Protect and defend are two sides of the same coin when it comes to a sense of self. We confuse protection and defensiveness because they feel similar. Protection guards your heart. Defense keeps others away from it.
The difference between these two concepts is which was you turn. Guarding turns inwards. It's an intentional act that protects something of importance. Defense turns outwards. It's a foolish game of trying to block out the "what ifs" that haven't shown up yet.
In protection, you're able to see opportunities and challenges as they approach you. When you're in a defensive mode, you've left your space of self and have gone out in the anticipation of something going wrong. The moment you leave yourself you are unable to see what is approaching and you fall into the mindset of fighting every battle without asking if it's meant for you in the first place.
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Take What You Want, Leave the Rest
Non-FictionThis book is designed for you to read any chapter you want, when it suits you. The chapters are intentionally brief so you only read what you need. It's a culmination of takeaways from therapy both as a practicing MHC-LP and as a client of therapy.
