go on. we'll wait.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | How are you? | FINE |
| 2 | How are you really? | FINE (see cell B1) |
| 3 | That thing from March | #REF! error |
| 4 | Grief | hidden row |
| 5 | Joy | =IF(WORK_DONE,"later","later") |
| 6 | Status | circular reference detected |
The green button chases you because protectors are pushy: productive avoidance never needs willpower; it volunteers. The red button dodges because that is honestly how feelings behave when you grab at them with the same energy you bring to a sprint backlog. And then the real mechanism, which you just experienced: it stops running when you stop lunging. Approach slower than the fear moves, and the most slippery button on the page becomes the easiest thing to press. That is not a UX trick. That is exposure work, titration, the whole clinical playbook in one paragraph of cursor movement.
This blog is the long version: trauma treatment (EMDR, IFS, DBR), nervous system regulation, embodiment, taught with mechanisms instead of vibes, for people whose spreadsheets are immaculate.
1,000 true readers, no funnels. One mechanism, one honest scar, one thing you can run this week.