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Explore how emotional trust is rebuilt and why it takes time.
The Cost of Remaining Open
Remaining open leaves traces.
Small marks accumulate—attention given, tolerance extended, boundaries flexed.
None of this is dramatic, yet the cost registers.
You are not depleted because openness is a mistake, but because openness requires continual adjustment.
Acknowledge cost with DojoWell.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the "cost" of staying emotionally open?
The "cost" is a reduction in your system’s "filtering capacity." Staying open means the Narrative & Identity system is receiving all incoming social and emotional signals without its usual armor. While this allows for deep connection, it also exposes you to "loop contamination" from others' stressors. The Meaning Density Model™ identifies this internal cost to help you realize that "openness" is an active, expensive choice that requires regular periods of closure and "self-settlement" to remain sustainable.
How can I afford to stay open?
By budgeting your "integration energy." You cannot stay open to everyone at all times. In this model, you practice "selective openness." You choose specific "safe loops" where the meaning density is high, and you "close the entry band" in high-trigger environments. This "structural management" ensures that you have enough energy to integrate the connections that truly matter, preventing the "meaning debt" that comes from being over-exposed to low-density social noise.