VENT

While emotional venting may feel good in the moment, what we’re actually doing is making sure nothing changes.  Venting actually “[...] sustains an unsatisfactory status quo.” (Martha Beck, marthabeck.com).

Here’s the thing, venting releases pressure so we don’t actually have to change anything.  It’s so much safer, so much less scary to vent, in the hopes that just talk, talk, talking the situation to death will make it go away.  

Next time we catch ourselves venting about something or someone it might be helpful to ask why we’re so invested in the status quo.