Defensive Reactions Zone

When we react to fear by shutting down the channel of communication, we’ve put up a defensive barrier that divides us from the world.

Signs you’re in the red light zone:

• Our values shift to me-first.  We tell ourselves that relationships are not that important. 
• Closed communication patterns are controlling and mistrustful. We see others as frozen objects that have importance only if they meet our needs.
• We feel alone and emotionally hungry. Then we look to other people to rescue us from our aloneness. 
• The sense of isolation that our defensive barrier triggers is subconsciously terrifying. If we are indeed isolated individuals, how do we get our supplies? How do we ward off enemies?
• Suppressing these inner fears makes us even more rigid and out of touch. We tighten our muscles and thoughts; we harden our hearts.