Day 12 - Avoid No Longer!

Small thing for today... Do that one thing you keep avoiding! Or at least take a step in the right direction.


This can be so difficult yet so freeing once you do it! What is that one thing you've been putting off for what feels like forever? Is it having a hard conversation with someone who hurt you? Or is it organizing your files for tax season? What about researching a potential new career path?

It can be one of many things but for some reason, something has been holding you back from moving forward in a particular area. Depending on the subject of the avoidance, perhaps you simply lack the time to get it done. My husband and I have been insanely busy the past few weeks with some exciting new things happening in our lives. But, with that, we have also been putting off chores around the house, getting our files in order, going through mail etc. And while it has been a conscious choice to avoid those things, the stacks that are piling up are stressing us out! If we would just go through them, not only would we de-clutter our lives, but we would feel so much better on the whole. Plus, if we would just take the time to go through things little-by-little, we wouldn't have to spend so much time later.

Or are you dealing with more of an emotional pain? Has someone hurt you and you are having trouble finding the words to express how you feel? Are you avoiding the inevitable risk of sharing your feelings with someone and experiencing either a lack of understanding or rejection in return? Having those emotional kinds of conversations are incredibly difficult but the truth is, once you deal with your fear and take that risk, the rewards are often worth it. The thing is, whether you get the result you're looking for or not, merely confronting the issue will enable that weight to be lifted from your shoulders.

Perhaps you're aware that there is a yearning inside of you for something more... something different... but the idea of actually pursuing it just seems impossible. Maybe it's going back to school or pursuing a promotion or a new career path all together. Try this: You don't have to turn your life upside down today. Or tomorrow. But what if you were to start looking into the possibilities today. You can afford to be a little noncommittal at first. Just take the first step!

There comes a point in life where we have to confront our fears and the little things in life that we find ourselves avoiding. Is it easy? Well, some things are. You just have to make a decision to do it and follow through. But some are absolutely not easy. In fact, not only are the acts themselves scary but the potential repercussions are even more frightening. But once you deal with whatever it is you haven't wanted to deal with, that dreaded issue loses some of its power and it is no longer so feared in the future.

So your exercise for today is to take one step forward toward working through the avoided task in your life. Some of you will read this, call your loved one and work out whatever has been bothering you. Others of you won't feel ready for that so perhaps you could journal about your fears, debrief with a friend, create a plan etc. Just do something! This series is all about the little things we can do to build some momentum and make positive changes in your lives!

Let me know how it goes!