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September 23, 2026 at 3:08 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #461090
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita, I’m glad you’ve found the left foot breaking technique to be interesting. Be advised, not to be used on heavy automatic american cars – might not be the safest and most enjoyable experience. But who knows.. maybe you drive a more nimble lite weight Honda.
The Freeze response- in my experience- has been about putting my life on hold until conditions at home became compatible with growth.
Exactly. This phrase describes the dynamic in which I’ve lived most of my life. And I see that here, in Romania, in my parents house I do what I’ve always done. Of course, in different ways and less obvious.. but I still minimise, hide, change my ways in order not to rock the boat etc. Knowing I’ll be judged for my actions, knowing my parents so well, I often find myself filtering my actions before doing them. What if they will judge me if I went out and saw my friends instead of doing something seemingly more productive ? ( for example ). Of course.. I go out and see my friends whenever I want to and I’m now willing to change the things that I want to do because of anyone anymore.. but the feeling is there. The tension is still there.
As for the goal.. Point is, as I see it, is to be dedicated to the goal of becoming the autonomous, emotionally resilient Robi you were meant to be- on an everyday basis, one step, one day at a time, patiently. To leave your parents’ home and never return to living with them. .
I couldn’t have put it in better words myself.
Now day after day, I focus on this goal. I apply here, there, ask here and there. I’ve asked the Café, I’ve applied at the International School of Warsaw to teach Romanian, I’ve asked around in Warsaw for Fitness Trainer jobs and I’m about to write to some guy who drives a van around here to see what are the conditions. Of course I Feel resistance.. I’ve put on a little rust so to speak. I don’t exactly feel excited to get moving. But it’s only surface rust.. It’ll be dissolve once I get moving. It’s hard to keep myself focused and not fall into negativity. I constantly feel judged and pressured by my parents and that doesn’t work in my favour. It brings my mood down quite a lot. I see they are bothered by me being calm and present. It looks like they get triggered when I’m not in the same emotional state as they are. Foggy, lazy and depressed. My mom is addicted to online shopping and sits 80% of the day in front of the TV and my father.. well.. he’s also addicted to online shopping and daily ( fairly small but constant ) consumption of alcohol. I don’t judge them but I see why its so difficult for me to be around them. I’m quite the opposite – as often is the case. I do my best to stay present, eat well, exercise and now I’ve committed to learn QiGong and make it a daily practice. I’ve been doing it for some time and I feel good both physically and mentally. Call it an escape.. which I guess it is if you look at it this way. I guess me and my parents have different ways of dealing with our anxiety. I feel I need to stick to good practices in order to have the clarity to make the right choices for myself. It seems to be working well but at times I feel like I’m collapsing. It’s clear to me that I need to be spending my time around people who lift up my energy and don’t try to bring it down. ( consciously or not )I guess the goal is to have ”my own life” again – but this time not fall back into this trap.
I’m glad to have my girlfriend by my side – even if she’s currently more than one thousand km away. She’s been very supporting and I feel I can build something good with her. Since she’s started going to therapy she started working on both our relationship and her relationship with her mother. I see good things happening and I have all the best reasons to move forward.I also think we should keep talking through this. I often disconnect.. as you know.. but I’ll try to be more present. I am very grateful for your words and I wish one day I’ll find the right way to make it up to you. Thank you!
Robi
September 22, 2026 at 4:34 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #461075
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Indeed you are right – it is like pressing both the gas pedal and brake at the same time.
I do that.. for sure. Funny thing is.. I even do it in a car when driving fast sometimes. That’s a racing technique called left foot braking. Braking in order to improve traction on the front wheels while exiting a corner. By tapping the brake in a corner the front end gets a little more downforce – therefore more traction. However, full throttle is needed in order for it to work well. If only I could apply this principle to my current life situation, I’d be more than fine. I’d be powerfully accelerating while making sure I have optimum traction to make sure I won’t slip 🙂Anyway! I got a little carried away :)) but I like these analogies.
Café sounds tempting indeed.. but I’m also afraid of getting ”stuck” in a comfy, easy job. I was thinking harder physical jobs would pay better – therefore I could be out of here quicker. ( out of my parents house / out of Romania if something else aligns in Warsaw ). I am still applying for work there also.. and I think Warsaw and living with my girlfriend would serve much better right now than small town Romania, closer to my parents. I feel I need to be independent again.. to be somewhere where I can be further away from my childhood.
