsolved #andthatshowitsdone

Above all else, guard your hearts my friends, - M

Walk with the wise and be wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.- Prov. 13:20
​
See Confessions of a Former Doormat

photo credit: www.flickr.com