Ress does a check-in for people who stay emotionally “near the exit door,” reflecting on hyper-independence, comfort with solitude, and difficulty imagining consistent, non-wavering love . Today's episode looks at the sometimes over-lapping line of genuinely enjoying solitude to using solitude to prep for rejection. Ress discuss' the “strong friend” who carries others’ emotional weight while being overlooked, and describe how rehearsing breakups and keeping contingency plans can block trust and receiving support. Listeners are encouraged to use an explained exercise to practice scaling down from ideals that feel too far out of reach like picturing “forever” to smaller, believable experiences of consistency, practice receiving, diversify support systems, and gather evidence that it’s safe to relax and “put your bags down.”