Knotwilg wrote:Doing the same things I've done before is probably not a good approach. One thing I've always neglected is studying joseki and openings altogether.
Another idea is: if I have a hard time avoiding fights, perhaps I should accept my nature and become better at fighting?
Given that go, since 2016, changed a lot in regards to opening strategy and josekis you can either take away that now is the best time to play catch-up or that it was never an important point to focus on (at least at amateur dan rank below - arbitrarily - 5-dan or so).
My money is on it was never important for our rank - and I did grind a lot of opening problems a while back (get strong and the mastering-series) - did not make me even (solid) Shodan.
I'm a broken record about this and I know you even opened a thread about this topic, but my take is and has always been: Tsumego, tsumego, tesuji and some more tsumego problems to get stronger ; ) This is also by no means a shortcut: As Baduk docter in his series to become a dan-player points out, you have to solve problems regularly and thoroughly (ie really reading out lines to the end). It also has nothing to do with age but with time spent. If you can do two hours a day effortful tsumego practice and play a serious game than you will get stronger. Add reviewing and instructions and it will become even faster.
Important: The time-frame is still months for progress and not days or even weeks.
I also read an insei report from Antti (I couldn't find this post anymore, so maybe it was some other report on senseis, Benjamin Teuber?, or the other parts of the internet) that he was often ahead in the opening because the other inseis had a way worse understanding of this stage then he had. But their reading was far stronger and so they often catched up.
So, yes, I think embracing the fight (when necessary) is good, at least to build up confidence and experience.
makes easy life. 
is a given. But 
? Really? Surely it should be at 6. Certainly. 
is bad. I think something like this may have been intended.
could be at 8, for easy life. So:
