Summary The conversation explores the concept of conscious coping and the distinction between healthy and unhealthy coping strategies. The hosts share their personal experiences and discuss the importance of being conscious and intentional in our coping mechanisms. They emphasize that there is no coping mechanism that is inherently bad, but it's the intention and the relationship we have with it that determines its impact on our well-being. They also touch on the slippery slope of coping strategies and the need to stay aware of when a coping mechanism becomes maladaptive. Overall, the conversation encourages conscious coping and self-awareness in navigating challenging situations. Conscious coping involves being aware of our coping mechanisms and building consciousness around them. It's about understanding our relationship with substances and activities and making aligned choices based on our context and intentions. It's important to recognize that the energy behind our coping strategies is what matters, not the substances themselves. We can choose to engage in certain behaviors out of love for ourselves or out of a sense of lack, and it's crucial to be mindful of our intentions. It's okay to have human moments and indulge in coping strategies, as long as we maintain awareness and don't let them become the sole source of our well-being. Keywords conscious coping, healthy coping, unhealthy coping, intention, self-awareness, coping mechanisms, relationship with substances, aligned choices, intentions, energy, love for oneself, sense of lack, mindfulness, human moments Takeaways Coping strategies can be both healthy and unhealthy, depending on our intention and relationship with them. There is no coping mechanism that is inherently bad; it's about how we use it and the impact it has on our well-being. Being conscious and intentional in our coping strategies can help us avoid maladaptive patterns and maintain a healthy balance. Self-awareness is key in determining whether a coping mechanism is serving us or causing harm. Conscious coping involves being aware of our coping mechanisms and making aligned choices based on our intentions and context. The energy behind our coping strategies is what matters, not the substances themselves. It's important to be mindful of our intentions and whether we are engaging in certain behaviors out of love for ourselves or out of a sense of lack. It's okay to have human moments and indulge in coping strategies, as long as we maintain awareness and don't let them become the sole source of our well-being. Sound Bites "I hope that this lands with one, at least one person who's like, oh my God, I don't have to feel like a f*****g psychopath for going through a similar experience." "Coping strategies may start out as a coping strategy and then transition into a lifestyle choice." "Having is evidence of wanting. If you consistently have an experience in your life where you feel like a piece of shit, you clearly want to feel like a piece of shit." "Is going to buy a giant boxed wine and chug that going to create that thing for me? Or, I can go get one glass of wine and have that experience." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Experiences 06:12 Defining Coping and its Purpose 10:36 The Spectrum of Healthy and Unhealthy Coping 19:18 The Role of Internal Conflict in Coping 23:52 Conscious Coping and Evaluating Impact 30:07 Understanding Conscious Coping 33:42 The Impact of Substance Use 36:50 Identifying Unhealthy Coping Patterns 41:28 Finding Healthier Coping Strategies 53:48 Outro (Show notes and captions are AI-assisted. All other content is human-made, original, and proprietary. The fact that we need to make this distinction is WILD!)