1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: Conversations on life, style, beauty, and relationships. It's The Velvet's 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: Edge Podcast with Kelly Henderson. Okay, Ricky Close is here, 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: relationship writer. I actually found you via Instagram. I've been 4 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: following you and stalking you for quite some time, so 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: it's always nice. Yeah, it's nice to actually connect with 6 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:21,159 Speaker 1: the people that you feel like you know because you 7 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: follow them on Instagram. But you have your Instagram with 8 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: Anxious Hearts Guide where you give inside and tips on 9 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: anxious and avoidant attachment styles. You also speak from personal experience, 10 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: and I love hearing about your relationship before we get started. 11 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: I just wanted to I feel like I said this 12 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: to you before the podcast, but I feel like most 13 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: people these days in twenty twenty three have heard about 14 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 1: attachment styles, Like if you open Instagram, I feel like 15 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: it's everywhere, and so maybe they have some surface level understanding. 16 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: But could you kind of just address, like what attachment 17 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: styles are, what the different ones are, and kind of 18 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: give us basic foundation for each one before we get 19 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: into this conversation. Yeah, let's do that. I think it's 20 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: a very hot topic right now, so you do see 21 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: it floating around all over Instagram. But one of the 22 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: dangers of that is that everybody has kind of the 23 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: surface level understanding of it. Everybody's trying to diagnose themselves 24 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: or their partners. So hopefully the listeners today can get 25 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 1: a sense of a bigger understanding for what attachment theory 26 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: is and what it does and what it describes, and 27 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: maybe also what it doesn't do. I think there's we're 28 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: missing a lot of that on Instagram. So oh yeah, 29 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: well that makes me excited. Okay, yeah, okay, cool. So 30 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: attachment theory is how a psychologist describe sets of behaviors 31 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: that we tend to engage in in intimate relationships when 32 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: we're trying to seek safety. So just from that right there, 33 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: I want everybody to understand that this is not like 34 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: your hardwired personality type. And I think that's one of 35 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: the biggest myths out there on Instagram, is like, if 36 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: you see the characteristics of an anxious attacher or or 37 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: if you see the characteristics of an avoidant attacher and 38 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,959 Speaker 1: that sounds like your partner, These aren't like hardwired things 39 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: that we can't find our way out of. And it 40 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: seems like there's a lot of misunderstanding there and it 41 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: makes me so sad. There's a lot of hopelessness too. 42 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: Like I if somebody identifies as an anxious attacher and 43 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: they see the bullet points sing, clingy and desperate and 44 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: they're like, ah, that's who I am, and that's who 45 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: I'll always be, and they start to view their partner 46 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: as this person who's always distancing too. Yeah, let's squash 47 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: that myth today here on this episode. Okay, we're describing 48 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: sets of behaviors that we tend to engage in that 49 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: we can kind of train ourselves out of. Love's hopeful. Yeah, 50 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,839 Speaker 1: I love that hope because and I actually think that's 51 00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: what I'm I'm it's kind of mentioning, like I've been 52 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: your page for a long time. I think that is 53 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 1: what I see. Is this like good? Oh yeah, because 54 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: I've told you, like I've done some work around this stuff, 55 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: and it when you start diving into it, you're like, oh, 56 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: I'm just trying to get safe, and for whatever reason, 57 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: something happened along my journey that kind of tricked my 58 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: brain into thinking, you know, I'm not safe, and so 59 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: I'm having I'm bringing that into this relationship. So there's 60 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: a couple of ways that you've mentioned, so far is 61 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,399 Speaker 1: anxious and avoidant. So are those the two main attacks 62 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: of the two? Well, you know what, let's go into 63 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: the different styles. There's actually three main styles, and honestly, 64 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: secure attachers are supposed to be the biggest group. So 65 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: we've got isn't that wild to someone? I'm like, someone 66 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: told me it was like fifty percent of people or 67 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: secure attachers, and I was like, where are they? Though? Yeah, 68 00:03:56,120 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: don't you know what? Totally secure attachers tend to partner 69 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: up pretty young. Those are the people who are splitting 70 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: off in their twenties, like getting married, getting married young 71 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: and having pretty stable, pretty normal looking, safe feeling relationships. 72 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: So we're not I'm in my thirties, we're not encountering 73 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: lots of those people in the dating field in our 74 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: thirties because they've widely paired off. Yeah, the research shows 75 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: it's roughly fifty percent. So let's talk a little bit 76 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: about the secure attachers. These people are comfortable with closeness. 77 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: Relationships feel kind of easy for them. They're not scary 78 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: unsafe places. They experienced closeness with their parents and in 79 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: early romantic experiences that made them view relationships is feeling safe, nurturing, 80 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: and healthy and predictable, so they're not spinning their wheels 81 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: trying to figure out why someone said something. Because in 82 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: their mind, a relationships kind of a safe place, and 83 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 1: if it starts to feel like an unsafe place, they're 84 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: probably going to set some boundaries down or exit the 85 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,679 Speaker 1: relationship if it's not working for them. That's the dream, 86 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: right you and me, and maybe lots of people listening 87 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: to this are like, wow, that is not my experience. 88 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,799 Speaker 1: So I guess first, I'm probably going to talk about 89 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: avoidant attachers a little bit. If you're watching a movie 90 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: and it seems like one person's chasing and one person's 91 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: desperately trying to get away and maintain their independence, that 92 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: would be an avoidantly attached person. Probably, these people tend 93 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 1: to find safety in themselves. They might describe themselves as 94 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: a lone wolf, or they're like fiercely independent. They're kind 95 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: of afraid to ask for help. They have a generally 96 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 1: negative view of relationships because in their experience, relationships are 97 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 1: places where they have not been able to get their 98 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: needs met. People are unreliable in their experience. The only 99 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: way to feel safety is in themselves. Their core fear 100 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: is a fear of closeness. So so their big goal 101 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 1: is to when when when the stuff hits the fan, 102 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: Avoidant attachers are gonna distance and try to calm themselves 103 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: and just try to take care of business themselves because 104 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: people let them down. That's there, that's their worldview, Okay, 105 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: which might describe maybe the people that you've tried to 106 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: have romantic relations yeah, okay, same same, right, yeah, yeah, 107 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: