Written By Don Shetterly
This subject is one I still haven't fully learned. Maybe it is because it is a human condition that we employ when things get a little too tough. Avoidance is one of my go-to-coping skills, but when I avoid things, I tend to make them worse. It was my survival tactic growing up in a world full of trauma and abuse.
Take for example the recent tooth pain that I kept trying to mask and ignore. I found ways to compensate for it that kept me disconnected from it. I'm amazed at just how far I went so I didn't have to deal with it. I avoided it instead, and by doing this, I've probably caused myself a lot more expense.
Avoidance is being employed by almost everyone at record setting paces these days. Times are tough in life right now. We are going through horrible moments as a civilization on this planet. The atmosphere and energy all around are divisive and toxic. Everywhere you look there is something that is upsetting. Even if you try to distance yourself from all of it, the feeling of that toxic energy is still prevalent.
We Turn To Things That Distract Us...
To deal with it, we do as I did on the tooth pain. We turn to things that distract us and keep us from dealing with reality. We consume things to help give us comfort. We act all happy and smiles when we're crumbling inside. We put our attention on anything but the moment that is happening before us because it is just too difficult.
Avoidance can be good in the short term. It may help you get from one moment to the next so you can deal with the issue. However, when we continue to avoid the issues that are troubling, we only do harm to our body, mind, and spirit. We take in the toxic poison as if it is our sustenance, thereby hurting us for years to come.
Avoidance brings us out of consciousness and awareness. It puts us in the passenger seat instead of being in control of our life. When we are out of control, the fear and panic and despair set in causing us further long term effects.
During these times of immense stress and toxic poisoning, we owe it to ourselves to reverse the course. There are things we can do to help alleviate it and take care of ourselves, rather than just giving in to what is happening.
Here are some things that help in moments like this.
- Try spending some time outdoors listening to the birds and feeling the rays of the sun upon your face. Try feeling the wind or breeze on your skin and just feel every bit of it that you can.
- Trying focusing on your breathing for 30 seconds or a minute at various times during your day. Connect and feel your breath. This does not need to be elaborate and can be very simple. The act of stopping and noticing your breath can be very centering and be grounding in your body.
- Learn to disengage from the toxic conversations occurring online for they are not as helpful as they may seem. They get the body and mind all revved up as if you are going into battle. Online conversations do little but fuel the fire and hatred that is so prevalent in our society these days. If you disengage, you are stating to yourself that you are valuable and worth more.
- Learn to shut off the TV because the news is not enlightening as you may think. The videos and sounds and opinions stated are meant to engage you into an emotional reaction. The more you keep your emotions wound up to the max, the less you are connected to your body. In time, it leads to avoidance of your mind and body.
We all have choices we make. We may or may not be conscious and aware of them, but we make these decisions every day. Either we employ avoidance, or we stand up and choose differently what we engage with in a day and all that we take in with each moment we are alive.
You don't' have to hide your head in the sand to what is going on, but a fraction of the toxic poisoning these days is more than enough. It may help to picture yourself drinking a glass of toxic poisoning each time you engage with what is going on in the world. However, before long the effects of the poisoning would be felt.
If we want to change the world, we need to stop avoiding life and learn how to give our mind and body a choice of rest and peace, comfort, and love. We need to choose wisely because if we don't, we will pass the point of no return, and then it will be difficult to find our balance.
What are some ways you avoid difficult things in life? What do you do to deal with them? Share your thoughts in a comment below.
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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly
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