Episode 35
Feeling Numb Instead of Sad? It's Okay If You Need the Pause
We often talk about grief, sadness, or anxiety – but what about numbness? That quiet, disconnected feeling where everything feels flat and nothing really lands.
This short reflection reminds you that numbness isn’t a flaw. It’s a signal. A pause. A way your body and mind protect you when things are too much to process fully. Feeling numb doesn’t mean you’re broken – it means you’re human.
You’re allowed to honor that space without rushing through it. You can feel what you feel — or not – and still be okay.
Subscribe to "It’s Okay If…" on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Transcript
00:06
Hey, this is It's Okay If, bite-sized permission slips. I'm Matt Gilhooly, and today's permission, it's okay if you feel numb, not sad. We talk a lot about sadness, grief, anger, anxiety, but what about numbness? That quiet, flat feeling where you're not overwhelmed, you're just disconnected.
00:31
I've had those days where nothing feels particularly bad, nothing feels particularly good either. Where it's hard to tap into joy or grief or anything in between. And for a long time I thought numbness was a problem that I had to fix. Like it meant something was broken. But here's what I've come to believe. Numbness is a signal. It's your body, your mind, saying, I need a minute. I need space. I can't process everything right now.
01:00
It's a protective pause, not a failure. So if today you're feeling numb, disconnected, not fully here, that's okay. You're not wrong for feeling that way. You don't have to force yourself to snap out of it. Give yourself permission to float a little, to be quiet, to feel what you feel or not. So if you have the space for it, tell yourself, I give myself permission to feel numb.
01:29
to honor this pause without judgment. That's your permission slip, friend. Tuck it in your pocket and I'll see you next time.
