{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"The Cost of Avoiding Your Grief","description":"\u201cAvoiding the pain won\u2019t make it go away\u2014it only teaches it to hide.\u201d In this episode of Grieve That Shit, grief specialist Sharon Brubaker breaks down one of the sneakiest traps that keeps grievers stuck: avoidance. When life shatters, the natural instinct is to run from the pain, to stay busy, and to pretend you\u2019re doing fine. But as Sharon reminds us, ignoring grief doesn\u2019t erase it\u2014it buries it. This episode dives deep into what happens when we try to outsmart our pain. Sharon explains why our brains convince us to avoid reminders of our person, how distraction becomes a survival skill that turns into a lifestyle, and how avoidance slowly shrinks our world until even joy feels out of reach. She shares real, compassionate tools to help you stop running from grief and begin facing it\u2014one small, brave step at a time. What You\u2019ll Learn in This Episode Why grief convinces you that avoiding pain will make it fade The difference between healthy, temporary breaks and lifelong avoidance How avoidance shows up in daily life\u2014from over-cleaning to staying \u201ctoo busy\u201d Why the longer you avoid your grief, the smaller your world becomes Simple, gentle steps to start meeting your grief instead of running from it Homework for You Take five quiet minutes this week to notice when you avoid your feelings. Ask yourself: 1. What emotion am I trying not to feel right now? 2. Where do I feel it in my body? 3. Then set a time limit for your avoidance. 4. Give yourself permission to take a break, but also promise yourself to come back\u2014to cry, to write, to feel. That\u2019s how you begin to heal. Resources + Next Steps Check what's happening in the Grief School: clickhereforhope.com Join Grief Study Hall \u2013 live support with Sharon every Tuesday at 1 PM CST Sign up for the Surviving Christmas Masterclass on November 8th to create your holiday grief plan Follow Sharon on TikTok and YouTube at @thegriefschool ","author_name":"Grieve That Sh!t","author_url":"http:\/\/healingstartswiththeheart.com","html":"