We all know about the concept of the fight or flight response. It is quite literally human nature. Challenges evoke these survival instincts in our daily lives, and can often be more complicated than powering through OR ignoring it fully. Hence, the carpet takes center stage. 

The carpet comes to represent the human coping mechanism. Someone who tends to sweep things under the rug would then be a carpet concealer, for example. Recognizing how you use your carpet to decorate your inner space is a fun and memorable way to mindfully approach a challenge. Read on for the many ways carpets can be used in your inner space, and see if any descriptions ring a bell. 

The Carpet Concealer

The Carpet Concealer sweeps all the dirt, dust, and debris under the rug like it’s nobody’s business. They utilize the “flight” response, tending to ignore the realities of situations, in an attempt to make life as easy and positive as possible. Carpet Concealers prefer to put off stressors in the hopes that they will go away on their own. The act of concealing “dirt” under the carpet is not all bad– most people do so at one time or another– however, regularly using this tactic would be considered avoidant behavior.  By recognizing that we have an uncomfortable situation or stressor, we are practicing the priceless skill of acceptance.  

The Carpet Manager 

Carpet Managers, as weird as their name sounds, are the individuals that can easily be overlooked in the fight or flight scenario. Carpet Managers know their boundaries and work on honoring them. When overwhelmed, things are consciously and safely placed under the carpet. The difference between managers and concealers is that managers go back to the pile under the rug and chip away at it when they feel ready to do so.  Carpet Managers are intuitive in their actions as they know when to put things away when ineffective and when to work challenges out based on their present abilities and workload.  The Carpet Manager is akin to someone who is able to access wise mind. When they shelve the issue until they are capable of effectively working on it, they are demonstrating distress tolerance.

The Carpet Shaker

Carpet Shakers are the Stanley Steamers of this world. They shake out their own carpet and sometimes everyone else’s within a 2 mile radius. They enjoy tackling a challenge head-on and will continue to dig until the carpet is cleaner than it was originally. Carpet Shakers are not only good at punching through the tension in their lives, but also enjoy getting to the bottom of things and analyzing the causes and effects of both their own challenges and those of others. Carpet Shakers can seek the thrill of the ride to a fault, though are usually well-intentioned.  We know that being willing to participate fully is a fabulous skill, however, if someone is overly activated they are essentially in “fight” mode.  Rather than spewing their emotional fall-out, they might try using a DEAR MAN to solve problems in a more emotionally regulated manner.

There are many other ways to utilize a carpet in your inner space– these three simply suggest the framework to spark the question: “How the heck do I decorate my mental space?”. Awareness is the first step toward a happy, healthy interior design.

0 Shares: