06/26/2021
I love using metaphors and symbolism as a way of learning and teaching important lessons. One taught to me by a close friend was the analogy of “The Man/Woman Under the Ice”.
Many times, if we have an addiction, mental health problem, or diagnosis it can seem like that side of ourselves is a separate part of who we really are or want to be. I like to imagine that I can take that side of myself, place him under a lake, and freeze the water around him. I can freeze the lake by making sure I am engaging in healthy behaviors that take care of me both physically and mentally. These healthy behaviors include exercise, eating healthy, mediating, engaging in healthy relationships, taking time for myself, helping others, etc. But, when life gets busy, it can be hard to stay on top of all those healthy behaviors. The problem is, when I do that, when I stop taking care of myself, the ice around the man melts and gets thinner. And when that happens, it is easier for me to hear all the negative things the man under the ice wants me to hear. “You’re not good enough.” “You are unlovable.” “You need unhealthy behaviors (fill in your own) to be happy.” And when this happens, the ice gets thin, and it becomes much easier to believe and accept what the man under the ice has to say. This impacts my happiness, and I can start to fall back into my toxic and maladaptive behaviors. This ultimately leads to the man breaking free from the ice and consuming me. So, everyday I need to ask myself how thick is my ice, and if it’s getting thin, what do I need to do to thicken it back up. Because I know if that man gets out from the ice, it can be a difficult task to put him back in and freeze the water around him.
Everyday we need to be engaging in some type of self-care in order to keep the man or woman under the ice at bay. Have you been staying on top of your self-care? If not, start today. You owe it to yourself!
