(view from my flight yesterday...)
Happy Friday!
Have you ever avoided something in your life? 🤔
Now be honest…
(And if you answered NO – I would love to meet you! As I’ve yet to meet someone who has never avoided anything in their life…)
The tough conversation.
Your taxes.
Eating your vegetables!
So perhaps the better question to ask is:
What was the last thing you avoided? And why was it you avoided it?!?
We avoid things for many reasons.
Perhaps you can relate to one of the following:
- You don’t like doing it.
- You’re scared to do it.
- You don’t know how to do it.
- You don’t know where to start.
- It makes you uncomfortable.
- It’s just not the right time.
- You just don’t have the time.
- There just always seems to be something else more important…
Whatever the reason – it tends to be a black and white sort of situation.
I don’t know how, so I can’t.
I don’t have time, so I won’t.
I don’t know where to start, so I’m not.
Instead of looking at it in a binary way – either I’m facing it head on, tackling it full out, going all in – or not at all… let’s be open to looking at it in a different way.
Maybe it doesn’t have to be ALL or NOTHING.
Maybe it could be a question of making it a little less overwhelming, a little less intimidating, a little less anxiety-producing.
And, maybe it could be BOTH.
I don’t know how, and, I am committed to taking the first step.
I don’t have time, and, I am committed to finding 10 minutes on my calendar to brainstorm all of the steps I need to take.
Last week I asked you a few questions, in an effort to do a little audit on your life. And the last question I asked you to commit to ONE SMALL ACTION, that would take 5 minutes or less, which you could do in the next 24 hours, and would begin to move the needle forward just a little bit.
It’s tough to have ‘Do my taxes’ on your to-do list, but it’s easier to write ‘Schedule 15 minutes on my calendar to identify all of the paperwork and information needed to do my taxes.’
Instead of running away from something, try to walk towards something.
Stop avoiding, and start approaching, slowly..
As a good friend of mine would say,
Walk slowly.
Tread lightly.
Avoiding those tough things won’t make them go away. And the longer you avoid and the farther you run, the bigger the thing becomes.
So, here’s your homework this week:
- Identify what it is you’re avoiding (yes, that hard thing!)
- Reframe from ‘I’m scared, so I can’t’ (or whatever the reason you’ve been using to justify for far too long now!) to ‘I am scared, and, I’m still committed to figuring it out.’
- Choose your first, small step of action
- Take this first step, small step!
- Finally, CELEBRATE when you do!
Stop avoiding, and start approaching.
Walk slowly, tread lightly.
And get your brave on already!
You’ve got this, and I look forward to hearing what you’re taking on in the comments below! 🙌
Have a FAB week!
