Dr Emily - The Risk of Avoiding Risk

Taking a risk, by definition, is hard. A lot of us spend most of our life avoiding risks, under the assumption that it’s the ‘safe’ thing to do.

As Dr Em explains, we have an evolutionary instinct for self-preservation; tendencies to overestimate danger and underestimate our ability to cope; and we often have early childhood experiences and messages around safety that can coalesce into ‘playing it safe’ behaviours.

In this episode, Dr Em reveals that paradoxically, if we spend our whole life avoiding risk, then we are guaranteeing a less engaged, less fulfilling, less ‘lived’ life than we are capable of. That in fact, avoiding risk, is the biggest risk of all.

Dr Em, also offers strategies to guide us in the direction of letting a little more risk into our everyday lives.

There is a lot mentioned in this episode, find it all below:

🎧 Previous episodes of The Imperfects

- Tim Minchin - Lucky to be here https://link.chtbl.com/6kCw7ZR0
- Adam Grant - The potential of your potential https://link.chtbl.com/eUA4IJCh
- Gina Chick - Don’t fight life https://link.chtbl.com/Ginachick
- Pat Cummins - Love, loss & Life https://link.chtbl.com/o_uN8l_H
- Martin “Rac” Heppell - The other F word…FAILURE

📺 Things to watch

- Tim Minchin - Play it Safe https://bit.ly/44PnJc4
- Moana https://bit.ly/4bJZyy2

🎧 Things to listen to

- How i work - Amantha Imber, https://bit.ly/3WNGxXw

📖 Things to read

- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy here https://bit.ly/3wE7nqm

🛒 Things to buy

- The Resilience Project & Dr Em’s - 6 Month Wellbeing Journal https://bit.ly/3K8Z9cK

00:00 - Playing it Safe is Actually More Dangerous
09:07 - The Safest Man in Safetown
18:50 - Going Against the Grain
27:00 - Risks are Paramount for Progress
30:29 - Tolerating vs Accepting Discomfort
42:32 - The Avalanche of Overwhelm (Relax, and Go With It)
48:12 - If Not Now, When?
52:48 - Keep On Track With Your Values

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ZmSCzs...

Instagram: @theimperfectspodcast

The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.