08/12/2026
Want to cope with avoidance?
First of all, remember that avoidance usually isn't laziness. It's often what happens when a task feels too big, too vague, or too emotionally loaded. The brain protects us from discomfort by steering us elsewhere.
One way through: make the task so small it feels almost too easy to start. Take a look how it works:
🔧clean the apartment → put away five things,
🔧write the report → open the document and write one sentence,
🔧start exercising → put your shoes on,
🔧reply to everyone → send one message.
The goal isn't to finish. It's to lower the barrier to beginning, because starting is usually the hardest part. Motivation often arrives after the first small action, not before it.
And if avoidance keeps showing up across many areas of your life, it may be worth exploring what feeling sits underneath it - fear of failure, perfectionism, overwhelm, or shame. Therapy can be a helpful place to look at that with curiosity rather than criticism.
❔What's one task you could shrink today?
If you'd like professional support, schedule a consultation with Rostyslav Shemechko by calling 647-866-9061 or [email protected].