maybe not. There's like one I can think of who wasn't, 108 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: but yeah, everyone else awesome, okay, and I'm awesome. Awesome, 109 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: it's a terrible experience. Awesome because I can relate to that, right, yes, yes, yes, 110 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: Avoidant attachers are like they're like um my kryptonite, Like 111 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: I can't stay away from them. M I actually admire 112 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 1: a lot how independent they are and and they I 113 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 1: don't know, they just seem omnipotent, like they can do 114 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: anything they want. And there's something really appealing for that too. 115 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: Anxious attachers, which is which is how I relate and 116 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: probably you from the sound of it. So an anxious 117 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: attacher is somebody who only seems to find safety in 118 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: other people. We lack self trust, We're very nervous and 119 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: afraid that people are going to abandon us. And this comes, unfortunately, 120 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: when we're really young, from kind of inconsistent care, or 121 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: what we perceive as inconsistent care. We might have noticed 122 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: that our parents were very close and loving and then 123 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: they were gone, so in our mind, the only way 124 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: to stay safe is to be constantly looking out for 125 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:43,119 Speaker 1: signs that they're going to leave. We might have felt 126 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 1: abandoned by a romantic relationship when we're when we're young 127 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: in our first romantic relationships. It can come from that 128 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: place too, So yeah, our way of finding safety is 129 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: becoming hyper vigilant looking for signs of abandonment and trying 130 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: to stay ahead of those. Also maybe taking ourselves and 131 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: putting ourselves in our needs aside so that we can 132 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: just be Johnny on the spot for our significant other, 133 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: you know, doing whatever they need to feel safe and 134 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: important and loved, because we're protecting ourselves against our core 135 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: fear of abandonment. Okay, sounds from my arm. Yeah, yeah, 136 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: And I know that. When I first learned about all 137 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: this stuff, I was like, oh, my gosh, that's one 138 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: hundred percent me, and I'm doomed, Like that's what I thought. 139 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: I was like, my only prayer is to find somebody 140 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: who's secure and very comfortable with closeness so that they 141 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:38,959 Speaker 1: can give me all the closeness that I've been missing 142 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: from these people who are running away from me. And 143 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people think that. I get 144 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 1: a lot of comments on the page from people going like, 145 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: a screw Avoidance. I don't ever want to talk to 146 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: them again. I only want someone who's secure or maybe 147 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: another anxious person so that we can just live in 148 00:08:56,520 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: our little burrito cocoon and never leave each other. And 149 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: those comments make me really sad too. Um, why make 150 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: it sad if Avoidance are doomed and not worthy of 151 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: being loved, so we're anxious because we are at two 152 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: sides of the same coin, right, Well, honestly, yeah, go ahead, No, 153 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna say, let's talk a little bit about 154 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 1: that because obviously most people that I see doing this 155 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: kind of work, including me, um, And it's it's interesting 156 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: because I do feel like I'm moving into a more 157 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: secure attachment style like yeah, and we can get into 158 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: that a little bit later. But I just feel like 159 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:43,679 Speaker 1: most people who talk about this, I've had some personal 160 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 1: experience with it, Like you know, they're you see therapists, 161 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: I'm doing it, but most of them too will say 162 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 1: like this was me back in the day or whatever. 163 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: And so I kind of want to give listeners a 164 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: little background into your story if you're open that, and 165 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: just like what your relationships looks like, because I think 166 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: they we can talk about what your relationship is now 167 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: and maybe the difference absolutely those dynamics cool, okay. And 168 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: I always try to tell this story, this story as 169 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: if the other people in it are listening, like, I 170 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: want to be very compassionate and kind about anyone who's 171 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: involved here. Yea. So I got married very young, okay, 172 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: and um, my marriage was pretty good until the end 173 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: when it was less good. Um, and we really we 174 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 1: really got into that pursuer distance or dynamic like in 175 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:35,199 Speaker 1: a big way. Um. And I love psychology, I always have. 176 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: So I started reading a lot to try to figure 177 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: out what was going on with us, and I still 178 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: it's such an anxious move, it is. I was like 179 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: grasping for straws there. Yeah. I stumbled on attachment theory 180 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 1: and I even showed it to my ex husband. I 181 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: was like, check this out. There's this dynamic where somebody's 182 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: always trying to get close to the other person's always 183 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 1: trying to get away. Yeah. Even when he saw it, 184 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: he was like, oh my god, that's us. That's exactly 185 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: what we're going through. But unfortunately, the main book that 186 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: I was looking at at that time was Attached. And 187 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 1: don't get me wrong, I love Attached. It's a wonderful book, 188 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: but there's no hope and Attached Attached is like, you 189 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: are this, you are this, and these people suck together. 190 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: They are not going to have any kind of healthy thing. 191 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: And I don't believe that at all. Now the author Levine, 192 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: he's even gone on to say, I wish that I 193 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 1: hadn't written it that way. I know there are so 194 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: many divorces and breakups because of the way that I 195 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: presented this information. Oh wow, I didn't know that. Okay, 196 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: m yep. And I was so glad when you put 197 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:42,559 Speaker 1: that out there. But I was like, the damage is 198 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: already done. That your book's one of the reasons I 199 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: got divorced. So we did end up splitting up because 200 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: we didn't even with couples counseling, we didn't have any 201 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: hope that we could change this dynamic. So then there 202 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: I am early thirties, thrown back into the dating field, 203 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: which was so weird because the last time I dated 204 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: before that was like the early two thousands. It was 205 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: like a dating on a different planet. And I end 206 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: up meeting my current partner now, Chris. Even though I 207 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 1: was doing so much research because I just loved attachment theory, 208 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 1: I couldn't stop reading about it. Um, I found myself 209 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 1: a super attractive and very interesting raging avoidance and that 210 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 1: was that was Chris, Like a magnets though right it was. 211 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: It was a whole party. And you put with these 212 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: like active attachment styles and a ring with a million 213 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: other people, they'll find each other. It's just the way 214 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 1: it works. No, he had he had like a glowing 215 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 1: aura around him. When I saw him, I was like, 216 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: that's