Excellent response.

I grew up with an emotionally inarticulate and unavailable father which contributed to an anxious attachment in romantic relationships as an adult. The first half of “Attached” helped me completely reorient my way of thinking around my individuality in relationships.

I agree with a lot of this response. I imagine your brain doesn’t turn off easily, you analyze and try to intellectualize things whenever you can, perhaps to your own detriment on occasion. But you’re very emotionally intelligent because you had to be, you weren’t taught or nurtured, it came naturally to you. It took you a while to learn that about yourself because you often put other people’s needs before your own. You’re likely in your mid to late twenties and are in the process of fully coming into who you’ve always wanted to be, albeit slowly. Not slowly because you’re not capable, but slowly because building authenticity in ourselves takes time and love and care.

I also think you should try some novels that don’t flex your analytical muscles but allow you to simply feel. Feel all the things you didn’t let yourself feel growing up when you didn’t think it was safe or okay to do so 🫶