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Bad feelings Quote by Rob Dobrenski

“Pretend that you’re the paddle and the rubber ball is your feelings. When something bad happens to us, our natural instinct is to try to push the bad feelings away. It’s like we hit the rubber ball as hard as possible to make it vanish, but the harder we hit it, the stronger and faster the ball…” quote by Rob Dobrenski
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““Pretend that you’re the paddle and the rubber ball is your feelings. When something bad happens to us, our natural instinct is to try to push the bad feelings away. It’s like we hit the rubber ball as hard as possible to make it vanish, but the harder we hit it, the stronger and faster the ball bounces back. It’s like the ball doesn’t want to leave us. Grief feelings are like that. They need to sit still and be understood. The good news is that if we talk about your feelings, we can make many negative aspects of the ball disappear.””

Rob Dobrenski

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About This Quote

Emotions, especially grief, resist suppression and rebound more intensely when forced away; acknowledging and discussing them reduces their power.

In simple terms: Feelings must be faced, not repelled.

Key Takeaway

Sit with emotions to diminish their grip.

Themes

grief emotional processing acceptance psychological resilience mindfulness

Mood

reflective empathetic hopeful

Type

advice metaphor psychological insight

When to use this quote

  • after a loss
  • during conflict
  • in therapy
  • when overwhelmed

Key Concepts

rubber ball metaphor push‑pull dynamic dialogue as therapeutic tool

Practical Applications

  • counseling sessions
  • self‑reflection journaling

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does naming a feeling change its impact?
  • What practices help you stay present with discomfort?

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