the one I want. There he am. Yeah. I 217 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 1: was still very embroiled in my anxious attachment even though 218 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: I knew what it was. I wasn't far enough into 219 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: my work that I was really finding my way out 220 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 1: of it yet. Yeah. So um, I started dating him 221 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:03,440 Speaker 1: and we went immediately into this like hardcore pursuer distance 222 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: or dynamic, like even worse than in my marriage. And 223 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: that's not to say that we had a bad relationship, 224 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: but like all the classic things, me texting too much, 225 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 1: me looking for a relationship label way too soon, me 226 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 1: wanting to know all of his romantic history so that 227 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: I could figure out ways that I wouldn't mess up, 228 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: and and him working too much, dodging my phone calls, 229 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 1: going out of town and not saying goodbye, and not 230 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: you know, giving me any heads up about where he was. 231 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: We were a mess, like a mess, a mess, yea. 232 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: And we kept kind of being a mess and and 233 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 1: breaking up and coming back together, never more than a day. 234 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: People always ask that, like, oh, did you ever split 235 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: up for three months? No. We would have a fight 236 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: or an argument and we would say, well, that's it. 237 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,319 Speaker 1: We just sucked together. We're in our thirties, we're not 238 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:57,199 Speaker 1: going to waste our time. And then twenty four hours 239 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: would go by and we would call again and be like, 240 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: this is I don't want to not be with you. 241 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: I just don't want to have this argument. So instead 242 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 1: of instead of sitting him down and going you're an avoidant, 243 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 1: and here's all the things that you need to do. 244 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 1: I knew from my reading how bad that was, and 245 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: I was like, you know what, screw it. I'm just 246 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 1: going to spend the next like solid year working on myself, 247 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: working on these things, reading all the books relating to 248 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: the topics within anxious attachment and seeing if I could 249 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: do anything about that, because when we can change our 250 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 1: own side of the dynamic, it changes the entire atmosphere 251 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: of the relationship. And I thought, I don't want to 252 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: leave this guy. I'm not ready for that. So I'm 253 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: just going to work on myself and see what happens. 254 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: And I got to tell you. A year and a 255 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: half in to this work, he came to me and 256 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 1: he sat down and he said, I don't know what's 257 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: going on, but you're a completely different person than the 258 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: person I met in the best way, and I want in. 259 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: He's like, I don't know what you're doing with your time, 260 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: and you're in all this weird reading, but like you're 261 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: so calm and it feels so safe talking to you now, 262 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,479 Speaker 1: and you're not up and down with all your emotions. 263 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: He's like, I don't know what you're doing, but let's 264 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: do it. I want to figure out what's going on too. 265 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: And then he started reading books with me, and he 266 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: would have talks with me about the relationship. So hopefully, 267 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: hopefully that's very hopeful for people. He was the avoidantist 268 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: of the avoidance that I've ever met. Yeah, and just 269 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: by making myself a safe place to land, someone to 270 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: talk to who's not accusing him of things or honestly, 271 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: my reading about avoidant attachment helped a lot too, because 272 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 1: then I was able to take the things that he 273 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: was doing one hundred percent less personally. Well, you just 274 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: had the big nail on the head because I think 275 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: as a person who's been anxious in certain relationship, and 276 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: to me, what I'm also looking at now is like, 277 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: and I don't know if you feel this way, but 278 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: I don't feel ANXIO just in all my relationships. And 279 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: so it was like starting to kind of recognize when 280 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: it comes up for me. And it's typically like when 281 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: there's an avoidant on the other side of that dynamic, 282 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: it'll just happen. And so if I'm unaware, then I'm 283 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: kind of just operating this constant trigger. But I like 284 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: what you said about not personalizing it, because the more 285 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: I've learned about avoidant behavior too, I'm like, oh, it's 286 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: their way to get to safety, Like I want to 287 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 1: go connect and I want to talk it through, and 288 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: I just want to get to the other side of 289 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: it and know that we're good. They need to like retreat, 290 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: and so it's that finding that balance. But I want 291 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 1: to also ask because I feel like the thing that 292 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: I struggle with the most in this is just the 293 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 1: fine line between staying with yourself and not abandoning your 294 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: own needs versus like being able to show up and 295 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: respect another person's needs as well. I love. That's so different. 296 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: So yeah, a start, Yeah, navigation, let's do it. Um, 297 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: Let's let's pick a really concrete example. Okay, let's pick 298 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 1: so my partner, he loves to travel, and he loves 299 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 1: little adventures and sometimes his adventures. Oh, he's also very spontaneous, 300 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: so sometimes he doesn't plan his adventures out. He just 301 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:21,239 Speaker 1: gets it in his head that he's going to go 302 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: do something. Um, especially if things are getting uncomfortable between 303 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: us two, those are the best times for him to adventure, right, 304 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: because it gets his distance. Yeah, So I knew that 305 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: if things were getting especially if they were really good, 306 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 1: you know, like if we spent the whole weekend cuddling, 307 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 1: that would be like a signal for his brain to 308 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: get get the heck out. What is that? The second 309 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,879 Speaker 1: I start to feel good, where did you go? Okay, 310 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 1: so let's let's say that we've spent the entire weekend 311 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:53,640 Speaker 1: all snuggled up and it feels really great. We've been 312 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: talking about our feelings, right, Oh man, that triggers them 313 00:17:56,800 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 1: more than that. Oh God. So then and then Monday 314 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: rolls around and his brain is like, get some distance, right, So, 315 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: knowing a little bit about avoiding attachment, I figured it 316 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: was coming right, like, all right, this was a good weekend. 