STAGES OF CHAOS: Denial, Fear, Survival

Have you asked yourself, “Is this really happening to me?” That feeling is part of my Stages of Chaos theory. When something happens to us that is just too terrible to wrap our mind around, we deny it. We simply can’t process such a trauma. In fact, our brain is hardwired to block out trauma, but on the flip side, we carry those memories deep within and they impact our behavior.

When we realize that the situation is real and we need to either face it or bury it, we are faced with an unbridled fear; almost a choking fear that takes away every ounce of happiness. That is when things begin to dim and get quite dark.

Faced with these two emotions, survival eventually breaks through and we realize that we cannot give up. We have to keep going. No matter how hopeless…