Hello Reclaimers,

Let's say you were annoyed or upset with somebody. Would you tell them? Or would you find a round-the-houses way of conveying this without saying anything?

Well, a lot us do the latter. We attempt to make a statement with our behaviour.

Like in this week's episode of the podcast where I admitted that I spent a whole extra year--yes, you read that right--with a shady ex essentially showing him that I was no longer into him and that he didn't have power over me anymore. I know, I know. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Even though we might not realise it at the time, we do a whole lotta trying to make points to people.

Like when we doll ourselves up to the nines because we think we're going to bump into our ex or we're due to see a load of people we went to school with. Or when we post pictures and memes that are supposed to say I don't care about you anymore or I'm mad at you about that thing you said a while back.

In episode #263 of The Baggage Reclaim Sessions, I explain why our attempts at making a statement create more problems than it solves.

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE

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WORDS TO LIVE BY

Don't give away your choices. The words, 'yes', 'no', 'maybe' and 'Let me get back to you', exist for a reason. Use them.

- Nat Lue

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ON THE BLOG: Overcommitting and our fear of missing out or being labelled antisocial

We talk about burnout and taking on too much at work, but overcommitting ourselves shows up in other guises as a result of our fear of missing out or being perceived as antisocial. On this week's blog, I talk about how this shows up, including overbooking ourselves while neglecting our needs and personal projects and being too afraid to take a dating break.

READ THE BLOG

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JOIN ME AT A LIVE SHOW OF THE PODCAST | LONDON, 18TH JUNE

I'm excited to be hosting my first live show. I'll be recording an episode in front of a studio audience that will become a future episode, and then I'll be hosting an exclusive Q&A for attendees (not recorded). If you live in or near London and love the podcast, please come along!

FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK YOUR TICKET

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THIS WEEK'S READS & LISTENS

Instead of a book, I've got a few interesting links that feature great advice.

​7 Ways to Stop Anxiety Before It Starts "The belief that you should be able to totally control or eliminate your anxiety is probably one of the biggest reasons you continue to feel as anxious as you do"

​Did the Great Resignation Save Your Life? "As an immigrant’s daughter, I felt I was taking the easy way out and giving up. I didn’t want her to feel like I wasn’t doing my best or trying hard enough to make something of my life. But she ended up being super-supportive."

​Gaslit, Groomed and Ghosted | BBC Radio 4 I had so much fun guesting on these two episodes. Luisa's got a clever mix of hilarious and thought-provoking as she illustrates with comedy how being gaslit, groomed and ghosted are some of the oldest tricks in the book.

Until next time, take care of you,

Natalie x