Ah.. its all a bit sad and complicated.. This really sucks that it has to be like this…I don’t know.. let’s see. I keep applying here and there.. asking around.. It’ll work out. This time I gotta get moving.. can’t afford not to 🙂
As for Rocky.. yeah.. I wouldn’t wanna go full power for too long.. Only if I knew exactly what I wanted and needed to go full power for a bit in order to get there. But so far, I don’t have such level clarity. But I’m thirsty for that.. I’m thirsty for commitment to something that feels right – to something I truly believe in. Until then.. might just make coffee and play around with my dj-ing at the Café. If they do hire me. Don’t know yet 🙂
September 21, 2026 at 1:15 pm in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #461063
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
I took some time to digest all you’ve wrote to me on Friday. Indeed.. Yes.. Frozen and exhausted indeed. It feels right when I read it.. feels right when I think about it.. even more if I talk about it. ” Freezing is exhausting. Not practicing autonomy is exhausting ” – exactly that.
Thank you!
These days I’ve been talking to people I know here.. in hope to find out more about possible jobs I could take. There are a few options already. I could work in that cafe I like here ( although not sure yet ), I could drive an Uber or I could work as a courier. Part of my wants to take whichever pays the most.. But I could also use a more chilled environment, working with people I like, listening to nice music and making coffee. Part of me wants to ease into it with self compassion and the other feels like Rocky preparing for the fight with Apollo. You know… eating raw eggs in the morning, going for a run, punching those pieces of meat at the meat locker.
I don’t yet know what I’m going to do. So far I’ve been talking to people and asking for suggestions. But the thing is I’m so fed up with my current situation.. and I need to change it. I feel quite overwhelmed with the way I feel, the way my parents are pressuring me.. with having to find work here.. with having to find work which doesn’t look very fulfilling.
But I gotta do something.What do you think about this? What do you think I should do?
Robi
September 18, 2026 at 3:04 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #461019
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
I’ve disconnected once again from this forum… I’ve been absent for months. It bothers and fascinates me in the same time how easy it is to disconnect from the things that are facilitating my growth. Something in me is still stronger. Not every time, not in every aria of my life.. but when it comes to my growth.. surely there are many blockages.
I was telling my girlfriend the other day.. this past year has been really, really difficult. I feel as if this year has dimmed my light so much that I almost forgot about it. The same light that has found its courage to show itself, while I was living in Spain and was slowly getting to know myself has now dimmed almost completely. Comfort kills me. Comfort kills all of us.. slowly but surely. Of course I know that.. who doesn’t? It looks obvious if you put it in a different context. Show me a chair and I’ll tell you sitting on a floor is better for your back. Tempt me to binge-watch Netflix for 3 hours and I’d tell you I’d rather choose to go for a 3 hours nature walk. But here I am uncomfortably comfortable living in my parents house for over a year. I am now unemployed, almost no savings left and living in my parents house. I remember complaining about living in Warsaw, teaching english and not liking all that.. Well.. I find myself often saying I miss those days. I miss being my own person.
I guess I still am that person I’ve been before.. in Spain or Poland. Nothing has been truly lost. Otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this right now.. but Its all so damn rusty. Okay.. enough theatrics.
Thing is.. I gotta get a job. Throughout this year I kept looking for jobs in Warsaw and online but haven’t been very lucky. I don’t feel like getting a job here.. there’s a lot of shame in me and I find it very difficult to picture myself working in my hometown. I don’t want to be seen by many people who might know me working some low end job. Doesn’t make much sense to be honest.. the f*ck do I care about what people think of me. But the shame is there and it’s been there always. There is pressure from every angle to change. My parents are playing all kind of games with both me and my girlfriend. They want me to get a job. And that’s actually great! I want to get a job too.. my girlfriend wants me to get a job.. and so do you! Every single person I know probably wants me to get a job. So why the hell can’t I just get a job?
Not having a job has taken away so much from me. Although I get to enjoy more free time than most people, space to work with my body and mind, sleep as long as I want.. this has become toxic and it doesn’t serve me ( anymore ).
