Ignoring problems doesn’t make them disappear; it often makes them worse. Problems that are not addressed can accumulate, creating more significant issues down the line.

Some of the problems we may be dealing with now exist because we didn’t act when we should have. In effect, we chose these problems passively—either by not addressing smaller issues or by allowing other people’s desires to dominate our own. (ouch)This passive choice leads to a host of issues stemming from that initial inaction.

You may have fallen into the habit of seeing your life as something that happens to you, but you might not be as helpless as you think. Perhaps you are less a victim and more an unwitting collaborator. (ouch, again)

When problems are ignored, the resulting stress and anxiety can spill over into other aspects of our lives and relationships. Unresolved issues can lead to chronic stress, which affects our mental and physical health.