When I was living in the dark, I believed every problem was forever.
Each issue felt massive, heavy, and permanent.
I didn’t think in steps—I thought in panic.
And when I finally acted, it was usually out of desperation instead of intention.
I didn’t face things as they came.
I waited.
I hoped things would magically resolve themselves.
And when they didn’t, I reacted impulsively.
The result?
I made permanent decisions for temporary problems.
Back then, I only had two tools in my emotional toolkit: fight or flight.
And neither got me where I wanted to go.
Living in Avoidance Creates Bigger Problems
I often felt overwhelmed just by life itself.
So when a real issue came up, it was too much.
I ignored it.
I pushed it aside.
And when it inevitably resurfaced—louder, heavier, messier—I made whatever decision would make it go away the fastest.
But the quickest choice isn’t always the right one.
And those choices came at a cost.
Doors closed.
Friendships ended.
I isolated myself even more.
It wasn’t because I was heartless or careless.
It was because I was exhausted, reactive, and afraid.
And I didn’t trust that I could handle hard things in a healthy way.
What Recovery Taught Me About Decisions
When I began my journey in recovery, one of the first things I heard was:
“Live life on life’s terms.”
That didn’t sound like fun.
But neither was the anxiety of constantly avoiding things, or the shame of regret from acting out of fear.
So I tried something new.
I started addressing things as they came up.
I got honest about what was happening.
I asked for help when I needed it.
And I made the best decision I could with the information I had.
Then—I let it go.
Even typing that?
It still feels like a deep exhale.
The Power of Responding, Not Reacting
Here’s what I learned:
When you meet problems in the moment, you keep them in their right size.
You don’t allow them to grow into something overwhelming.
You don’t back yourself into a corner.
You don’t hit the panic button and take drastic action that you’ll later wish you hadn’t.
You give yourself the chance to choose a solution, not a reaction.
Because the truth is, a lot of the things we avoid aren’t actually that big.
They only feel big because we’ve been sitting in fear, feeding them with delay.
But when you face a problem early and with intention, you take back your power.
You act instead of react.
And you protect your peace in the process.
You Deserve Better Than Regret
These days, it’s easy to feel like everything is too much.
But avoidance won’t make it easier.
And quick-fix decisions rarely leave us proud of how we showed up.
You don’t need to solve everything perfectly.
You just need to do the next right thing.
Address what needs your attention, make the best decision you can, and then—let it go.
Honor yourself enough to stop running from the things that need your care.
You are capable.
And you deserve peace, not permanent regret from a temporary storm.
SLAY Reflection: Are You Choosing Peace or Panic?
- Do you tend to ignore problems until they become bigger than they need to be?
How has that affected your life? - What emotions drive your decision-making—clarity or anxiety?
What patterns do you notice? - Have you ever made a permanent choice in a moment of panic?
What did you learn from that experience? - What would it feel like to address issues with intention instead of urgency?
How could that shift your daily peace? - What’s one problem you’ve been avoiding that you can face today—with care, calm, and clarity?
What’s the next small step?
Call to Action: Join the Conversation
I’d love to hear from you.
What’s one moment where you learned the value of pausing instead of panicking—and how did it shape your choices going forward?
Share your story in the comments. Let’s cheer each other on.
And if you know someone who’s caught in reactive patterns, send this to them.
Sometimes, all we need is a nudge.