So, I gotta get a job.. and its pretty difficult to walk through the shame and blockages. It’s hard to start at the bottom when you’re 33. I wish I’ve done it when I was 23. I wish i’ve done it when I was 30.. or even a year ago. I know people do it all the time… some younger.. some older than me. Still, it’s difficult.Throughout the last months I’ve spent quite a lot of time with my girlfriend. I’ve been in Poland for about a month and after that she came here for quite a few weeks. It’s been good.. and I feel lucky and blessed to have her in my life. And my interests in other women.. I’m so glad nothing has happened with any other. I now see why I get disconnected from my girlfriend.. even from this forum and why its easy to look elsewhere and think it feels right. And.. it might feel right.. but not for my growth.. not for my becoming closer to myself.. closer to that light that wants to come out.
I have everything I need.. I just don’t know how to use it with confidence and patience. And.. to be honest.. I don’t exactly feel like cultivating confidence and learn how to patiently take each step knowing that it’s taking me home.. even if at times it might not look like things are moving at all. No one has taught me how to do that.. schooling system doesn’t do that.. obviously. As for my parents.. well..
I guess I don’t have much of an option but to jump. I gotta get a job. I’m thinking something more physical and dynamic.. something that can provide me with money quickly and there is not much learning period needed. I gotta get moving fast.
I’m thinking maybe driving.. or working somewhere in some warehouse.. I just don’t feel like having a very public – connecting to many people kind of job. As I said.. I feel a lot of shame around being seen by others performing low end jobs… so maybe its okay not to have too much of a spotlight for now. Of course I could just go all the way and fight this demon all the way.. maybe get the most exposure I can get.. but what for? What I need is to get unstuck. Also.. I’m quite tired emotionally.. It would be like leg day at the gym after having just finished a marathon.So… unless some good opportunity comes from Warsaw.. and I can go work there and live with my girlfriend.. for now, I gotta get a job here. She’ll be coming to see me every month for a few days, maybe for a week.. and I’ll also need to be moving out. We’ve decided not to be in this house together anymore. I’ll be seeing my girlfriend in different circumstances than these here.
Today I’ll be asking around friends.. maybe they could provide me with some clarity around what jobs I could rely on for building my financial independence.. Who knows? Maybe it won’t be that difficult after all.Okay.. now I feel quite heavy and drained. It only shows me how heavy these words are for me right now. I’ll be writing here soon 🙂
Let me know how you’ve been these months. How’s the beagle? They are quite a handful and require a lot of attention but very rewarding – like a Ferrari. And.. Anita.. you were right. You were right all this time when you’ve told me not to come back here. I hate the fact you were right though and I thought I knew better than to fall into this trap..Damn it!
Take good care of yourself 🙂
RobiJune 28, 2026 at 7:25 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458954
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Took some days to rest a little.. but hasn’t been that easy. I don’t feel like spending my days like this anymore. I’ll need to make up my mind and move on. Not sure if I’ll be going to Warsaw or staying here.. but I need to get going one way or another. Not sure if I want to carry on with the relationship either.. these days I feel like I don’t really care anymore. I sometimes feel this relationship has become a burden to me.. and I would feel much litter without it..
Damn.. nothing seems to make sense anymore.
How are u these days?June 22, 2026 at 12:13 pm in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458826
Robi1992ParticipantI have no idea.. right now I don’t really feel I want to connect to her.. Of course would be nice if things worked out but I don’t quite know how that could happen. I guess as long as her mother plays such role in her life not much will change from her side… Of course there are other reasons too..
I feel I need some rest. some deep rest.
June 22, 2026 at 10:53 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458821
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
I’d say I resonate with this quite a lot, yes. I’ll look closer into that. Thank you 🙂
I’ve been asked earlier If I’d like to resume talking to my girlfriend today.. but I think I’ll postpone that for tomorrow.. Right now I don’t feel at all I’d like to connect to her.How are u doing?
June 22, 2026 at 2:25 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458809
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita and Roberta,
Well, it didn’t go as I thought it would and I’ve been rejected by this other woman. It came as a surprise – I was almost sure there was something else there. Damn.. I wonder how did I misinterpret this one. From what I understand she wants to be on her own right now.. so.. that’s that.
As for my long distance relationship.. we haven’t yet resumed talking.. but I’m not sure. Right now I might need a little more time.. And.. what it is that kept us together all this time? That’s a good question. I don’t quite know to be honest.. not with my curent foggy mind and heart at least..
