STRATEGY:
	
WHAT	ARE	YOU	AVOIDING?
As	we’ve	seen,	avoidance	and	escape	only	beget	more	avoidance.	The
avoidance	loop	continues	because	it’s	a	habit	that	becomes	unconscious.	A
helpful	step	is	to	consciously	identify	what	you’re	avoiding	so	you	are	no
longer	doing	it	on	autopilot.
Take	a	moment	to	reflect	on	your	patterns	of	avoidance.	What	do	you
avoid	that	only	causes	you	problems	in	the	long	run?	Here	are	clues	that
suggest	you’re	ducking	something	that	matters	or	has	meaning	to	you:
•
	
Saying	you	will	do	something	but	then	not	following	through.
•
	
Procrastination:	delaying	a	task	until	tomorrow	…	then	the	next	day	…	and
the	next.
•
	
Making	rationalizations,	justifications,	and	excuses	for	why	you	can’t	do
something.	(“My	alarm	clock	didn’t	wake	me	up.”)
•
	
Wasting	energy/time	on	trivial	thoughts,	tasks,	and	interactions	as	a	way	to
distract	you	from	what	you	should	or	need	to	be	doing.
•
	
Frequently	telling	others,	or	yourself,	that	you	don’t	feel	well	physically
and	that’s	why	you	can’t	do	something.
Make
	
a	list	in	your	notebook	of	what	you	avoid.	Keep	this	focus	top	of	mind,