317 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 1: He's gonna want some distance now, and I can if 318 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: I call him on Monday and I'm like, hey, wasn't 319 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 1: that a great weekend? Yeah? It was. I was like 320 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: He's like, yeah, I'm just packing my stuff. I'm heading out. 321 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: It's like cool. It's like, hey, I love that you 322 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 1: are getting out doing something that you love. Like that 323 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 1: is so you like, go have an adventure. But and 324 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: this is really scary. Brace yourself's anxious hearts. This is 325 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,119 Speaker 1: not going to be fun to hear. I had to 326 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: learn to set boundaries with him, like, like the moment 327 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,359 Speaker 1: you start feeling like you need to jet and take 328 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: some adventure if you want to be with me and 329 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: you want me to be happy, and I think you do. 330 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 1: You gotta tell me, like, I can't be somebody who 331 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:58,640 Speaker 1: just calls you and you're gone for three days all 332 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: of a sudden. And I was like, if that's what 333 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:02,680 Speaker 1: you want to do, if that's like who you are 334 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 1: and who you want to be, like, I'm okay with that, 335 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: but it's not going to work for me in a 336 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,400 Speaker 1: romantic relationship, will be platonic buddies or nothing at all. 337 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 1: If that's how it is. If you want me as 338 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: your romantic partner, you just got to do that. And 339 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: that's scary because a lot of people are listening to 340 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: this going crap. I might have to let this person 341 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: go because they might make the decision that they're like, nah, 342 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: I don't want to check in with someone, you know, 343 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: I don't want to. I don't want to compromise and 344 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:32,199 Speaker 1: listen to somebody's boundaries. But honestly, like I'm telling you, 345 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:34,920 Speaker 1: I hate to sound callis, but you don't. You don't 346 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 1: want to be with somebody who doesn't care about making 347 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: you feel safe in a relationship, or maybe you don't 348 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: want to. You can't. It's not sustainable. I think that's 349 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 1: exactly right. Well, I love the idea of the boundary 350 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: setting because that sort of that hits on the line 351 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 1: that I was talking about. But like I hear what 352 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,399 Speaker 1: you're saying, and it's like, Okay, he would jet off 353 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: and leave and that would be really hurtful and weird 354 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,760 Speaker 1: and give me kind of anxiety. Yeah, it also feels 355 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: different than like if he was y'all got really close 356 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 1: that he was like, oh I gotta go like cheat 357 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: or something, which I've been. That's different. Yeah, there's there's 358 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:14,639 Speaker 1: definitely lines, and I mean that was an extreme example maybe, 359 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:17,439 Speaker 1: but like you know, not really though not really a 360 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: lot of a lot of people listening. Who um unfortunately, 361 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: Oh I'm going to hate myself for saying this, but um, 362 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: sometimes avoidance are more likely to cheat because they're desperate 363 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: to get that distance, and sometimes inserting another person into 364 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 1: the situation is like an excellent way to do that. 365 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 1: So just a wall, Yeah, it's a wall, But that 366 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: can be a boundary too though that's like a no, 367 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: it totally is steal break out for me. Yes, as 368 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:47,239 Speaker 1: anxious attachers or even secure attachers, we have to be 369 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: sure of what our what our boundary is and be 370 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: willing to let somebody go who can't fulfill that. If 371 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: you're somebody who needs a message every day or a 372 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: phone call every day and somebody is not willing to 373 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: do that, we have to be willing to let that 374 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 1: person go. If it's somebody who's not willing to give 375 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: their little side partners up, we have to be willing 376 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:10,800 Speaker 1: to let that person go. If it's someone who's married 377 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 1: who's not willing to get divorced to be with you, 378 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: you have to be willing to let that person go. Well. 379 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 1: And the crazy thing is is, as I hear you 380 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 1: say that, I would imagine a secure attacher would be 381 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: like duh, yeah, yeah exactly, And I can relate to 382 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 1: that now, like this is how I know I've grown 383 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 1: in my life is because that is how I date Now, Yes, good, 384 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: thank you. But it's taken me really addressing why I 385 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:43,400 Speaker 1: was so scared to say, what like looking at well, 386 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,199 Speaker 1: what happens to me if they go like that was 387 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: something that I couldn't even get to that question with 388 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:52,880 Speaker 1: myself because it would just ignite my nervous system so 389 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,920 Speaker 1: much at the thought of them leaving, even though the 390 00:21:56,040 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: relationship could be terrible, Like yeah, good, like I was miserable, 391 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: but at eight, the idea of them leaving felt so 392 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:06,400 Speaker 1: scary to me that I was like, no, we can 393 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:10,919 Speaker 1: work through this. Are like another book, you know, Okay, yeah, 394 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: go ahead, go ahead, let's dive into that too. So 395 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 1: so the fear, the fear for anxious attachers is that 396 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: if we've got so much of our self worth and 397 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,920 Speaker 1: our identity tied up in that person, right, if they leave, 398 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: we're gone. I always relate it to somebody whom. I 399 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: relate the anxious attachers to someone who can't swim, Like 400 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:35,919 Speaker 1: we're all hanging out in this ocean together, but the 401 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 1: anxious attachers can't swim. We're we're holding on to people 402 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: who we believe can swim, and if they swim away 403 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: from us, we're drowning. People are our lifeboats, and um, 404 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 1: that's why we do anything that we can to keep 405 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: holding onto them, because we literally feel like we may 406 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: die if they if they leave us, you know, or 407 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,000 Speaker 1: at least are who we think we are, will die. 408 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: And that's tefying. So I talk about this a lot 409 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 1: in my book. Our salvation here is learning how to swim, 410 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 1: and the way that we learn how to swim is 411 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: that we spend a lot of time and energy building 412 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:17,680 Speaker 1: up an identity for ourselves that's separate from anybody else. 413 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: That might ring true for you in your work on 414 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 1: codependency right um self forth is that's tough to talk about, 415 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: but some concrete examples of ways that we build up 416 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 1: self forth are exercise exercises, a fantastic way to spend 417 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: a little bit of time every day showing ourselves that 418 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,760 Speaker 1: we are worth working on. Right. I just love it 419 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: because it's concrete and you get you get to see 420 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 1: actual results from it, so that part's nice. Self worth 421 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: work could be spending extra time with friends and family, 422 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: people that were sure care about us, They feel great 423 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 1: to be around, they care about We know that they 424 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: have our best interests at heart, So yeah, so that's nice. 425 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: It can also be the work that we do journaling, 426 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: like looking into ourselves. I always mentioned journaling, but if 427 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 1: you're not a journalier, you can draw pictures, anything that 428 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 1: you can do to ask yourself, what do I like? 429 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: What do I need? What things feel good, what things 430 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: don't feel good? Figuring out like kind of meeting yourself 431 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: and figuring out who you are, gives yourself a very 432 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 1: solid identity, and all those things help us swim so 433 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,400 Speaker 1: that if somebody else does decide to leave us, we 434 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: know