Optional focus
Attachment
Look at moments of waiting or checking and the choice you want for yourself.
An everyday example
A reply from someone close is being awaited. The phone is opened repeatedly even though no new message has arrived, interrupting an evening activity.
The personal thought in this example
I cannot carry on until I check whether they have replied.
A connected question
What do you notice just before checking, and what other choice could be acceptable on this occasion?
From a question to a small attempt
What could be tried
The moment of waiting and the need for contact can be named without judgement. A small alternative might be finishing a short activity before checking again or taking a pause with attention on an object nearby. The person chooses the length and kind of attempt.
What to check afterwards
Did the alternative fit, and was there room to try it? A plan, an actual attempt and repeated checking are reported separately. The other person’s reply remains outside the exercise’s control.
An important boundary
Needing other people is not a moral failing or a diagnosis. Forced independence or automatically ending the relationship is not the goal; one specific moment and a personal choice are examined.