How to break a bad habit
All of us are trying to be better in our daily lives. We’re trying to be less reactive, to let go of the little things, to be more understanding, to not let that one person frustrate us so much. We’re trying to break existing patterns of engaging with ourselves and the people around us.
But it can be challenging because we’ve established an automatic response to the trigger: that person says or does that, therefore you say or do this. And once that cycle is kicked off, it can be very hard to go backward.
We have to break it by starting at the beginning and interrupting the pattern. And there’s no better way to do that, in the moment of the trigger, choosing to simply pause and take a breath.
In that breath, you can create the space to look at yourself and the moment with honesty.
Here is the perfect opportunity to break a pattern. What a gift! Will you take it?
And on the days when you struggle to take it, will you be kind to yourself, and continue to keep trying?
These tiny decisions, made in the span of a breath, can truly transform you, your relationships, and your life. The next time you’re presented with the pattern, imagine yourself interrupting it: injecting a bit of space between your usual trigger and your usual reaction. And see what happens. Within that tiny space, you might see some huge things happen.
(P.S. Ever notice how much easier it is to interrupt yourself when you’ve gotten some sleep, had enough to eat, and are feeling hydrated? Taking care of yourself matters.)
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