that we're still there treading water and we're okay. Yeah. 435 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: I don't know if you relate to this, but one 436 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,199 Speaker 1: of the main things that has helped me in the 437 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: past couple of years is just realizing that I was 438 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:57,160 Speaker 1: getting into these relationships so focused on not being abandoned 439 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 1: by my partner, but not realizing that the whole time, 440 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: I was abandoning myself and so like my I was 441 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,119 Speaker 1: asking someone else to do for me something I wasn't 442 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: willing or capable of doing for myself. And so the 443 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: more that I've started to heal my personal relationship with 444 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 1: myself and actually pay attention to myself, like not just 445 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:20,439 Speaker 1: go out and try to seek it through even work, 446 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 1: I can find different activities to kind of like find 447 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: my worth in um but actually just like sitting with myself, 448 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: asking myself what I mean, what I need, like literally 449 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: giving myself a hug that I do this every morning, 450 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: like I'd give myself a hug and say I love 451 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,399 Speaker 1: that I started doing that too. How awkward was it 452 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 1: at first? Oh? My god, I'm hugging myself. I feel 453 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:43,040 Speaker 1: so lame it was, But I don't know if you 454 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 1: feel this. The second I do it, it's like I 455 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 1: get tingles in my gut, Like it's like my body 456 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: just wants to be acknowledged, you know. And so the 457 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 1: more I fill up in those ways which sound would 458 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: sound so frustrating to me back in the day when 459 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 1: people would be like, oh, well, your self worth is 460 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: just low, I'm like whatever, I like, yeah, so how 461 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: do I fix that? Right exactly? Like I didn't really 462 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 1: realize the broken relationship with myself. And so anyway, the 463 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:10,679 Speaker 1: more that I've done that, the less weight relationships in 464 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: general even have all my life, Like, yeah, I can 465 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: kind of let people ebb and flower in relationship so 466 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: far like that I've been dating again, it's like, great, 467 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,639 Speaker 1: people come in, but I do have a very like 468 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: if this is what I need and if you can't 469 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 1: do this, not in a harsh way at all, totally 470 00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: very like loving the most surrendered way I've ever done it. 471 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: And yeah, it's been interesting because people can kind of 472 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 1: come in and out and I can respect their journey 473 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:44,160 Speaker 1: as well. Yeah, isn't that freeing? So? Oh my god, 474 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 1: the amount of time. Like the other thing I wanted 475 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 1: to touch on is if you're listening and you're like, oh, 476 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 1: I'm not codependent, because like that sounds pathetic, Like to me, 477 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:56,640 Speaker 1: anxious attachers sound desperate sometimes, and we are, but it's 478 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: not like a person like it doesn't look like you 479 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 1: necessarily would think it would look like like it totally 480 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:06,159 Speaker 1: doesn't that I'm telling you, Yeah, go ahead. Like the 481 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 1: folks who I knew in my life outside of my relationship, 482 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 1: were like, oh, Ricky, you're you're such a caring person. 483 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 1: You're so great, Like clearly everybody that you're with or jerks, 484 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:20,400 Speaker 1: that's what's going on exactly right, Like they couldn't even 485 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 1: see inside of it. How I didn't have any hobbies. 486 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 1: I didn't have any desires or preferences. So it's like 487 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:31,040 Speaker 1: in their mind like that person's a jerk for not 488 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 1: wanting to do the few little things that you like 489 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 1: and want. But I was like, I wasn't telling all 490 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: those people, like I'm not telling my person about anything 491 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:43,680 Speaker 1: that I want or need at all. You know, Yeah, 492 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 1: so you're asking for your needs at all, but you're 493 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: expecting them to meet them, got it. Yeah, And then 494 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 1: being resentful when they don't and they don't even know 495 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 1: about it. Yeah, right, And that felt like kind of 496 00:27:55,160 --> 00:28:00,200 Speaker 1: a tangent, but it was I'm sorry, I'm sorry a 497 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,399 Speaker 1: little off topic there. Um, Well, I want to talk 498 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:08,640 Speaker 1: a little bit about because anxious attachers I do find well, 499 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:10,879 Speaker 1: like the way one of the ways I used to 500 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: self soothe was like, I'm going to get the most 501 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 1: information that I possibly can about this. And you mentioned 502 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 1: at the beginning of the podcast that it's really important 503 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: not to just go to someone and be like, well, 504 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: you're avoidant clearly, so it's incredibly important you will. You 505 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 1: will push that person faster, You will push them away 506 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:31,320 Speaker 1: faster than if you send them thirty texts in a 507 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: row if you're okay sitting them down and tell hey, 508 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: And I did this to Chris, my poor partner. I did. 509 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 1: I did, at my worst time, sit him down and go, 510 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: I know exactly what's wrong with you and exactly what 511 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: you need to do to fix it, and if you 512 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 1: want to be with me, you should fix that thing. 513 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 1: You can bet. I did not get to hang out 514 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: with him a lot after that. He was like, do 515 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: I even like this person who's telling all the things 516 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 1: that are wrong with me? Okay, so it's that's why. 517 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: It's because it just feels like you're telling someone. Oh yeah, 518 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 1: it's so interesting because in my head, if I was 519 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: ever doing that, the only motivation for me is to 520 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: save the relationship, I'm like, oh, for sure, it was 521 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 1: I don't get me wrong, Yeah I want I didn't 522 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: feel like I was criticizing him. I was like, I'm 523 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 1: here to save you, you know. But to him, he 524 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: was like, holy cow, thanks for telling me all the 525 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 1: ways I'm defective and yeah, and and honestly, I try 526 00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:27,800 Speaker 1: to tell people too. How would you like it if 527 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 1: you in a state where you're not feeling very self aware, 528 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: had somebody sit you down and say, I've pinpointed exactly 529 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 1: what's wrong with you and why you're unlovable, and here 530 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 1: are all the things that you need to do to 531 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 1: make someone love you. Like, yeah, that would feel very good. No, 532 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: it doesn't feel good at all. We have words every 533 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: month on the podcast that's kind of the themes, and 534 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: our word this month is metamorphosis. So you know that obviously, 535 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: just to me looks like evolution change what you can 536 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 1: grow into. And um, I like that topic with this 537 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 1: topic kind of like what you said at the beginning 538 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: of just like finding the hope in this and that 539 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 1: it can happen. So let's move into that a little 540 00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 1: bit about just kind of how we can, if we 541 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 1: do identify with either anxious or avoidant, how we can 542 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: move into more secure attachment, and maybe some tips or 543 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: just even like what the journey looks like, because I 544 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: know it's not good every day, right, I know you 545 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: guys have it's certainly not a work of this situation, 546 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 1: but maybe talk through some of the tools that really 547 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: help you in your relationship. Yeah, totally. Um So, finding 548 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 1: the self and diving into yourself is it's scary work 549 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:51,719 Speaker 1: for anxious attachers because we worry that anytime that we 550 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 1: turn the focus back to ourselves, we're creating disconnect between 551 00:30:56,080 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: ourselves and our partner. And that's it's it's strangely the opposite. 