Damn it things are so complicated these days 🙂
June 21, 2026 at 11:26 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458795
Robi1992ParticipantSo..
I just god home and poured myself a glass of wine. Took me a while to transfer it from a big barrel to a bottle through a small hose. I’m not very good at that but I’m planning to learn more about wine making and all.
The conversation didn’t go as planned. I wasn’t able to tell her much.. She was pretty busy working and when she wasn’t I found it very difficult to casually tell her. There’s something very interesting going on. I feel this strong tension between us.. which is not a bad thing.. its just very intense. Should I call it sexual tension? Well.. I’m pretty sure that’s it but this time feels a little different. I don’t know. I feel a strong pull towards her and I also feel her being very nervous around me. I’ve been there before.. my current girlfriend was just like that when we were first talking to each other.. but this time feels stronger and different. So I wasn’t able to tell her.. and perhaps better? So I asked her for her phone number so maybe we can meet one of the next days. But I kinda feel I want to get this off my chest and I’m going to send her a message tonight. I’ll just tell her how I feel and see what she says. To be honest I feel she’s afraid.. or shy.. and maybe telling her in person wouldn’t have been the best thing. I feel its better to break the ice this way.. I’m almost convinced she’s also attracted to me.. I can see that.. but of course.. what If I’m wrong? I could be wrong.. but somehow I feel almost sure.
So let’s see. It’s a good test for me too, to see how well I pick up on what’s going on around me.
As for my current girlfriend… tomorrow we’re supposed to resume talking to each other… but I’m not sure what I’m going to do…What a crazy weekend….
As for the bar… nah.. Alicante didn’t have anything as cool as Cafe del Mar…However, It was the closest thing to it! Its called Xiringuito Postiguet Alicante 🙂June 21, 2026 at 6:58 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458784
Robi1992ParticipantWell… I guess you’re right…
We took a little break for a few days and tomorrow we will resume contact.. but maybe I could use a longer break..
I have mixed feelings.. I wanted to go visit her in Poland for a month or so.. like.. next week. But I’m not so sure its such a good idea right now.I’ll see. I’m thinking I might take some steps towards this other woman today. Yesterday we agreed on meeting at the cafe today.. I don’t know.. I might just tell her I feel attracted to her and see what’s what. I feel I have no more space for playing things cool or anything like that. Some simple honesty feels alright these days.
Interesting fact, Cafe del Mar from Ibiza turned 46 yesterday. Not sure this thing is popular in the US or not. That place is my inspiration for the cafe-bistro.. which might happen on the shores of the Cincis Lake form Hunedoara one day..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLjuVkdHIsU&t=786 – cafe del mar 😉
June 20, 2026 at 2:00 pm in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458778
Robi1992ParticipantWhy is life so complicated?
I don’t f*cking know. It certainly appears to be very complicated indeed. And that pisses me off..June 20, 2026 at 1:27 pm in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458776
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Well, today we spent some time together talking about all kinds of things.. I don’t know.. I feel a lot of pull towards her.. and I also think she’s attracted to me too. I don’t know, I could be wrong – these days I’m so tired and confused that I might not pick up on everything very well.. We talked for a couple hours.. and I felt good talking to her.. we even touched on relationships.. a topic she opened. I did feel like I wanted to make a move and kiss her a few times.. I kinda felt like she wouldn’t mind that at all.. But who knows? Maybe I’m just imagining that. Her relationship with her mother seems quite different from the one my girlfriend has with hers.. and I feel we have many things in common actually.. But I feel both blocked and excited..
On the other hand, right now.. I don’t really feel anything specifically towards my current girlfriend. I feel.. numb.. and I feel no excitement at all.. We’ve been fighting a lot and things have been so tough..I don’t know what I’m gonna do.. I might see this woman tomorrow again.. but I’m not sure what I’m going to do..
June 20, 2026 at 5:31 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458774
Robi1992ParticipantI’ve just discovered the word ”enticing” – I had no idea what it meant.
Will see… meanwhile.. I’m spending some time in a cafe some friends opened a while ago… and its really nice.. I enjoy the vibe, the music ( which I mainly take care of :)) ) the community..
