Running from Ourselves

Practical Spirituality

In this episode of the Practical Spirituality Podcast, Gareth and Kim explore the human tendency to avoid and run away from emotional discomfort, offering an honest and compassionate look at how avoidance shapes personal growth. Kim openly shares her experience of being a "professional runner," setting the tone for a conversation that encourages understanding of the ways people try to escape from difficult emotions.
The hosts explain how avoidance patterns evolve over time, often taking the form of behaviours like substance use or overworking, and later becoming more subtle, sometimes even masked as spiritual practices or self-improvement. They emphasize that avoidance is a natural part of the human experience, and that true healing happens in its own time. As Gareth notes, "You can't heal the parts of you that you're meant to heal until you're meant to heal them," highlighting the importance of timing and intuition over forcing change.
Our hosts offer practical guidance, enocraging us to meet ourselves with compassion, and understanding that the goal isn't to eliminate running, but to form a healthier relationship with the parts of ourselves we tend to flee from. This conversation invites listeners to approach their growth journey with patience, honesty, and self-kindness.

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Chapters

1. Running from Ourselves (00:00:00)

2. Introduction to Practical Spirituality (00:00:12)

3. The Topic of Running From Ourselves (00:01:01)

4. Why We Run: Fear and Misunderstanding (00:05:08)

5. The Costs of Running Away (00:10:40)

6. Turning Towards Ourselves Instead (00:14:49)

7. Community Announcement (00:21:49)

8. Running With Compassion (00:22:17)

9. Intuition and Timing in Our Journey (00:29:55)

10. Episode Closing and Community Details (00:41:50)