When the Body Says No -- Caring for ourselves while caring for others. Dr. Gabor Maté

Dr. Maté is not suggesting that we should stop caring for others, or just care for ourselves. He is implying that we should have discernment and take the middle road. In my opinion, in order to take that road we need to get to know ourselves. Or as one wise person said, we need to meet ourselves i.e. to see what we are really made of. In other words, we should examine the worst things we think, imagine, say or do that we would be ashamed to admit even to ourselves.

What the weaknesses are, blind-spots, negative traits, and what the leading negative emotions are. I deliberately avoid using words such as toxic, etc because I know that words can kill or heal. I think we should think about what we think, say or write. We should watch our tongues. We need to confess our negativities to someone, according to Dr. Anna Lembke. Otherwise, they fester and produce the things the doctor is describing.