Lesson 488: The Cycle of Excessive Worry and Hopelessness
Course duration:70 minutes
This course won't blame you for avoiding things, but rather help you see that it was once protecting you. However, when avoidance continues for too long, the problem becomes increasingly frightening, and the depression intensifies. This course will help you choose the smallest and safest course of action, allowing you to regain a sense of control over your reality.
○ Course topic audio
Lesson 488: The Cycle of Excessive Worry and Hopelessness
Click to view the read-aloud text
Today, I want to gently approach you with the theme: When avoidance becomes a vicious cycle. First, understand that avoidance isn't necessarily weakness. Often, avoidance is a way people protect themselves when they're afraid, exhausted, or lack resources. Not opening emails, not replying to messages, not handling a task, not seeing someone—perhaps not because you're irresponsible, but because just thinking about it makes your body tense and your mind feels overwhelmed. Let's not blame avoidance yet, because it once allowed you to temporarily escape pressure. But if avoidance continues for too long, the issue will grow bigger in your mind. Anxiety will say: It's even more terrible; depression will say: You're even more useless. So you want to escape even more, and the cycle tightens. Today, we won't ask you to face everything immediately, just practice getting one percent closer. Write down something you're avoiding, and then ask yourself: Can I just do one minimal action to get closer? For example, instead of replying to all messages, just open it and glance at it; instead of completing the entire document, just write down the title; instead of talking to someone for a long time, just write down the three sentences I want to express; instead of tidying the whole room, just put away one thing. After you finish, allow yourself to stop. Don't force yourself to finish everything just because you started. Let your body learn that facing something doesn't mean being overwhelmed, and that getting a little closer can be safe. You can also set a stop in advance, such as leaving after three minutes, drinking water when emotions run high, or finding someone to accompany you if necessary. True courage isn't about rushing in all at once, but about slowly returning to reality while taking care of yourself. Remember, behind avoidance there is usually fear and need. We don't defeat avoidance with blame, but rather find a new path for it with safe, small steps. After reading aloud, please write down one thing you'd be willing to get closer to, and write down your method of taking a break.
AI Healing Q&A
○ AI Healing Q&A: When you are avoiding something, you can tell the AI about that thing and your biggest fear. The AI won't blame you for procrastination, but will help you understand that avoidance was once a way of protecting you. You can ask the AI to help you find a one percent approach, such as taking a look, writing a sentence, or making a small step, so that facing it is no longer equivalent to being overwhelmed.
○ Music therapy guidance
○ Music Therapy Guidance: When avoidance becomes increasingly burdensome, play a three- to five-minute piece of light music as a buffer before approaching the task. At the beginning of the music, simply sit down; in the middle, glance at the task; and at the end, make only a small movement (one percent of the movement). Don't force yourself to complete everything; let the melody guide you safely towards the task.
○East-West Healing Tea Drinks
○ Lapsang Souchong: When escapism becomes increasingly burdensome, brew a cup of Lapsang Souchong. Its woody aroma is rich and mellow, suitable for drinking before a task comes into play. Don't demand that you complete everything; just do a small, quick action after drinking the tea, such as taking a look, writing a sentence, or tidying up a corner.
○ Healing Recipes
Lesson 488: When Avoidance Becomes a Vicious Cycle
○ Healing Recipe: Corn and Loofah Soup: When avoidance makes you feel increasingly suffocated, try making corn and loofah soup. The corn brings a subtle sweetness, the loofah is refreshing, and the soup has a bright and mellow color. It's suitable for when you feel physically heavy and emotionally irritable. Break down the soup-making process into small steps: washing the vegetables, chopping them, turning on the stove—each step is a way of reconnecting with life.
Open the healing recipe
◉ Japanese Dietary Therapy: Corn and Loofah Soup
I. Recommended Dietary Therapy and Reasons
Recommended dishes:Corn and loofah soup (clears heat and promotes diuresis)
Recommended reasons:This lesson gently examines the fear behind avoidance. The process of making a simple soup can be broken down into small steps to help you safely approach reality.
2. Recipe and Method
Recipe (1–2 servings):
- half a sweet corn
- 1 loofah
- 700 ml of water or juice
- A pinch of salt
- Optional: 1 slice of ginger
practice:
- Wash the main ingredients thoroughly. Prepare the parts that need to be peeled, sliced, or shredded by cutting them into small, easy-to-eat pieces.
- First, boil the corn to extract its sweetness, then add the loofah and cook briefly to keep the dish clear.