552 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 1: I hate to say that too, because I like, I 553 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 1: know I'm losing people right now. The time that I 554 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 1: spend in my room working on my journaling is time 555 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: that I'm not texting my partner. It's time that I'm 556 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: not nagging him for more togetherness. And so not only 557 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: am I building up my own identity that was lacking. 558 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:27,600 Speaker 1: It gives him time to miss me, and that's the 559 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: kind of thing that makes him initiate. That's when I 560 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: get the phone call like hey, you want to go hiking. Hey, 561 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 1: I've been thinking about you. So the time that we 562 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 1: spend nurturing ourselves and building our own identity is time 563 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 1: that actually brings an avoidant type partner. It makes them 564 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 1: feel safer to approach us. And I know not everybody 565 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 1: here is probably paired with an avoidant type, but it 566 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: works the same for our secure partners too. Anxious hearts 567 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: can tend to overwhelm secure partners as well. So anything 568 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 1: that we do like Okay, I'm going to go in 569 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 1: a new gym and make a commitment to do that 570 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,640 Speaker 1: every Tuesday, that time on Tuesday where we're doing our 571 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 1: own thing is it's safety building with our partner. They 572 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:12,840 Speaker 1: can see that we're our own person and that builds 573 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 1: a little bit of intrigue and curiosity and makes them 574 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 1: want to approach us and come close and feel safe 575 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 1: to do that. We're not the drowning person anymore who's 576 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 1: looking at people as lifeboats. We're sitting swimming on our 577 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 1: own and it makes other people feel good and safe 578 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: to come close. So this is where I hear that 579 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 1: fine line thing again though, and I just just dawned 580 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 1: on me of like, okay, well, this is where you 581 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: would set boundaries because doing that, focusing on yourself and 582 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,720 Speaker 1: actually having the intention to connect with yourself, because I 583 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 1: also can be guilty or it was guilty in the past, 584 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: and being like I'm going to go do this and 585 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 1: see if it makes them. Yes, yes, okay, thank you 586 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 1: for bringing that up. Yeah, it cannot be a tactic 587 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: to bring somebody close. I'm just trying it, just trying 588 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: to give everybody hope that like you're worried about the disconnect, 589 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:06,040 Speaker 1: but that's actually the kind of thing that makes people 590 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: feel safer to come close. If your intention is to 591 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 1: do it to break to make them come closer, they 592 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 1: will feel that. They will smell it like a dog, right, 593 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: and it will work. No, So make sure that the 594 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:23,520 Speaker 1: thing that you're doing is not purposely try Look how 595 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: independent I am. I don't want you right like that. 596 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 1: It's got to be a genuine desire to connect with yourself. 597 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:33,360 Speaker 1: And for me, yes, for me, it's a surrender too. 598 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 1: It's like, stop trying to think that the only way 599 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:38,479 Speaker 1: you can find peace in this world is if this 600 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 1: partner comes to you right this minute, in the way 601 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,800 Speaker 1: you want him to and at the exact time, Like 602 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: I think, then you do miss out on the good 603 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 1: stuff in relationships a lot of times totally. But then, 604 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 1: so what if, for instance, like I have a friend 605 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:57,120 Speaker 1: in a situation where she is a big texter and 606 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:00,960 Speaker 1: wants to text more and her need they're not necessarily 607 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,720 Speaker 1: getting met with her avoidant partner, and similar to what 608 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 1: you said earlier, you're mad, you're resentful, you're whatever. So 609 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:10,480 Speaker 1: how what is a good way to ask for what 610 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 1: you need? Like I've suggested, like it would really mean 611 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:15,880 Speaker 1: a lot to me to connect in the morning and 612 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:18,880 Speaker 1: before we go to bed or something like be specific. 613 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:21,399 Speaker 1: But do you have any input on that kind of thing? Yeah, 614 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 1: I totally do. Directness and vulnerability are the two tools 615 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: that you want when you're trying to make what feels 616 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:34,200 Speaker 1: like a difficult ask to your partner. Directness meaning we 617 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:37,160 Speaker 1: don't want any hinting, We don't want you asking for 618 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 1: less than what you actually want. Figure out exactly like 619 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: your friend would figure out exactly what kind of frequency 620 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 1: of texting would feel good to her and she needs 621 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: to be super direct about that. Yeah, instead of just 622 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:53,440 Speaker 1: this is exactly what I need, because that might not 623 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:57,319 Speaker 1: be received well either. Vulnerability can cushion that blow a 624 00:34:57,320 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 1: little bit too. Okay, it feels it feels like kind 625 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 1: of kind of unsafe and creuddy for me when I 626 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 1: when my phone is just sitting there there's no message. 627 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 1: I know that you're able to text me like sometimes 628 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:12,799 Speaker 1: that makes me feel afraid, and it also makes me wonder, like, man, 629 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 1: is this the kind of relationship that's going to feel 630 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:18,000 Speaker 1: good for me long term? I know that you want 631 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:21,360 Speaker 1: that for me because you clearly care about me. So 632 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 1: what do you think about a texting frequency you know 633 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: of this? What do you think how would that work 634 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 1: for you? Get curious about their situation too. Maybe there's 635 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:34,479 Speaker 1: a reason that they don't that they don't text that much. 636 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 1: That's different from just they hate you and don't want 637 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 1: you to get your needs met, right, you know? So 638 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:44,799 Speaker 1: let's add curiosity into that directness. Vulnerability and curiosity are 639 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:49,799 Speaker 1: your tools for those difficult asks. How important is it 640 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 1: for you and your partner to have to equally have 641 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:58,759 Speaker 1: awareness about your own attachment styles? Because yeah, like what 642 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:02,239 Speaker 1: do you wait, how it's zero percent important for us 643 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: to have anywhere close to the same Yeah, I just 644 00:36:05,239 --> 00:36:08,919 Speaker 1: I just had to interject with that, what do you Yeah, 645 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:11,719 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people think this stuff's not 646 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: going to work unless both of us know exactly what's 647 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:18,759 Speaker 1: up and we're both putting the exact same effort. I 648 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:21,239 Speaker 1: want