How to Keep Yourself From Feeling
avoiding reality
Start smaller
than you think
you should;
don’t disappear
all at once.
Just postpone
your initial reaction.
*
When a feeling
comes knocking,
tell it you’re busy.
You don’t have
to slam the door
in its face;
politeness
works better
than aggression.
Say not now,
come back later.
Later can be a
powerful word
when you mean it.
*
Keep your days
full of harmless
noise, a soothing
distraction.
ASMR playing
while you cook.
Run shows you
don’t care about
on your TV as
background noise
to fill the silence.
Play music that
keeps you collected,
unbothered, and away
from the emotions you
don’t want to consume you.
*
Because silence
invites questions.
Noise keeps
you distracted.
*
If someone notices
you are behaving
different because of
your avoidance,
dismiss it with an
“I’m fine”; this is a
problem for you
and you alone.
It is for you
to deal with.
If things go wrong,
then, you may
invite them on
your secret mission.
*
Learn which thoughts
lead places
you don’t want
to go
and gently turn around
before you arrive
there.
This takes
practice, of course.
You’ll feel
a tug,
something trying
to pull you
that way;
don’t get curious,
don’t get distracted,
just break free
without hesitation.
Interrupt your
thoughts; go
do something
to prevent yourself
from entering that
thought again so quickly.
*
Keep mementos
out of reach;
not permanently,
just until you’re safe
from the feeling you
want to escape.
*
At night,
lie still
and let exhaustion
do the work.
Sleep is the
closest thing
to peace of
mind.
*
Eventually,
you will forget
what you’re avoiding,
and when you forget,
it usually means the thoughts
associated with the avoided
emotion have been suppressed.
You no longer have to hide.
*
Flawed advice
can be better than
no advice.
Only sometimes.
Good advice
would be better.
Healthier.
*
This won’t make
you whole.
It will make you
functional.
For a little while,
anyway. It’ll come
again, the emotion
you avoided, and it’ll
be harder to push away.
*
But for now,
this has to be
enough.
*
This is
how you
keep yourself
from feeling;
you don’t erase
the emotion, you just
side-step it each time
it tries to touch you.
*
Eventually,
it’ll learn
how to reach
you.
*
Until then,
enjoy your
sanctuary.
About the Creator
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
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Missing Person. Winner in Public Announcement Challenge.
[blurry image] Blue eyes. Blonde hair. Female. Pale. Chubby. Last seen wearing a tanktop, shorts, fishnets, and boots. * This individual previously reported missing has again been classified as unaccounted for. * This marks the fifth occurrence within three months. * The subject was last observed standing where they were instructed to stand, answering to their name, [REDACTED], doing what they were told. * Members of the public are reminded that prior recoveries do not indicated resolution. If the individual is encountered, do not assume familiarity implies safety. Do not attempt prolonged conversation. Do not offer transport. * Report any sightings. * -Missing Persons Notice
By Luna Jordanabout a month ago in Poets
Comments (17)
Congratulations on your well-deserved win!
Congratulations on your win! I especially loved the insight: ‘you don’t erase the emotion, you just side-step it each time it tries to touch you.’ So resonant.
I really enjoyed reading this. I see why you won. This was straight to the point, and nothing was left out.
Congratulations on your win! 🎉
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Loved EVERY word of this! It was so convincing, and practical... This line hit hard and was well-placed: -Because silence invites questions. Noise keeps you distracted.- Super congrats on your win!!!
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Congratulations on your win!
Easy to see this is a winner. It hits in so many different ways and speaks many different truths. Congratulations!
Congratulations on your win! Great piece!
Congratulations on your win, Luna!🍾🥂💖
Congrats, Luna!!
Such a jarring piece! That line about sleep being the closest thing to peace of mind really got me.
Luna, I love what you did here. Congratulations on your top story! Might I predict a placement on the winners' list? 💖
Luna, your words capture the subtle art of protecting oneself without denial. I appreciate the way you honor emotions while teaching how to navigate them it feels thoughtful and human.
I love how this whispers and flows, tucks you into the thoughts, and releases. Beautiful work.
🫣🩷Yes, This Works out! Congratulations For Your Top Story!!!!
The part about “later can be a powerful word when you mean it” really stuck with me, especially paired with the ASMR/background TV noise — it felt uncomfortably familiar in that way where you realize you’ve been doing the same thing without naming it. I also keep thinking about how gentle the advice sounds on the surface, even while admitting it only makes you “functional,” not whole, which honestly feels like the most truthful line here. It reads like someone giving themselves permission to survive the night rather than fix everything, and that quiet honesty hit hard. When you were writing this, did it feel more like confession, self-protection, or a warning to your future self?