Facing What We Flee: Embodied Tools to Break Avoidance

thankfulflow
Mar 27
3 min read

Avoidance as a Pattern of Protection

Avoidance often shows up in our lives in subtle but persistent ways — through distraction, dissociation, overthinking, or constant busyness. And while these strategies may once have been our way of staying safe, they can begin to separate us from our deeper truth.

Many of us fear that if we stop avoiding, we’ll be consumed by what lies beneath. We’re afraid the grief will be too much, the anger too intense, or the sadness too overwhelming. But what if those emotions are actually the gateway to liberation?

The Link Between Embodiment and Avoidance

In my coaching work with women — and in my own life — I’ve seen how embodiment offers a path through avoidance. When we’re disconnected from our bodies, it becomes easier to live in a loop of avoidance. Whether it’s numbing out with busyness, over-intellectualizing, or people-pleasing, these patterns pull us away from our truth.

Our bodies carry wisdom. When we slow down and listen, we start to feel again — the subtle cues, the discomforts, the signals from our nervous system. This is where transformation begins.

Signs You Might Be Avoiding

Avoidance doesn’t always look like running away. It might show up as:

Over-scheduling yourself to the point of burnout
Obsessive cleaning or needing control
Constant overthinking and mental loops
Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected
Seeking stimulation from food, screens, or external sources

These are all attempts — conscious or unconscious — to flee from what’s tender or vulnerable within us.

Bringing Curiosity to the Pattern

The first step is awareness. Notice how avoidance shows up in your life. Ask yourself:

When I slow down, what emotions start to rise?
What am I afraid I might feel if I stop distracting myself?
How does my body feel when I am present?

This awareness can feel uncomfortable — and that’s okay. You’re building a new relationship with yourself.

Embodiment as the Antidote

Embodiment means coming home to yourself. It means tuning into the sensations in your body, your breath, your felt sense of aliveness. This is where true processing happens — not in the mind, but in the body.

We can’t think our way through emotional healing. We must feel.

Try This:

Take 5 minutes to pause and place your hand on your heart or belly.
Breathe slowly and ask: What am I feeling right now?
Notice without judgment. Just observe the sensations, response of your body , posture or whatever is present.

Vulnerability: The Hidden Key

Avoidance is often a protective response to vulnerability. We fear that being truly seen — by ourselves or others — will lead to rejection or disconnection. But paradoxically, it’s truth and vulnerability that create the deepest intimacy.

In my coaching container Recapture Your Truth, we explore how embodiment helps you reconnect with the essence of who you are — not the version you think the world wants, but your real, raw, powerful self.

Embodied Parenting and Truth-Telling

This practice extends into how I parent too. I choose to show up in truth with my son — not as a perfect parent, but as a real human being. I apologise when I misstep. I share honestly (age-appropriately), because I believe truth builds trust. And that’s true in all our relationships.

Final Reflections

Avoidance is so common — and so human. But when we start facing what we flee, we begin the journey home to ourselves. The more we embody our truth, the more freedom, intimacy, and connection we create.

Three Embodied Tools to Begin:

Awareness – Notice your patterns of avoidance without judgment.
Feel into the body – Ask yourself regularly: How do I feel in my body right now?
Welcome vulnerability – Where could you be more real with yourself or others?

If this resonates, I’d love to hear from you. Share your reflections, send me a message, or explore working with me through my 3-month coaching container Recapture Your Truth. You’ll find all the links below.

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for doing the brave work of coming back home to yourself.

With love,

Elly

Embodiment Life Coach & Founder of Sovereignty Coaching