There is however something.. There’s this woman who works there.. and I feel a strong pull towards her.. I’ve felt it for months seeing her here and there.. We don’t really know each other well… we talk sometimes but I feel she is also attracted to me. I feel strange about it.. I feel I want to step closer to her. I often think of her… but I won’t want to be dishonest towards my girlfriend.. who is in Poland. Our relationship isn’t great at the moment… we decided to take a few days off from talking.. so we can feel things a little better. We are both burned out from heavy arguments.
I feel I don’t know what to do. I feel both guilt and excitement. Damn it!
Anyway.. this is where I’m at this weekend..
How are u doing?
RobiJune 19, 2026 at 6:14 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458748
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Yeah, I named him. I’ve had a 1984 W123 Merc when I was 18.. It was my second car. First car was a Dacia which I’ve modified to go racing on the street. Such crazy years those were… Then, I thought I had my life ahead of me.. And I did. That’s still true today I guess.. but the feeling has changed. Now I just want some peace :))
I know a thing or two about the effects of alcohol on my social life. When I was living in Spain the majority of my social interactions were lubricated by alcohol. I felt good when drinking, I was less inhibited and didn’t feel self conscious. Then there was ecstasy. That happened on occasion.. whenever I would go to a bigger party with some friends and someone had some. That was just.. next level of connectedness. Then I felt truly complete.. as if everything is perfectly aligned. I felt full acceptance for everything and everyone. But I guess I’ve never cherished that feeling enough to get into regular use of any drugs.. I just saw it for what it was. I do miss those things sometimes. Its been years since I’ve done anything like that.
Alcohol has been always around in my life… when I was 13 I got into a coma because of drinking too much alcohol ( believe it or not…) It was kind of an accident.. I didn’t know I could almost die from drinking a few glasses of home made vodka. I ended up in the hospital – I was pretty lucky.
Have I learned my lesson?
No. Course not. Later on in my late teens I was getting drunk at parties, later on in Uni.. and well.. Spain… There I got completely immersed into the realm of alcoholic beverages. I began to develop more sophisticated preferences and got more into wine… but during the pandemic I took a good break from it. I always known I was drinking a little too much and felt pretty drained the next day. So.. pandemic was good. Pandemic was real good. I started eating well, working out and stopped drinking.
After that alcohol has become a every now and then kinda thing… I even had long breaks.. like months without alcohol. Now I fine tuned a little.. Now I have a glass or 2 every now and then when I’m in good company.. but that’s about it. Same goes for cigarettes.For a while I identified with the image of a non alcoholic person who takes care of his body and does only healthy stuff. And.. yea.. it kinda felt good.. but I also felt bored. That was just some bullshit spiritual ego. I guess all is good in smaller measures..
I make wine with my dad every year.. we have some grapevine and we make a decent quantity of red wine. Its pretty good.. that’s what I’m drinking these days… Well.. once a week or so..Ah yea.. u asked me about the cafe bistro thing..
Yes.. I’d very much like to own my own a place like that. I’d like to design it myself.. and I’d like to always play nice music in the background. Some days I’d like to do House or Balearic Chillout Dj sets there.. as background music. Yea.. that would be pretty nice 🙂 I’d channel my passion for sound and esthetics into a place that could serve a good place for community building.. Yea that sounds alright..How are u today?
June 17, 2026 at 1:57 pm in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #458682
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Good to hear from you and I’m sorry to hear your social life has decreased so much.. Mine did too when I was in Poland. Now it god much better here in Romania. I also have a couple places I really like going to.. in Spain, in Poland and now here too. I seem to get very attached to places. These last years I’ve been spending a lot of time in cafės and bistrós. One day I hope I’ll end up having my own 🙂
Bogart the beagle sounds nice! I had a beagle too.. when I was dating that German girl. She took him to Germany when we parted.. I really, really enjoyed our time together. ( me and Benz the beagle I mean ) And yes… Benz as in Karl Benz -> Mercedes Benz. Beagles are capable of such close connection with humans.. they are so playful and honest. These days I’m surrounded by cats.. we have 2 here and I took 10 days off living in the house with my parents and lived in a friend’s flat until he came back from Mexico. I took care of his cats. I also took care of myself. Today I came back to the house.. not feeling particularly good about it.. missing the times I lived somewhere else..
I’ll get unstuck. Its a process but its okay, I’ll figure it out.
I hope you’ll find a nice replacement for those places you used to go to and keep going out. It sounds like something you enjoy doing 🙂
Take good care,
Robi -
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