Fear of confrontation doesn’t always involve other people.

Speaking your mind, challenging authority, telling the truth more often, calling out your sociopath coworker for his toxic behavior, these moves are important to make, when appropriate.

But in many cases, what we fear confronting the most is ourselves. Sitting with our most difficult feelings, thoughts, emotions and experiences.

If we want to make productive change in our life, it begins when we have the discipline to confront reality on reality’s terms. Yes, there are certain points in life where running away to relax, restore, take care of ourselves, and return to our normal responsibilities with a clearer head, can be the best choice.

But there’s a major difference between running away to recharge, and running away to avoid the inevitable buildup of stress and lack of balance. The more we can train ourselves to stay present and not trying to escape our own lives, the better.

There’s a wonderful mantra my yoga instructor shares in the final minute of class.

Stay until you lose the urge to leave.

Meaning, sit there and allow your body to soak up everything you came to class to give it. Forget about the fact that you’re sweaty and exhausted and just relax for a few minutes. Pay yourself back for the hard work you’ve just done.

It sounds like a small thing, but the practice of sitting in final meditation for an extra few minutes makes a difference outside the yoga studio.

It’s a micro practice of releasing the urge to run away from things that might be useful in developing the life we would like.

Does it really matter what kind of shoes you’re wearing when you’re running away?