23. Self-Protective Self (Claim Your Freedom #5)

We’re designed to grow by exploring the world around us. But, we bump into painful experiences as we do. So, we create (often unconscious) rules to protect ourselves from future pain.

Some of the rules are functional (and help us), others are dysfunctional (and hinder us).

In this talk I reference three rules of human nature, related to soul health, govern how we uniquely approach the world.

Then, we’ll go farther. We’ll discuss how these rules can create ruts— both good and bad.

Functional rules = friends = help us (don’t touch a hot stove, fear of heights, walking down dark alley)
Dysfunctional = foes = hinder us (lack of trust in relationships, fear of failure, etc.)
In the the end, we eventually get more of what we expect, creating a “flywheel” of momentum.

In other words, if we don’t work through the “triggers” we discussed in the previous video we’ll find ourselves constantly living from “soul memory,” something much like muscle memory.

How does it fit with soul health?

Well, in the same way you can’t drive a car by always looking over your shoulder, you can’t drive through life by staring in the rearview mirror. Gaze back when you need to…

But live “ahead,” leaning forward…