I was born and raised in the state of Pennsylvania; so recent front-page headlines in the world of collegiate sports left me initially shaking my head and feeling bewilderment. After the shock started to wear off I took pen in hand and this article arose.

Denial, in the short term, can be a way to avoid hurting our self and people we care about. It is something that anyone and everyone can be taken in by. And, while it won\’t kill us, it can certainly dampen ones day, and eventually, ones life.

It is important to recognize the difference between denial and skepticism. Skepticism involves researching the facts before jumping to conclusions. It\’s a healthy and necessary skill. Denial involves downplaying or completely ignoring known facts to the detriment of things such as ones finances, relationships, or physical and/or mental health.

Many of us can be contentedly unaware of how much we stonewall “what is”. We may say that we want honesty, yet our reactions to the truth may leave others wishing they’d told a lie. And sometimes our reactions to white lies or fibs often lead people to continue rebuffing the obvious truth.

When we don’t fully appreciate the degree of our own inner strength, we may think we need the comfort that comes from the person who tells us what we want to hear (even if it’s not true). In many cases, we simply don’t trust in our ability to handle the truth.

It is important to recognize that denial about any situation most likely occurred for a pertinent reason. Denial is often a defense mechanism that pops up because, for some reason, a person isn\’t able to handle something. Denial can be a perfect solution for coping with a situation that seems ghastly, hopeless, out of control or overwhelming.

A dictionary definition of physiological denial is; “an unconscious defense mechanism used to reduce anxiety by denying thoughts, feelings, or facts that are consciously intolerable”.

In many ways, denial is a form of living a lie. Living a lie has very real, and usually detrimental, repercussions and it often takes a lot of effort to sustain.

As you probably already have experienced, there can be some risks of living in denial. You can be unpleasantly taken by surprise when you come face-to-face with the fact that what you thought was true actually isn\’t. You may also be emotionally or physically (or in other ways) zinged; causing one to feel like you’re up a creek without a paddle!

Trying to keep up the denial facade might also contribute to ones feeling stressed and “spent” do to emotional exhaustion. Becoming physically sick, depressed or perhaps relying on outside influences like alcohol, drugs or other ill fitted distractions to \”get by\” may be indicators something is amiss.

Remember, there\’s nothing especially \”wrong or right” about living in denial. A question one might desire to consider, however, is \”What kind of life could I have if I choose NOT to live in this way?\” This is a choice that each one of us gets to make.

Mary Kay is available for private consultations, speaking engagements, etc. Be sure to visit her website http://www.SFGTD.com and sign up for her *FREE* Monthly Newsletter. Ignite your presence, and live in a whole new world of simplicity, ease and enjoyment!

Mary Kay is available for private consultations, speaking engagements, etc. Be sure to visit her website http://www.SFGTD.com and sign up for her *FREE* Monthly Newsletter. Ignite your presence, and live in a whole new world of simplicity, ease and enjoyment!

Author Bio: Mary Kay is available for private consultations, speaking engagements, etc. Be sure to visit her website http://www.SFGTD.com and sign up for her *FREE* Monthly Newsletter. Ignite your presence, and live in a whole new world of simplicity, ease and enjoyment!

Category: Advice
Keywords: denial, skeptism,self help,happiness,simple life, life made simple, mary kay buttery, sfgtd