You've decided you want something different and you've been pursuing it...good for you! You're cruising right along, enjoying the scenery, getting somewhere, and then…it happens....
Welcome to the fourth of a multi-part blog series on helping you recognize what might be keeping you stuck and small steps to get you moving forward again.
Sometimes all it takes is one little nudge to get you back on track.
The focus for this blogpost is the role that HABITS can play in keeping you stuck.
…there's an unexpected road closure that didn’t show up in your navigational app and you come to a standstill. Now what? You want movement, so the easiest thing to do is to revert back to the thing you know how to do - you put it into reverse and turn around to go back to where you were. This cycle is not unusual.
This my friends, is called life. When we start out on a journey towards something we want, it can feel so exciting. Our tank is full of fuel and we feel unstoppable – we're doing stuff and getting s**t done. We know where we're going.
Then it starts to get difficult and we come to a stand still. No one told us it would be hard. This is supposed to be something we want, right?
As I've mentioned in previous posts, our brains are not fans of change. They like predictability. When you decide to change something, it has to work harder to keep you safe. This is why it is so easy to revert back to previous behaviours or habits. It feels good and it’s easy. So inevitably you end up back where you started...stuck, spinning your wheels again, reverting back to the way it was. Ugh!
Habits. They are simply patterned behaviours we do to get us a result that provides us with some sort of benefit. Read that sentence again.
Yes, we like to categorize our habits as "good or bad" - however, anything we do repeatedly is giving us a benefit. I know what some of you may be thinking, how can my "bad" habit be giving me a benefit? Think about it, smokers take deep breaths and get some time alone to regroup. Eating a bucketful of ice cream seems like a bad habit on the surface, however, when eaten it produces the feel-good chemical dopamine.
The key is to find the benefit you are getting from your habits and replace it. Yes, the benefit is real and when you are able to replace it rather than “give it up” you will find that change becomes a little bit easier and one step closer. Make the benefits of your habit pay off for you.
So let's get to it....
Are you willing to try this out? If so...
Your challenge for the next week…
The next time you notice yourself reverting back to an old habit and it's preventing you from making the change you want to make, ask yourself:
What's the benefit of this habit? Take some time to let the answer bubble up. Or, if you like to journal, set a timer for 7 to 10 minutes and write continuously about it...see what insights surface for you.
Then ask yourself: How else could I get this same benefit? Again, let something bubble up for you or try the writing exercise.
Rinse and repeat.
May you find a nugget or two as you come along on this journey with me.
Up next? The role that your mindset has in getting you stuck OR unstuck....
If you're ready to get unstuck and shift your mindset please Contact me for a zero obligation chat. It's always good to hear from you!
Stay safe and well.
Warmly,
Ann