(ThySistas.com) From time to time, we all find ourselves in the position of ignoring problems that we know we shouldn’t ignore, out of a weird mixture of fear, denial, and false hope that things will just get better if we go about our business as usual.
This is the kind of mindset that leads to important medical checks being delayed for months, if not years at a stretch, and that results in red letters from the bank being stuffed at the bottom of a drawer, and going unopened until the bailiffs come knocking.
Of course, if you can see a problem coming, it’s really important to actually take steps to deal with it as soon as possible. Here are a few reasons why, just to drive the point home.
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Because issues inevitably get worse when you leave them alone
It’s really difficult to think of any examples of a bad situation getting better when ignored.
Instead, the rule seems to be that issues we ignore inevitably get worse and worse, until finally we have no choice but to pay attention to them in a big way.
You might notice a sore on your foot that hasn’t healed for a while. You know you should probably pay a visit to a good foot doctor, but you can’t seem to justify taking the time off work, and so you just take a couple of painkillers and ignore it.
Then, fast forward a few weeks of enduring agony, and you’ve now got a medical emergency on your hands.
The same is even true for personal relationship issues. A small grievance goes unaddressed, and then turns into a massive fight years later.
When you nip the problem in the bud, you often save yourself having to deal with a much worse problem, later on.
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Because by ignoring problems, you train yourself to be more passive and helpless
When you think of someone brave, outgoing, and confident, do you visualise the kind of person who notices problems in their life and then ignores them?
Probably not. In fact, it’s more likely that you visualise the kind of person who immediately takes action to set things right, and to address any grievances they might have.
The simple fact is that when you ignore problems in your own life, you train yourself to be more passive and helpless, and you feed your own sense of inadequacy and fear. Agoraphobia, for example, is a psychological condition that develops in stages. First, you let yourself avoid a particular location because it makes you nervous. Then, down the line, everything scares you to the point where you can’t leave your own house.
Train yourself to confront problems, instead of running away from them.
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Because a surprising number of issues can be turned to your advantage, if addressed early enough
“Opportunity is found in adversity” is the kind of saying that we’ve all heard dozens of times, and have probably read on a good handful of motivational posters, too.
Well, there’s a reason why this message comes up time and time again.
When we confront issues in our own lives, we often end up discovering new approaches, and developing new insights, that can radically transform our circumstances for the better.
If, on the other hand, you ignore those issues – you rob yourself of an opportunity to grow.
Staff Writer; Lisa Adams