LIFE IS GENERALLY FULL OF STRESS, HEART BREAKS, MENTAL HEALTH DIFFICULTIES AND CHALLENGING EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES. PEOPLE CHOOSE SHORT TERM GOALS TO FEEL FULFILMENT IN FAST AND RAT RACE WORD. THIS IS DONE IS ORDER TO FEEL THE JOY OF ESCAPISM AND CHALLENGE OF AVOIDANCE. ESCAPISM IS HELPFUL ONLY, WHEN WE TAKE A MOMENT TO STEP OUT OF OUR REALITY AND EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF ESCAPE FROM THE CHALLENGES WE FACE. IT IS HELPFUL AS IT HELPS PREVENTING BURNOUT, REDUCE STRESS AND INCREASE FEELINGS OF HOPE, DETERMINATION , COURAGE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STRENGTH. WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW FAR ESCAPISM CAN GO BECAUSE OVERUSE CAN TIP OVER INTO AVOIDANCE. MOMENTARY AND BRIEF ESCAPISM, REINVIGORATES US AND HELPS US TO RETURN TO REALITY WITH RENOWNED POWER. CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY WHEN WE IGNORE A PROBLEM OR FEELING THAT WE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE EXPERIENCING IS KNOWN AS AVOIDANCE. PERHAPS THIS LEAVES US FEELING, IRRITABLE, DISCONNECTED AND AGITATED. MY JOURNEY OF HEALING AND ACCEPTANCE BASICALLY STATES THAT ANXIETY IS MOREOVER PRONE TO ME. JOKES APART, I FEEL IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE. AS IT IS SAID WHAT WE RESIST, PERSIST. I CHOOSE ESCAPISM SUCH AS PROCRASTINATION, PASSIVE- AGGRESSIVENESS, RUMINATION AND ALCOHOL ABUSE. THESE BECAME MY MAJOR UNHELPFUL COPING MECHANISMS. INSTEAD OF CONSIDERING MY FEELINGS AND ACKNOWLEDGING THEM, MY OVERUSE OF ESCAPISM CONVERTED INTO AVOIDANCE COPING. I TOOK SMALL STEPS TOWARDS MAKING CHANGES IN MY DAY TO DAY LIFE. I STARTED TO RECOGNIZE IT WHEN I WAS INTO THE SITUATION. I STARTED USING ACTIVE COPING OPTIONS. IN MY JOURNEY,JOURNALING AND MEDITATION HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN MANAGING EMOTIONAL STRESS.IT HAS BEEN AND STILL IS A HARD JOURNEY OF HEALING, FINDING YOURSELF, ACCEPTING YOURSELF, TAKE THE CHARGE OF THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL AND TAKE LIFE AS IT COMES. THE MAJOR LESSON, I HAVE LEARNED THROUGHOUT THIS JOURNEY IS, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON SHORT TERM OR TEMPORARY GOAL FULFILMENT, LONG TERM GOAL FULFILMENT TENDS TO BE MORE MEANINGFUL AND PROVIDE A GREATER SENSE OF DIRECTION AND PURPOSE , SHORT TERM RELIEVE AND FANTASIES ARE NOT LIKELY TO ADD UP ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL.
- MEYHAR NAYAR