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Is It Self-Care... or Emotional Avoidance?
Feeling your feelings and simple ways to deepen your own gratitude practice ✨
Mandy Cornelius
April 17, 2025
Hello everyone!
I hope spring is treating you well and bringing a sense of renewal. April is one of my favorite months—though I might be a little biased since it’s my birthday month! This year, I’m especially looking forward to celebrating with friends and family, while also making space for rest and self-care.
Grateful for this new space.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the things I’m most grateful for—what’s felt meaningful so far this year, and what I’m looking forward to in the months ahead. One exciting update: I’ll now be able to see clients in person in a beautiful space, something I’ve really missed since starting my practice solely through telehealth. This season of change and appreciation has inspired some of the topics in this newsletter, where I’m sharing a few simple ways to deepen your gratitude practice and cultivate more self-compassion.
All the best,
Mandy
MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-IN
Avoidance Disguised as Self-Care
Have you ever felt overwhelmed and instead of feeling your feelings you decide to distract yourself with something like deep cleaning your entire home or binge watching reality television? Sometimes what looks like self-care is actually a quiet kind of avoidance—a way to cope when your emotional needs feel too heavy to hold.
When life feels overwhelming, it’s natural to seek comfort in the little things. But if you notice yourself avoiding your feelings along the way, meet that with compassion. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Maybe you just need a little space to feel.
Questions that can help you gently reconnect with what you’re feeling:
What emotion am I experiencing right now?
What do I think triggered this feeling?
Which emotion(s) might I be trying to avoid?
Why might I be trying to hide from this emotion?
What does this emotion need from me right now?
What might be getting in the way of addressing it?
MEDIA
Almost Forgot That This is the Whole Point
Another beautiful trend has been making the rounds on social media—videos paired with the simple yet powerful text, “Almost forgot that this is the whole point.” If you’ve ever had one of those days where everything feels overwhelming, your to-do list won’t stop growing, and you're being pulled in a dozen directions—then suddenly, you pause. You take a deep breath, look around, and something reminds you of what actually matters. This trend captures that exact moment of clarity and grounding.
People are sharing clips of quiet, meaningful moments that bring them back to themselves: laughing with friends, sitting in the sun, dancing, sharing a meal, or just being fully present with someone they love. It’s a gentle reminder that while life can feel fast and full, the small, ordinary moments are often the ones that hold the most meaning.
INSPO
Starting a “Good Things” List
If you already have a gratitude practice, or you’ve been wanting to start one but journaling just isn’t your thing, consider trying a “Good Things” list. It’s a simple, low-pressure way to build gratitude into your everyday life, and all you really need is the notes app on your phone or something to write on.
The idea is to jot down at least one good thing that happened to you each day. It doesn’t have to be big or profound—maybe someone held the door open for you, you got your favorite coffee, you completed a task, or you caught the sunset. The goal is to practice noticing the small, meaningful moments that often go overlooked.
Observe it and write it down.
Over time, this list can become something you return to—especially on the harder days when the good feels harder to see. It can help you reconnect with the small joys and quiet moments of goodness that are easy to miss but always there.
LISTEN
🎙️ Listen to This if You’re Tired of Waiting to Change Your Life: Brianna Wiest
In this episode of The Everygirl Podcast, host Josie Santi sits down with author Brianna Wiest to talk about what it means to create a life you’re proud of and how to trust yourself along the way. Listen here.
When we let go of our comforting idea of what life should be we open ourselves to what life is which is so much richer and more whole and more beautiful than we really can even imagine.
Today’s Affirmation
I embrace gratitude for the present moment and my future.
RESOURCES
Books
The Life That’s Waiting by Brianna Wiest.
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown.
Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of RAIN by Tara Brach.
