Curious empathy
Inspired by Devon Price Ph.D. Blog.
That you call it serendipity, synchronicity or Medium picking up on the word “procrastination” I used in yesterday’s blog post; regardless of what caused this fortunate confluence, I found the perfect answers to my concerns. First thing this morning, I chose to look at my Medium Daily Digest suggestions and there it was: “ Laziness Does Not Exist” by Devon Price Ph.D.. It may be an older article but it came to me at the perfect time.
Simply lovingly brilliant! Devon expresses a level of empathy unmatched by any other authors I’ve come across. Their concept of “situational and contextual factors that drive human behavior” provides a much better starting point in addressing my emotional obstacles when it comes to accomplishing what matters to me. As they point out: “ procrastination is more likely when the task is meaningful and the individual cares about doing it well.” I’m currently dealing with an array of important goals and I often feel scared and overwhelmed by the grandeur of this year’s ambitions.
Wanting to go to university may seem like a common endeavour and many wouldn’t feel overly stressed by the challenge, though for someone who struggled with learning disabilities as a child and is about to engage in complex scientific studies in my second language, yes, I’m very nervous. From negative past self-image to current chronic fatigue obstacles, I feel blessed that I have a wonderfully supportive circle of friends to help me through this and a badass counsellor. Still, I spend most of my days alone and I will be studying on my own most of the time so the conversations I need to defeat are with my old self.
I obviously immediately purchased Doctor Price’s book “Laziness Does not exist” in audio format and will devour it in the days to come. Investigating the source of my resistance will provide me with tools to better manage my psychological obstacles when they arise. Though, what helped me the most in their blog is their understanding of the underlying circumstance and the perspicacity to which they associate it to emotional needs. Their comprehension allows me to better understand my internal turmoils and irrational behaviours. They made me feel profoundly accepted and heard which brought me tears of relief as I could so clearly see myself in their post.
Healing comes in many forms and today it happened while reading. Compassionate psychology educators are crucial to support humanity in its growth, and Devon taught me not to mistake emotional cruelty for intellectual rigour. My desire to perform can only materialize if I find sustainable and respectful solutions to my barriers. I am responsible for my own well-being and it starts with being kind to myself. Harsh criticism and judgments led me to depression in the past and I now refuse to inflict those punishments on myself. It has been consistently counterproductive throughout my life and I’m happy to find a new alternative to address my weaknesses. With curious empathy, I will explore my past and present situational circumstances to shed new positive light on my choices and actions.
