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How Brene Brown's "FFT" Can Help With Eczema & TSW

Ashley Ann Lora's avatar image

By Ashley Ann Lora

3 min read

The other day, I was skimming through something educational to listen to when I saw that Brene Brown had her very own podcast called, “Unlocking Us.” Now, if you don’t know Brene Brown, she is the BOMB!!! I mean this woman’s background, research, books, TED talks, and personality overall are inspiring, uplifting, and life-changing.

Anyways, I was listening and learning about a concept she calls “FFT”. (Now prep yourself for what it means as it requires mature audiences only). DRUM ROLL PLEASE… FFT stands for F*cking First Times (or for non-mature audiences, you can use “Terrible First Times”).

What is FFT?

FFT’s purpose is to bring us into awareness when our emotions are screaming uncertainty, confusion, frustration, and lack of understanding. This awareness gives us an opportunity to practice presence, compassion, and perspective on what is happening at the moment.

Applying FFT to eczema and TSW

Here are a few scenarios where you would apply FFT to what you’re going through with eczema/TSW:

  • You’re frustrated because your eczema is flaring up again out of nowhere. Maybe you ate an apple and got contact dermatitis or maybe you just simply stepped outside and now all of a sudden you’re itchy. FFT!
  • You’re going through TSW and can’t see the end of your suffering. You are feeling hopeless, discouraged, and wondering if you’ll ever really heal. FFT!
  • You tried a new treatment and were disappointed by the results. In frustration, you think to yourself, “now what?” FFT!
  • You feel unsupported by your partner, family, or co-workers. You feel as though they don’t understand your situation and what you're going through. FFT!
A four-step process Again, FFT is bringing the situation to the forefront. It’s having us understand that this is our first time going through something like this and it gives us an opportunity to practice compassion, understanding, and patience.Here is the four-step process Brene Brown uses when it comes to FFT and how you can apply it to your healing from eczema/TSW:1. Name it!Call out that your current situation with eczema/TSW is an FFT. As the meaning-making machines we are, we like to label things in order to get a better understanding of who we are and the situation we are in. Naming a situation "FFT" allows us to break down the situation we've been presented with and consciously go through the motions necessary to bring forth ease and peace.2. Normalize it!Let yourself know that this is exactly how going through eczema/TSW is supposed to feel. Normalize that feeling confused, frustrated, and uncertain is okay. “Of course” we feel this way because we can’t draw on history or experience to solve the situation at hand.3. Put it into perspectiveUnderstand that what you’re going through is temporary. There have been others who have been able to manage their eczema and even experience deep and sustainable healing. Think to yourself, “this is temporary and not permanent. I can and I am healing.”4. Reality check your expectationsYou probably didn’t expect to go through what you’re going through. Maybe healing from eczema/TSW is taking longer than you had anticipated. It’s time to create expectations that are realistic. It’s thinking, “Maybe I won’t be cured tomorrow, but by changing certain habits today, I am one step closer to better managing my eczema/TSW tomorrow.”This journey of healing from eczema/TSW is a total FFT! Let’s acknowledge it, normalize it, put it into perspective, and reality check our expectations. And then let’s continue to heal.Happy healing mindset, family!

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This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The AtopicDermatitis.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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