You’re scrolling through Instagram, double-tapping perfect bodies and dream vacations, while you’re sitting on the couch in your pajamas, surrounded by empty takeout containers. Sound familiar?

Or maybe you’re throwing yourself into work, clocking 60-hour weeks, telling yourself it’s for that promotion. But deep down, you know you’re avoiding the deafening silence of your empty apartment and the relationship you letting slip away.

Perhaps you’re the social butterfly, always out with friends, always planning the next event. Anything to avoid those quiet moments where you might have to confront the health scare your doctor warned you about last month.

We’re all hiding from something. Our weight. Our failing relationships. Our unfulfilling careers. Our health issues. Our financial struggles. Our past traumas.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: hiding doesn’t make these realities go away. It just lets them fester, growing roots deep into our lives, influencing every decision we make.

See if any of these sound familiar:

1. Health and Weight: You’re out of breath after a single flight of stairs. Your knees hurt just from getting into and out of your car. Your doctor’s warning about pre-diabetes echoes in your ears as you reach for another slice of pizza. You’ve stopped looking in full-length mirrors because you don’t recognise the person staring back at you.

2. Relationships: You’re lying awake at 3 AM, scrolling through your ex’s social media, while your current partner sleeps next to you. You’ve been engaged for five years with no wedding date in sight. Your kids have stopped asking you to play because they know you’ll say you’re too tired.

3. Career: You’re calling in sick again because the thought of another day at your soul-crushing job makes you physically ill. Your college classmates are becoming CEOs and you’re still in the same entry-level position you hate. You’ve written your resignation letter a dozen times but never had the courage to submit it.

4. Finances: You’re playing credit card roulette every time you buy groceries, praying this one isn’t maxed out yet. Your rent is three months overdue, and you’re ignoring calls from numbers you don’t recognize, knowing they’re debt collectors. You’re 40 and have never checked your credit score because you’re terrified of what you’ll see.

5. Past Traumas: You flinch when someone raises their voice, a remnant of your childhood you’ve never addressed. You sabotage every relationship that starts to get serious because commitment reminds you of the parent who abandoned you. You’re successful on paper, but inside, you still feel like that bullied kid from high school, waiting for someone to expose you as a fraud.

But it’s not just the obvious hiding spots we need to watch out for. Sometimes, we hide in plain sight.

That favorite restaurant you frequent? The luxurious hotel you escape to every chance you get?  They might be more than just places you love – they could be your elaborate hiding spots from reality. You’re not just indulging; you’re escaping.

And let’s not forget the subtle ways we dodge our truths. That extra glass of wine each night isn’t just to “take the edge off” – it’s numbing you from feelings you’re not ready to face.

The constant complaints about your annoying coworker or that neighbor you can’t stand? They’re convenient distractions, giving you something to focus on other than your own unfulfilled dreams or unresolved issues.

Having an “enemy” to rail against and always having a fight to fight is sometimes easier than confronting our own shortcomings.

Childhood trauma doesn’t just leave scars; it can erase entire parts of who you are.

That bright-eyed kid with big dreams? They might have vanished the first time they were told they weren’t good enough. The carefree child who loved to sing and dance? Perhaps they went silent after being ridiculed for expressing joy. That curious mind always asking “why”? It might have shut down after one too many harsh reprimands.

Trauma doesn’t just hurt us; it can make us disappear, piece by piece, until we’re left with a shell of a person, going through the motions of a life we never truly chose. We adapt to survive, but in doing so, we often lose touch with our authentic selves. The person you are now might be a carefully constructed facade, built to protect that vulnerable child within. But in shielding ourselves from further hurt, we also wall off our capacity for genuine connection, joy, and fulfillment. The journey to healing isn’t just about addressing past wounds; it’s about rediscovering and reclaiming those lost parts of yourself.

This next line is important: “No amount of fixing your life will make that kid go away.” Your past, your struggles, your insecurities – they’re part of your story. Ignoring them doesn’t erase them; it just gives them power over you.

So, what now?

1. Face the Numbers: Step on that scale. Check your bank balance. Look at your blood work results. Knowledge is power, even when it’s scary.

2. Have the Tough Conversations: With your partner, your boss, your doctor, your therapist. Stop avoiding and start addressing.

3. Feel the Feelings: Allow yourself to experience emotions without judgment. Cry, scream into a pillow, journal it out. Just don’t numb it.

4. Make a Plan: Start small. One vegetable a day. Five minutes of exercise. A dollar in savings. Progress, not perfection.

5. Seek Support: You don’t have to do this alone. Find your people – whether it’s friends, family, support groups, or a coach.

Remember, facing your reality isn’t about beating yourself up. It’s about reclaiming your power. It’s about saying, “Yes, this is where I am right now, and from here, I can move forward.”

It’s not easy. It’s not comfortable. But it’s the only way to truly change your life.

Your struggles don’t define you, but how you face them will. Deep deep down, I think you know this.

So, I challenge you to leave a comment or and send me a mail. What reality have you been hiding from? Can you, and will you, take one small step to face it this week?

So, it’s time to step up and face your full, messy, beautiful truth because the magic you’re looking for is on the other side of the truths you’ve been hiding from.