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Avoidance

Face What You’ve Been Avoiding with Compassion

Avoidance can provide short-term relief from discomfort while allowing a task, decision, conversation, or feeling to grow heavier over time. It may look like delay, distraction, withdrawal, over-preparing, or repeatedly waiting for the perfect moment. This worksheet helps you identify what the avoidance is protecting you from and choose a step that is compassionate rather than punishing.

Make the avoided task smaller until the next step feels specific and manageable.

I gently face what I’ve been avoiding, knowing courage creates freedom.
  1. 1

    What am I currently avoiding, and what emotions come up when I think about facing it?

  2. 2

    What am I afraid might happen if I stop avoiding it?

  3. 3

    How did I learn that avoidance was a safer option than dealing with discomfort?

  4. 4

    What impact has this avoidance had on my growth, relationships, or overall well-being?

  5. 5

    What is one small, compassionate step I can take toward facing this today?

What did I avoid today, and what might it be asking me to see?