Leave the Avoider Behind

“Do not assume that what you desire will come to pass. Examine impressions carefully.” — Epictetus

The Obstacle

The Avoider would have us look straight ahead.

It would avoid
Possibility
New paths
Information
Thoughts
Ideas
Beliefs.

The Avoider would be uncomfortable
With what it might find
What it might mean
What it might challenge within us.
Our thoughts
Ideas
Beliefs
Methods
Worthiness.

Exploring could be painful.
It can reveal
We were wrong
Things have changed
A point of view worth considering
A different way.

The Avoider would rather not.

It doesn’t want to
Change
Consider
Understand
Update
Explore.

It already knows.
All of your assumptions are correct.
Your view of the situation.
Assumptions about others.
The solutions.

The Avoider would have you not explore.

The Gift and Opportunity

The Avoider is obvious.
It thinks it’s sneaky
It’s not.

Eyes down.
Single path.
Nothing to see here.
Nothing to do.
Nothing to learn.

Really it’s  just pointing out the obvious.

More needs to be explored.

Explore the
Ideas
Thoughts
Beliefs
Methods
of others.

Explore what the
Landscape
Circumstance
Situation
Events
have to offer.

Explore our own
Thoughts
Feelings
Emotions
Beliefs
Ideas
Concepts
Methods.

Take the time.

Explore around
Be curious
Have conversations
Be open.

Go beyond what we would normally do.

What might we be missing?
What are we not seeing?
How can we do better?

Let others in.

Expand the map.

Leave the Avoider behind.

The Practice of Self-Mastery

• Feel the avoider pushing you away.

• Stop and look, Explore.

• Explore what you would normally dismiss, another view, idea, feeling, or method.

• Stay open long enough to expand.
  

  CHEAT CODE: NOTICE THE AVOIDER→ PAUSE → EXPLORE → BE OPEN→ EXPAND