A couple of the components that are very helpful to examine in order to change ourselves is our patterns and routines. A routine is a habitual or mechanical performance of an established procedure. A pattern is a reliable sample of traits, acts, tendencies, or other observable characteristics of a person, group, or institution.
Something I love to say is that our lives are the result of our patterns. Deeper than that is to see that those patterns were designed in order to survive and get love but a long time ago and need to be updated. We’re amazing little sponges that are trained by everything that surrounds us: our parents, society, peers, teachers, etc.
But like I said, the way that it’s helpful is in the examination of them. Sure as shit if we slow down and observe our lives we see that events happen in a reliable pattern.
But we have to be willing to see the truth. Throughout my life there have been times where I could no longer, not see, behaviors, choices, and beliefs that I’d been able to ignore previously.
Ideas we entertain for a little while tend to blossom and develop to the point that we can’t unsee what we could successfully ignore for so long. People have quite a knack for naivety and ignorance, not me, of course, but everyone else. I attribute it to what I’ve learned is called “the nature of the mind”.
Here’s where we put this into motion. Our routines impact our patterns but if we’re asleep at the wheel our patterns will unconsciously drive our routines and we’re run by outdated and old mapping systems in our minds.
I would argue that we have to break this down like a scientist and observe yourself and your life from an objective place, ask a question (is this really the highest level of happiness I can attain), entertain a hypothesis (with this change I might feel less pain, anger, or fear), predict how your life might be different (if I am less afraid I might feel more pleasure, love, success), test the prediction, and then iterate over and over until all factors line up to create what you’re wanting.
We are the result of our patterns.
The opportunity:
When you slow down and observe, where in your life can you recognize and negative pattern that could use some adjustment (discontent, anxiety, love, money, sex, peace, disconnection from a higher power)?
What changes are you willing to make to alter the pattern?
How can you weave that change into your routine over a long period of time to creat a long term change?
What’s next after that?
Thanks for your time, have a great day!