The Avoider Cat and the Quiet VAT Drawer

The Avoider Cat kept her VAT paperwork in a quiet drawer, right next to the takeaways menus and the spare batteries. The drawer was neat, but it was also where the uncomfortable things went to wait. She told herself she would “deal with it properly” once the busy spell settled down.

But the busy spell never really ended. The drawer got heavier, HMRC letters arrived with firmer wording, and VAT became a cloud hanging over every decision. She was capable and hardworking — she was just avoiding the bit that felt too hard to start.

Once we mapped out the VAT calendar together, the fear dropped away. We created a simple checklist, built a reliable rhythm, and the drawer went back to what it was meant for — batteries, menus, and nothing stressful.

Avoidance didn’t go away overnight. But the process made it easier to show up.