Most of Our Suffering Comes From Avoidance
Avoid avoidance, lean into your truth
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When most people hear the word “avoidance”, I think they believe they are avoiding conflict and hardships.
In actuality, they may be avoiding responsibility, opportunity and growth… they may actually be avoiding the “good stuff”… they may be avoiding life.
What do I mean?
Well, I think as humans, we “avoid” because we’re afraid of what we’ll find out about ourselves or others, or maybe we’re afraid of how we may feel in any given situation.
However, did you ever stop to think that by leaning into something, you go on a whole journey of discovery… one that prompts you to look at who you really are, what you really want, what you really deserve, what needs to be done, what needs to be worked on, what needs your energy and attention, who needs your energy and attention and where you want to go.
This is intention my friends… and intention is not to be feared, it is to be respected.
We cannot build health, wealth and happiness without leaning into all the things that create them… and we cannot lean into creating until we observe our own role in each of these areas…
What’s more important is that we must show grace for ourselves no matter what the starting point is, otherwise we’ll worry about what the world thinks more than what we think… hence, avoidance sets in.
So, why is this topic so important other than the obvious?
Well, if you’re a consistent reader of this letter, and my work in general, then you understand that the fastest way to our dreams is through movement and taking on the things we don’t know.
You want to be wealthy but you don’t know how to budget, invest or create diversified income… okay… start leaning in and taking the time to learn.
You want to be healthy but you don’t know about nutrition, exercise, how the body works or immunity… okay… start leaning in and taking the time to learn.
You want to be happy but you don’t know what you want for your life, who you want to spend it with and what feels most inline with your purpose… okay… start leaning in and taking the time to learn.
Your life is supposed to be a series of discoveries that happen almost daily on the way to creating the world around you, not avoiding it.
Don’t be afraid of where you’re at, be mindful of where you want to go… Ask the appropriate people and organizations for help by way of classes, actions to take and daily activities to build habits into.
A few final thoughts before this week’s Simplify, Multiply, Diversify.
Avoiding conflict is conflicting.
Avoiding pain is painful.
Avoid avoidance, lean into your truth.
Read this week’s Simplify, Multiply, Diversify below…👇🏼
SIMPLIFY…
Obstacles are really great opportunities to make better choices.
Translation:
In order to minimize the things we don’t want to encounter, we must deal with the ones currently in front of us. Doing so helps us make the kind of choices that mitigate or prepare us for the future while living in the present.
Simplify by dealing with what’s in front of you versus avoiding and letting it compound.
MULTIPLY…
Critical thinking will critically change your life.
You can multiply your efforts simply by taking extra time to think through the most appropriate course of action.
When we “avoid” things, we will encounter more of them. When we lean into things, we minimize their existence… in these moments, try to navigate your emotions, thoughts and feelings into better actions, which will inevitably change your life.
DIVERSIFY…
Don’t be afraid of money.
This is going to be a bigger topic for another letter, but my initial advice to you is to not be afraid of money.
I know you may think, “of course I’m not afraid of it” but how’s your relationship with it?
How are you diversifying your income streams?
How do you charge for what you do? And are there ways to streamline it?
How are you budgeting? (PS - knowing your priorities will have you budgeting different so go back and read everything up until this point again if you think you don’t need budgeting).
How are you investing? What’s holding you back from learning how to?
What can you remove from your spending that has no place in your life right now?
What can you add to your spending that does?
I want you to think about your relationship with money. It’s just energy so why are so many tripped up over it… again, other than the obvious.
We’re moving into “NEW” unprecedented times of sovereignty and wealth… although the outside world may paint a different picture… the fact is, new paradigms are being built to allow us to become more abundant in all things…
…how are you moving to understand these new paradigms and how are you with your relationship with money? Are you healing with it, honoring it, respecting it, understanding it, learning it and so on. The way we treat anything is the way we receive right back. This is true in money and in your health, happiness and relationships.
More on this topic in a later letter.
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Here's to not avoiding the "good stuff!"
“they may actually be avoiding the “good stuff”… they may be avoiding life.” It’s me, I was “they” for the majority of my life. I had to create stability for myself at such a young age, once I had that stability…NOTHING CHANGED, for years. Full autopilot mode. Until I had that click moment. The realization that my “stability” was actually stagnation, masked. I was avoiding life. So I leaned in and started peeling back the layers & coming to know myself, my authentic self. Taking the time. Coming from a place of curiosity. Seeking to understand. Compassion. Kindness. Educating myself. Taking the time for all these things.
“Don’t be afraid of where you’re at, be mindful of where you want to go…” this landed in my heart so profoundly.
“Avoiding conflict is conflicting.” 🔥👌🏽👏🏼
“Simplify by dealing with what’s in front of you versus avoiding and letting it compound” It feels so good to just fucking have the conversation. Simple.
“When we lean into things, we minimize their existence… in these moments, try to navigate your emotions, thoughts and feelings into better actions, which will inevitably change your life.” This really played out in my personal life recently and I could see so objectively, so clearly and was able to operate from a place of such kindness & sovereignty. It was beautiful.
AND wow…this last part. You have no idea just how impactful & resonate it is for me. I am on a deep healing journey with money. Literally shifting away from “money is scary” to “money flows to me easily & frequently because I am worthy & in alignment” mid last year I wrote a stream of consciousness piece of writing titled “Money is….” The first word that came out was “scary”
I know that was a lot. 😂🤷🏻♀️🙏🏼