---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Choosing to avoid uncomfortable feelings…"
description: "\"Choosing to avoid uncomfortable feelings offers immediate short-term relief, but avoidance can lead to long-term consequences.\" — Amy Morin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/amy-morin-4409_avoidance_choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings_2360699.jpg"
---

#  Choosing to avoid uncomfortable feelings offers immediate…

![“Choosing to avoid uncomfortable feelings offers immediate short-term relief, but avoidance can lead to long-term consequences.” quote by Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/amy-morin-4409_avoidance_choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings_2360699.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/amy-morin-4409_avoidance_choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings_2360699.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/amy-morin-4409_avoidance_choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings_2360699.jpg)

> “Choosing to avoid uncomfortable feelings offers immediate short-term relief, but avoidance can lead to long-term consequences.”

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Avoiding discomfort feels good now but creates future problems and missed growth opportunities.

**In simple terms:** Short-term relief leads to long-term costs.

Key Takeaway

Face discomfort to prevent future pain.

Themes

self-awareness emotional health growth

Mood

anxious reflective

Type

advice psychological

When to use this quote

- relationships
- career decisions
- personal development
- mental health
- stress management

Key Concepts

psychology behavioral avoidance

Questions to Reflect On

- What discomfort are you ignoring?
- How might confronting it improve your life?

A Different Perspective

Avoidance can also protect from harmful situations, so judgment is needed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Avoid Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-uncomfortable-2659171/) [Avoidance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoidance/) [Avoidance Lead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoidance-lead-5778843/) [Consequences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequences/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Relief Avoidance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relief-avoidance-5778842/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) [Uncomfortable Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable-feelings-813361/)

## Related quotes

> [“I will literally scale oak trees to avoid uncomfortable and undesired familial social interaction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-tims/i-will-literally-scale-oak-trees-to-avoid-uncomfortable-and-undesired/)

[Laura Tims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-tims/)

> [I have stopped going out places just to avoid uncomfortable conversations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/i-have-stopped-going-out-places-just-to-avoid-uncomfortable/)

[Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/)

> [I would argue that the uncomfortable feelings she elicits are simply the by-product of watching a woman wanting and taking like a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-phair/i-would-argue-that-the-uncomfortable-feelings-she-elicits-are-simply/)

[Liz Phair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-phair/)

> [It's important to cultivate a tolerance and patience with uncomfortable feelings. It's best to feel them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel/it-s-important-to-cultivate-a-tolerance-and-patience-with/)

[Jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel/)

> [When you realize that suffering and discomfort are the call to inquiry, you may actually begin to look forward to uncomfortable feelings. You may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/when-you-realize-that-suffering-and-discomfort-are-the-call-to/)

[Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/)

> [Englishmen have a genius for looking uncomfortable. Their feelings are terribly mixed up with their personal appearance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-jeannette-duncan/englishmen-have-a-genius-for-looking-uncomfortable-their-feelings-are/)

[Sara Jeannette Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-jeannette-duncan/)

> [“It's about more than just being beautiful. It's about having all of these uncomfortable feelings inside you and not knowing how to express them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-donahue/it-s-about-more-than-just-being-beautiful-it-s-about-having-all-of/)

[Hope Donahue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-donahue/)

> [People have said, 'Don't cry' to other people for years and years, and all it has ever meant is, 'I'm too uncomfortable when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/people-have-said-don-t-cry-to-other-people-for-years-and-years-and/)

[Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/)

> [Most human behavior is nothing other than the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/most-human-behavior-is-nothing-other-than-the-avoidance-of-pain-and/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [I am not in favour of the takeover of excellent and strategically important British companies by struggling foreign firms whose actions are fuelled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/i-am-not-in-favour-of-the-takeover-of-excellent-and-strategically/)

[David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/)

> [America is not static. America is striving. And sometimes, America requires critique. Jingoism is an avoidance of realism. You can simultaneously love and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/america-is-not-static-america-is-striving-and-sometimes-america/)

[Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/)

> [“People spend entire lifetimes trying to avoid the things that have already happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-hartmann/people-spend-entire-lifetimes-trying-to-avoid-the-things-that-have/)

[Silvia Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvia-hartmann/)

> [All work is the avoidance of harder work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/all-work-is-the-avoidance-of-harder-work/)

[James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/)

> [“Collect yourself: to smother what you feel, recall to order, summon in one place; making, like Orpheus, a system against loss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-padel/collect-yourself-to-smother-what-you-feel-recall-to-order-summon-in/)

[Ruth Padel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-padel/)

> [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/)

[John Whiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whiting/)