to say. I mean, especially with the work that 649 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 1: I do, I'm focusing on this stuff like ninety percent 650 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 1: at a time, right, like, way more than normal people 651 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:31,080 Speaker 1: are focusing on this stuff. My partner gets exposed to 652 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:33,239 Speaker 1: it a lot because of what I do, but I 653 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:35,480 Speaker 1: would say he's at like a ten or a fifteen 654 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:40,400 Speaker 1: percent work level with this stuff. It's very low. So 655 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 1: I I think if you like attachment theory, if you 656 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:49,240 Speaker 1: like the idea of self work, that is awesome, strap 657 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:52,439 Speaker 1: on your your diving cap and dive in as deep 658 00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:56,120 Speaker 1: as you want. You don't need to expect your partner 659 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 1: to do the same thing because your work in that atmosphere, 660 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 1: your work in that area is going to change the 661 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:07,839 Speaker 1: atmosphere of the relationship, and if it doesn't, you might 662 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:11,200 Speaker 1: be with the wrong person. Because my partner doesn't know 663 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:14,520 Speaker 1: very much at all about attachment theory. But he does 664 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:17,399 Speaker 1: care about the things that I need and want, So 665 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:22,640 Speaker 1: when I express those, he's pretty darn good about about listening. Yeah. 666 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:25,359 Speaker 1: So when you're expressing your needs, your boundaries, and you're 667 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:27,680 Speaker 1: staying curious and all the things you've already told us, 668 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:31,960 Speaker 1: you're finding that you're getting a positive response. Yes, And 669 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:36,759 Speaker 1: and that doesn't mean that he does those things, okay, 670 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:39,120 Speaker 1: So that, okay, that's good. Like, let's set up some 671 00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:43,479 Speaker 1: realistic expectations for people. My partner does not text. It's 672 00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:48,160 Speaker 1: not a thing for him. He's over forty. He hates technology. Right, 673 00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:50,759 Speaker 1: it's not going to happen. And he told me that 674 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:53,880 Speaker 1: very early in the relationship, just like I hate texting. 675 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:57,319 Speaker 1: That's something you got to know about me right up front. 676 00:37:57,840 --> 00:38:00,480 Speaker 1: So sometimes so if I were to come to him 677 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:03,399 Speaker 1: four years in, I could. I could come to him 678 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 1: and say, look, Chris, I really want more texting between us. 679 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,880 Speaker 1: That would feel so good for me. Sometimes I feel 680 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:12,400 Speaker 1: the same script. Sometimes I feel alone when there's no 681 00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:16,839 Speaker 1: text coming in. Right, it doesn't mean that he abandons 682 00:38:16,920 --> 00:38:20,120 Speaker 1: who he is, which is someone who hates technology and 683 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:23,359 Speaker 1: is very confident that they want nothing to do with it. 684 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:29,440 Speaker 1: The compromise there is that he takes my hand and 685 00:38:29,480 --> 00:38:33,280 Speaker 1: he says, I know that that's something that you care about, 686 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:36,600 Speaker 1: but babe, that's not who I am. Like, is there 687 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 1: something else that I can do for you that would 688 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:42,000 Speaker 1: make you feel great? Because he's like, and we've had 689 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:45,600 Speaker 1: this exact conversation. He's like, I love phone calls. He's like, 690 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:48,719 Speaker 1: I'm a phone call guy. He's like, I'm not gonna 691 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:51,719 Speaker 1: be texting you heart emojis. He's like, that's not what 692 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,239 Speaker 1: I do. But if I'm thinking about you during the day, 693 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:56,560 Speaker 1: would it work if I gave you a phone call 694 00:38:56,840 --> 00:38:59,440 Speaker 1: and just said, hey, babe, I'm thinking about you right now. 695 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:02,040 Speaker 1: And I was like, you know what, let's try that 696 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:06,439 Speaker 1: because I'm very texty. I love texting. Yeah, And I said, 697 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:08,839 Speaker 1: let's try that. Let's see if that works. And now 698 00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:11,040 Speaker 1: it's been four years and I've gotten like, you know, 699 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:13,439 Speaker 1: I can count how many texts I've gotten from him, 700 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:17,799 Speaker 1: But man, that man calls me constantly, and that's our 701 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 1: that's our compromise. So sometimes you don't get exactly what 702 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:23,719 Speaker 1: you want, but if you have a good partner, they 703 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:27,480 Speaker 1: do care about you. Feeling like the needs being meant 704 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:28,960 Speaker 1: you know, well, that's what I was gonna say. I 705 00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:32,000 Speaker 1: heard so much of that because really, I don't know, 706 00:39:32,080 --> 00:39:34,680 Speaker 1: that's so much of like it's probably not about actually 707 00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:37,279 Speaker 1: about the texting, it's about what it's totally not to 708 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:40,840 Speaker 1: exactly that that's not happening. And so when his response 709 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:44,160 Speaker 1: that you just gave to me, immediately my nervous system 710 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:48,880 Speaker 1: would be like, okay, he hears me, I've totally I'm safe, 711 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:52,680 Speaker 1: and yeah, I can be flexible about the ways that 712 00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:56,319 Speaker 1: I'm getting things. It's just like the bigger picture of 713 00:39:56,360 --> 00:39:59,240 Speaker 1: am I scene? Am I heard? Am I safe? Totally? 714 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:01,400 Speaker 1: So your friend and who feels like she's not getting 715 00:40:01,480 --> 00:40:05,320 Speaker 1: enough texting, there's a need beneath that, Like nobody's gonna 716 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:08,200 Speaker 1: die if they don't get texts. You know, she's got 717 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:10,359 Speaker 1: to figure out what the need beneath that is and 718 00:40:10,480 --> 00:40:13,280 Speaker 1: perhaps there's a different way that they can work together 719 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:17,439 Speaker 1: as a team to get that need met. Even it's 720 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:21,120 Speaker 1: maybe even acknowledging what he is doing too. Yeah, you know, 721 00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:24,239 Speaker 1: like oh, totally you know that I wasn't the call. Yeah, yeah, 722 00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:26,720 Speaker 1: Like no, I wasn't thinking about all his phone calls. 723 00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:29,200 Speaker 1: I was just asking for more texting, even though this 724 00:40:29,280 --> 00:40:32,560 Speaker 1: is this is a dude who calls every single morning, 725 00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:35,799 Speaker 1: every single night, and usually in the afternoon too, And 726 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:38,279 Speaker 1: I was like, where are my heart emoji texts? You know? 727 00:40:38,960 --> 00:40:41,920 Speaker 1: And you're so focused on that thing, Like when we 728 00:40:41,960 --> 00:40:43,960 Speaker 1: get triggered, we get so focused on the thing we're 729 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:45,920 Speaker 1: not getting that you can't see all the good that 730 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:49,520 Speaker 1: you are, right because the thing we're not getting. Yeah, sorry, 731 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:52,040 Speaker 1: I totally I'm all fired now. It's because the thing 732 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:54,520 Speaker 1: that we're not getting is proof to us that they 733 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:57,799 Speaker 1: don't care about us, you know, But that's our own narrative, right, 734 00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:01,120 Speaker 1: it's exactly. Yeah, it's just finding the I feel like 735 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:04,800 Speaker 1: sometimes my way of making myself safe as being hyper vigilant, 736 00:41:04,840 --> 00:41:07,720 Speaker 1: and so it's like, I'll have a narrative he doesn't 737 00:41:07,719 --> 00:41:10,480 Speaker 1: actually care about me, and in the less the little 738 00:41:10,520 --> 00:41:12,600 Speaker 1: text that I get or whatever, I'm like, see, I 739 00:41:12,680 --> 00:41:15,040 Speaker 1: knew it, knew it. I knew it. I knew it, 740 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:17,160 Speaker 1: And so then you miss all the other ways that 741 00:41:17,239 --> 00:41:20,759 Speaker 1: you are getting totally probably met. Do you want to 742 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:26,040 Speaker 1: hear one weird thing that I did, Yeah, in in 743 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:28,359 Speaker 1: in my year where I was like, screw it, I'm 744 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:31,480 Speaker 1: just gonna work on this myself. Yeah, I pulled up 745 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:34,480 Speaker 1: the notes app on my phone, and every single day, 746 00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:37,560 Speaker 1: if I noticed him doing anything but I could even 747 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:41,799 Speaker 1: remotely interpret as kind or loving, I wrote it down. 748 00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:44,080 Speaker 1: I didn't write down the bad things. I just wrote 749 00:41:44,080 --> 00:41:47,200 Speaker 1: down the good things. And in the moments where I 