From collapse to traction—field notes for the climb back.
Rebuilding the Timeline When Memory Is Chunky Oh, Standing on the ledge, rebuilding from the rubble. This is me continuing the “grand resets / pivot points” thread from yesterday — but this time I’m trying to do something more practical: put scattered memories into a timeline, even when the details are sketchy. I’ve got gaps. … Continue reading Grand Resets & Pivot Points (Part 2)
The author reflects on a less philosophical mindset and a sense of easing stress. While waiting on job responses and feeling unproductive, they contemplate the cycles in their life, including career shifts and personal losses. They express unresolved grief regarding relationships with their children, who are affected by separation.
Chapter 2 of "Standing on the Ledge" delves into the complexities of grief, highlighting the tendency to analyze pain as a means of avoidance. The author discusses how societal expectations encourage a composed facade, using analytical thinking as a defense mechanism. True healing requires confronting painful emotions rather than evading them through endless rumination.
Bargaining during grief involves rewriting the past to mitigate pain, often manifesting as “if only” thoughts that hinder healing. This counterfactual thinking can lead to rumination rather than learning. A healthier approach involves asking better questions that seek to understand patterns and conditions, focusing on actionable next steps rather than self-blame.
Standing on the Ledge 