## More by Amy Morin

> [“When you learn to let go of the details you can’t control, the amount of time and energy you’ll be able to devote to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/when-you-learn-to-let-go-of-the-details-you-can-t-control-the-amount/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [Trying to change before you're ready isn't likely to be productive. For example, most New Year's resolutions don't last because people spring into action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/trying-to-change-before-you-re-ready-isn-t-likely-to-be-productive/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [You certainly can't prevent all mental health problems - factors like genetics and traumatic life events certainly play a role. But everyone can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/you-certainly-can-t-prevent-all-mental-health-problems-factors-like/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [Even though your emotions aren't wrong, that doesn't mean you have to stay stuck in a particular mood. You can certainly choose to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/even-though-your-emotions-aren-t-wrong-that-doesn-t-mean-you-have-to/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [Building mental strength is about learning to regulate your thoughts, manage your emotions, and behave productively despite whatever circumstances you find yourself in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/building-mental-strength-is-about-learning-to-regulate-your-thoughts/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [If you quit every time you face a new challenge, giving up can change how you view yourself. You may begin to think you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/if-you-quit-every-time-you-face-a-new-challenge-giving-up-can-change/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [A lot of problems stem from a desire to avoid discomfort. For example, people who fear failure often avoid new challenges in an effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/a-lot-of-problems-stem-from-a-desire-to-avoid-discomfort-for-example/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [“When you notice yourself trying to control something that you can’t, ask yourself, What am I so afraid of? Do you worry someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/when-you-notice-yourself-trying-to-control-something-that-you-can-t/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [Narcissists - people with an inflated self-concept and a strong sense of uniqueness and superiority - seek attention and affirmation on Facebook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/narcissists-people-with-an-inflated-self-concept-and-a-strong-sense/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [Empowering yourself is an essential component to building mental strength and creating the kind of life you want to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/empowering-yourself-is-an-essential-component-to-building-mental/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [“Retaining your power is about evaluating feedback to determine if it has any validity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/retaining-your-power-is-about-evaluating-feedback-to-determine-if-it/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [Idealizing the reality of past romances won't do you any favors as you face Valentine's Day alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/idealizing-the-reality-of-past-romances-won-t-do-you-any-favors-as/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [Mentally strong people don't shy away from change - nor do they expect immediate results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/mentally-strong-people-don-t-shy-away-from-change-nor-do-they-expect/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [Engaging in good habits 90 percent of the time, while indulging in bad habits 10 percent of time, places you at risk of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/engaging-in-good-habits-90-percent-of-the-time-while-indulging-in-bad/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [When self-doubt creeps in, don't ignore it - address it. Respond to harsh self-criticism with something more compassionate. Talk to yourself like a trusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/when-self-doubt-creeps-in-don-t-ignore-it-address-it-respond-to-harsh/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

[Explore all 111 Amy Morin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

## More Avoidance quotes

> [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/)

[John Whiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whiting/)

> [“Collect yourself: to smother what you feel, recall to order, summon in one place; making, like Orpheus, a system against loss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-padel/collect-yourself-to-smother-what-you-feel-recall-to-order-summon-in/)

[Ruth Padel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-padel/)

> [All work is the avoidance of harder work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/all-work-is-the-avoidance-of-harder-work/)

[James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/)

> [“People spend entire lifetimes trying to avoid the things that have already happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-hartmann/people-spend-entire-lifetimes-trying-to-avoid-the-things-that-have/)

[Silvia Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvia-hartmann/)

> [America is not static. America is striving. And sometimes, America requires critique. Jingoism is an avoidance of realism. You can simultaneously love and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-blow/america-is-not-static-america-is-striving-and-sometimes-america/)

[Charles M. Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-blow/)

> [I am not in favour of the takeover of excellent and strategically important British companies by struggling foreign firms whose actions are fuelled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/i-am-not-in-favour-of-the-takeover-of-excellent-and-strategically/)

[David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/)

> [Most human behavior is nothing other than the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/most-human-behavior-is-nothing-other-than-the-avoidance-of-pain-and/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [You can gain power by avoidance. You can gain power by doing certain things. You can gain much more power by meditating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-gain-power-by-avoidance-you-can-gain-power-by-doing-certain/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“If you love stress, practice avoidance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-rowe/if-you-love-stress-practice-avoidance/)

[Sharon Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-rowe/)

> [I've been trying to avoid my problems, and I don't know what to do. I get high, but when I come down, my problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/i-ve-been-trying-to-avoid-my-problems-and-i-don-t-know-what-to-do-i/)

[Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/)

> [All the textbooks talk about avoidance as a classic hallmark of anxiety disorder. So you need a therapist who is sympathetic and understanding but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stossel/all-the-textbooks-talk-about-avoidance-as-a-classic-hallmark-of/)

[Scott Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stossel/)

> [I read recently in an article by G.K. Chesterton, that sex without gestation and parturition is like blowing the trumpets and waving the flags…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dora-russell/i-read-recently-in-an-article-by-g-k-chesterton-that-sex-without/)

[Dora Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dora-russell/)

> [Be truthful... and pay attention. I would also recommend the avoidance of credit cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/be-truthful-and-pay-attention-i-would-also-recommend-the-avoidance-of/)

[Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/)

> [“Most of us will do anything to avoid facing ourselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lolly-daskal/most-of-us-will-do-anything-to-avoid-facing-ourselves/)

[Lolly Daskal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lolly-daskal/)

> [The pleasant life is not produced by continual drinking and dancing, nor sexual intercourse, nor rare dishes of sea food and other delicacies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-pleasant-life-is-not-produced-by-continual-drinking-and-dancing/)

[Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/)

[Browse all 290 Avoidance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoidance/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Choosing to avoid uncomfortable feelings offers immediate short-term relief, but avoidance can lead to long-term consequences.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Amy Morin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings-offers-immediate-short-term/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Avoidance"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings-offers-immediate-short-term/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/amy-morin-4409_avoidance_choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings_2360699.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/amy-morin-4409_avoidance_choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings_2360699.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/amy-morin-4409_avoidance_choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings_2360699.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Choosing to avoid uncomfortable feelings offers immediate short-term relief, but avoidance can lead to…” — Amy Morin",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Amy Morin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Choosing to avoid uncomfortable feelings offers...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings-offers-immediate-short-term/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/choosing-to-avoid-uncomfortable-feelings-offers-immediate-short-term/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```