750 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:49,959 Speaker 1: was like, dang it, I don't even like this guy. 751 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:52,240 Speaker 1: He doesn't text me like I would tell myself stuff 752 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:54,520 Speaker 1: like that, I would pull open that note app and 753 00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:57,480 Speaker 1: it would be like, Chris made me tea this morning 754 00:41:57,480 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: without me asking. Chris called me four times this morning 755 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:02,880 Speaker 1: because he found something cool and wanted to tell me 756 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:05,920 Speaker 1: about it. Um. And then it really helped bring it 757 00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:09,400 Speaker 1: into perspective. I was like, I'm looking for way reasons 758 00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:11,920 Speaker 1: that he doesn't care about me when he shows me 759 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:15,839 Speaker 1: constantly that he does. I love that. So writing down 760 00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:19,640 Speaker 1: is very helpful. Yeah, that's a really good tip. Well. Also, 761 00:42:19,840 --> 00:42:23,360 Speaker 1: we have the book. It's called Anxious Hearts Guides. Anxious 762 00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:28,319 Speaker 1: Hearts Guides, Yeah guide, Yeah, one as Okay, there's a 763 00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:30,279 Speaker 1: lot of I didn't realize that this, you know, I 764 00:42:30,360 --> 00:42:34,759 Speaker 1: didn't realize it was a tongue twister. Yeah, anists Guide 765 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:37,279 Speaker 1: that's you. And then there's a workbook. That's twenty one 766 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:41,600 Speaker 1: Day Anxious Attachment Challenge a workbook. It's um, yeah, it's 767 00:42:41,680 --> 00:42:44,680 Speaker 1: kind of a workbook. It's twenty one chapters and every 768 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:49,080 Speaker 1: single chapter is only like two or three pages. The chapters. 769 00:42:49,120 --> 00:42:51,359 Speaker 1: You take it day by day, so every day you 770 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:54,920 Speaker 1: read like two pages. Each one addresses some aspect of 771 00:42:54,960 --> 00:42:58,640 Speaker 1: anxious attachment. Okay. And I just love those twenty one 772 00:42:58,719 --> 00:43:01,360 Speaker 1: day challenges because they're like little bite size ways to 773 00:43:01,440 --> 00:43:04,560 Speaker 1: work on a different, a different thing every day. One 774 00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:06,200 Speaker 1: of my favorites that I did was it was a 775 00:43:06,760 --> 00:43:10,560 Speaker 1: twenty one day like self Love Challenge. I think that's 776 00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:13,479 Speaker 1: what it was called. And man, it was just nice 777 00:43:13,880 --> 00:43:16,080 Speaker 1: to not have to focus on doing the same thing 778 00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:19,720 Speaker 1: every day for twenty one days, but something different every day. 779 00:43:19,760 --> 00:43:22,879 Speaker 1: That made me feel like, Okay, I'm working on this thing. Yeah, 780 00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:25,560 Speaker 1: and it's fun to write a bet. And I was 781 00:43:25,600 --> 00:43:27,920 Speaker 1: gonna also say, if you're one of the people listening, 782 00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:31,359 Speaker 1: that might you know fit in that box that we 783 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:33,719 Speaker 1: were talking about where you don't know what you like. 784 00:43:33,960 --> 00:43:35,600 Speaker 1: I remember when I first started doing my work on 785 00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:37,040 Speaker 1: cod of Fendency, people would be like, well, what do 786 00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:39,520 Speaker 1: you like to do? And I was like, literally I 787 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:42,560 Speaker 1: don't know. Yeah, I've so out of touch with myself 788 00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:44,759 Speaker 1: that I didn't even know the things that I enjoyed doing. 789 00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:47,080 Speaker 1: So these kind of things might be a good way 790 00:43:47,200 --> 00:43:50,160 Speaker 1: to start navigating that. Even giving yourself this one little 791 00:43:50,239 --> 00:43:53,440 Speaker 1: challenge each day is spending time with yourself, Yeah, I 792 00:43:53,560 --> 00:43:56,560 Speaker 1: mean it totally? Is it? Totally? That's my That's why 793 00:43:56,600 --> 00:44:00,520 Speaker 1: I'm so into journaling too, because it's my hour or 794 00:44:00,520 --> 00:44:03,760 Speaker 1: so that I spend with myself during the Yeah, listening 795 00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:06,239 Speaker 1: to my own thoughts. Yeah, I'm going to put the 796 00:44:07,040 --> 00:44:09,160 Speaker 1: link to both of those books in the description of 797 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:12,440 Speaker 1: this podcast. But what can people find in the Anxious 798 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:15,400 Speaker 1: Heart Guide? Anxious Hearts Guide? See, I did it, and 799 00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:18,160 Speaker 1: maybe I need to rename it. It's just saying all 800 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:21,040 Speaker 1: the essays. I think it's a lot. Yeah, it's a mouthful. 801 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:25,800 Speaker 1: In in my book, I spend the first maybe third 802 00:44:26,040 --> 00:44:31,040 Speaker 1: talking about attachment, specifically anxious attachment too, just so that 803 00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:34,399 Speaker 1: we can get a little more a little more information, 804 00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:37,279 Speaker 1: we can have more awareness on Okay, I'm doing this 805 00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:40,680 Speaker 1: thing and that's like a very anxious thing. Yeah. The 806 00:44:40,680 --> 00:44:44,879 Speaker 1: middle part of the book really dives into self work work, 807 00:44:45,239 --> 00:44:49,960 Speaker 1: self worth work, and building up our relationships with other 808 00:44:50,040 --> 00:44:53,120 Speaker 1: people around us, lots of things that have nothing to 809 00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:57,440 Speaker 1: do with the romantic relationship, because we're looking to build 810 00:44:57,480 --> 00:45:00,400 Speaker 1: that self trust with ourselves, the main thing that anxious 811 00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:03,840 Speaker 1: attaches are lacking. The last part of the book actually 812 00:45:03,840 --> 00:45:08,359 Speaker 1: talks about engaging in romantic relationships in healthier ways, So 813 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:11,200 Speaker 1: that's the closeness. Once you develop that sense of self, 814 00:45:11,239 --> 00:45:15,319 Speaker 1: then you can move toward developing healthy closeness, which is 815 00:45:15,360 --> 00:45:18,680 Speaker 1: also I just want to say all this talk is 816 00:45:18,719 --> 00:45:21,759 Speaker 1: not to say I want you to become somebody who 817 00:45:21,800 --> 00:45:25,359 Speaker 1: doesn't need anybody else to swim, right Like, I want 818 00:45:25,400 --> 00:45:27,680 Speaker 1: you swim in like holding hands with your person in 819 00:45:27,719 --> 00:45:31,319 Speaker 1: the water, but you're still cool, keeping yourself afloat with 820 00:45:31,440 --> 00:45:35,320 Speaker 1: the rest of your limbs. Right yeah. The closeness is wonderful, 821 00:45:35,360 --> 00:45:37,520 Speaker 1: it's a beautiful. It's my favorite part of being alive. 822 00:45:38,080 --> 00:45:43,399 Speaker 1: But the universe can take away a person who's very 823 00:45:43,440 --> 00:45:46,960 Speaker 1: committed to us and loving as well, So we can't 824 00:45:47,120 --> 00:45:50,400 Speaker 1: We can't be somebody who can't swim alone because sometimes 825 00:45:50,440 --> 00:45:52,600 Speaker 1: the universe takes our person away even if they want 826 00:45:52,600 --> 00:45:56,120 Speaker 1: to be with us, Right yeah, I love that. Where 827 00:45:56,120 --> 00:45:58,759 Speaker 1: else can people find you? I'd mentioned your Instagram. Will 828 00:45:58,800 --> 00:46:00,919 Speaker 1: you tell the people who are that. Yeah, I've been 829 00:46:01,040 --> 00:46:03,640 Speaker 1: dabbling on TikTok, but I kind of feel like I'm 830 00:46:03,680 --> 00:46:07,960 Speaker 1: too old for it. I know, I get that. I 831 00:46:07,960 --> 00:46:13,759 Speaker 1: get that. Honestly, Instagram's really where I live. Don't find 832 00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:16,719 Speaker 1: me on TikTok. Come on, come on Instagram, really for it? 833 00:46:18,239 --> 00:46:20,640 Speaker 1: M oh, I did just start a podcast with my 834 00:46:20,680 --> 00:46:26,000 Speaker 1: buddy Jimmy. Yeah, he's kind of blowing up Jimmy. Jimmy 835 00:46:26,120 --> 00:46:31,440 Speaker 1: offers people advice in marriage. But honestly, like it's just 836 00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:35,120 Speaker 1: he's so funny. That's why he does so well on TikTok. 837 00:46:35,239 --> 00:46:38,200 Speaker 1: I'm not funny, right, TikTok is a whole different beast. 838 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:41,680 Speaker 1: It really is. It really is. But my podcast is 839 00:46:41,719 --> 00:46:45,640 Speaker 1: pretty cool if if you google Ricky and Jimmy on Relationships. 840 00:46:46,160 --> 00:46:49,040 Speaker 1: We're only like eight episodes in, so it's new, but 841 00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:50,680 Speaker 1: we're having a lot of fun with it and I 842 00:46:50,719 --> 00:46:52,120 Speaker 1: think I'm going to be doing a lot more of 843 00:46:52,160 --> 00:46:54,640 Speaker 1: that in the future. Amazing. Well, I'll put that in 844 00:46:54,640 --> 00:46:56,800 Speaker 1: the description as well. It's Ricky R I K K 845 00:46:57,120 --> 00:47:02,719 Speaker 1: I for you guys, Ricky and Jimmy on really Ships. Okay, Well, 846 00:47:02,760 --> 00:47:05,319 Speaker 1: thank you so much. I know we had. Thanks for 847 00:47:05,560 --> 00:47:08,719 Speaker 1: the listeners. We had a couple of time difference. Oh 848 00:47:08,760 --> 00:47:11,880 Speaker 1: my god, our scheduling because Ricky's in Alaska, which is 849 00:47:11,920 --> 00:47:15,560 Speaker 1: so cool. Yeah, I've never had anyone on the podcast 850 00:47:15,600 --> 00:47:17,880 Speaker 1: from Alaska. So cool. There aren't very many of us 851 00:47:17,960 --> 00:47:23,160 Speaker 1: up here, yeah statistics. Yeah, but I'm really glad that 852 00:47:23,200 --> 00:47:25,560 Speaker 1: we could make it happen. This was really fun me too. 853 00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:30,040 Speaker 1: You guys go check out ricky Anxious Hearts Guide. Yeah, 854 00:47:30,040 --> 00:47:31,759 Speaker 1: and I will put all of those links in the 855 00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:35,280 Speaker 1: description of this podcast. Rickie, thank you so much again. Thanks, 856 00:47:35,280 --> 00:47:38,120 Speaker 1: this was lovely. Thanks for listening to The Velvet's Edge 857 00:47:38,120 --> 00:47:41,279 Speaker 1: podcast with Kelly Henderson, where we believe everyone has a 858 00:47:41,280 --> 00:47:44,680 Speaker 1: little velvet and a little edge. Subscribe for more conversations 859 00:47:44,719 --> 00:47:49,000 Speaker 1: on life, style, beauty, and relationships. Search Velvet's Edge wherever 860 00:47:49,040 --> 00:47:50,120 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.