- Keep the seasoning light, with less salt and sugar, and avoid using strong flavors that overpower the ingredients, making it easier for the body to accept.
- During the preparation process, you can slow down your movements and treat washing, cutting, boiling, and mixing as a small exercise to bring your attention back to the present moment.
- After serving, let it cool slightly to a comfortable temperature before eating to avoid putting extra strain on your body if it's too hot or too cold.
- Take your first bite slowly, savoring the aroma, temperature, and texture before letting your body decide whether to continue.
- If you have a poor appetite that day, you can eat a small amount. There is no need to force yourself to finish it. The key is to let your body know that you are being taken care of.
3. Small rituals for body and mind
When preparing a corn and loofah soup, you can first arrange the ingredients neatly so you can see their color, shape, and light texture. This small action can help your attention gradually shift from anxiety, depression, or recurring worries back to the present moment.
While waiting for your food to finish, give yourself three slow breaths. You don't need to immediately explain all your emotions or solve all your problems; just let your body know that you are safe at this moment.
When you take your first bite, focus on the temperature, aroma, and soft texture. You can gently tell yourself: I'm taking care of myself; I'm willing to slow down; I can start over.
4. Dietary Therapy Experience Record
- Record the time of consumption: whether it is breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a meal to settle down after emotional fluctuations.
- Observe changes in stomach comfort, body temperature, mental stability, and mood intensity within 30–60 minutes after consumption.
- If you consume it on days when you feel particularly anxious or down, you can keep track of whether it helps you slow down or gives your body a greater sense of security.
V. Instructional Videos (approximately 3–5 minutes)
Video Title:Corn and loofah clear soup: Japanese soothing food therapy and emotional calming
6. Precautions
- Dietary therapy should be done in small, light portions, and adjusted according to the body's reaction. It is not recommended to force yourself to finish a meal when you are feeling unwell.
- If you are allergic to seaweed, soy products, eggs, fish, tea, or citrus fruits, please choose suitable alternatives.
- Those with sensitive stomachs, pregnant women, those with chronic diseases, or those currently taking medication should prioritize following the advice of medical professionals and nutritionists.
hint:This recipe is for daily physical and mental well-being and is not a substitute for any medical diagnosis or treatment. If you experience emotional distress, noticeable or persistent physical symptoms, please seek professional help promptly.
Mandala Viewing Healing
When avoidance becomes increasingly overwhelming, try looking at a mandala for a minute. Don't rush to tackle the task; just focus on the smallest circle near the center. It's like a one percent approach, reminding you that facing it doesn't mean being overwhelmed, and that approaching slowly can be safe.
● AI Dynamic Geometric Vision Focus and Emotion Regulation Engine ●
AI Dynamic Geometric Vision Focus and Emotion Regulation Engine · v7.0.0
Before we begin, I'd like to know how you feel right now.
There is no standard answer; just choose the one that best reflects how you feel right now.
The experience is over. Tell us how you feel now.
There is still no standard answer; just choose the one that best reflects how you feel right now.
#FF5252
After the fluorescent line crawling is completed and stopped, first select a color, then click on the closed area in the graphic to fill in the color.
AI Digital Mandala Interactive Focus Engine
A–Z Free Selection · Layered Lines · 60 Color Fills
AI Digital Mandala Static Focus EngineAZ Image Coloring · 60 Colors
○ Calligraphy and engraving therapy practice
This calligraphy and seal engraving exercise has no specific content and does not require perfect character formation. When faced with a cycle of excessive worry and hopelessness, focus your attention on holding the pen, placing the pen, pausing, and breathing, allowing the repetitive hand movements to gradually calm your nerves. When worries tighten, allow yourself to temporarily set aside reasoning and let the repetitive movements help relax your nerves. Please take it slowly. The focus of the exercise is not on how many characters you complete, but on maintaining a sense of reliable stability in each stroke, gently accompanying yourself through the day.
○ Art Therapy Guidance
Draw a long road, but only carefully draw the shortest section closest to your feet. The distant parts can be blurred, representing tasks you don't want to face yet. Don't blame yourself for running away; just draw a small footprint next to your feet, symbolizing one percent closer. After finishing, write down a small action: take a look, write a sentence, tidy up a spot.
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○ Diary Healing Suggestions
Write down something you're avoiding. You don't need to write much, just the parts that scare you. Then write down a one percent action you might take to get closer to it, like glancing at it, writing a sentence, or tidying up a corner. Finally, tell yourself: Avoidance once protected me, but I can slowly find new ways.
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May you gradually return to a more stable, clear-headed, and gentler version of yourself through today's practice.