The habits operating in your life, conscious or unconscious, good or bad, are serving you in projecting your current self-image onto the screen of your life. What do your current habits tell you about how you feel about yourself?
~ Excerpt from, The Art of Uncertainty – How to Live in the Mystery of Life and Love It
After being “socially distanced” for about a year, most of us have had ample opportunities to bear witness to his or her own behavior in an intimately up-close and personal manner. Between the Covid 19 pandemic and a very polarized political environment, many of us are feeling hard-pressed to manage the intensity of that energy in a productive and positive manner. When this happens, our habit energy can rise, seemingly out of nowhere, and take on a life of its own.
Do you have any less-than-constructive habits? If you do, it’s good to remember it’s never too late to teach yourself new habits; even in the middle of a crisis such as what we are going through now.
The first step is to observe your habits mindfully and learn from the message they are trying to convey to you. There IS a message there if you will receive it. It’s usually about paying more attention to what is going on within you, with your emotions, thoughts, and feelings, and less attention to what is going on around you. Be in touch with your emotional body and your physical body…and listen. Remember that habit energy of any kind is nothing more–or less—than energy running a-muck, seeking any outlet it can find. And, like all forms of energy, it will seek the path of least resistance. Your job is to give it a productive outlet.
The key is to provide that energy with a creative outlet; all energy is hardwired to create something–and you are the conduit through which that happens. The practice is to be conscious and present enough to witness your own actions and then mindfully redirect the energy. Allow it to drive you in a manner that honors you and the life you call your own. Awareness is the first step. When you challenge habit energy that doesn’t serve you healthily you are halfway home because, once you are awake, you’ll realize you are at choice to redirect that energy—always. Conscious choice makes you commander of your own vessel by mindfully directing the energy that propels your life forward.
Give thanks for any negative habits you awaken to today because they really do have a message for you—and it’s usually about loving and honoring yourself more fully and judging yourself less. Authentic self-love always seems to be the best place to start when mindfully redirecting our amazing habit energy. And so it is.
Peace, Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones
Copyright © 2021 DMJ Presentations LLC
Well put! Self love requires paying attention. This week, that meant setting everything aside. To sleep in. To rest. To read a bit, pray, think . . . and reflect…
Thanks for putting my week in perspective with your article here and now.
blessings,
Cynthia
Interesting topic.
Generally speaking, we are all able to identify a habit that we would like (or should) change.
In reality, then, changing a habit is a real challenge. Especially if it is rooted in us. Cognitive, emotional and voluntary aspects come into play. The decision is only a necessary precedent, but not a sufficient one.
Sometimes what is missing is not the will, but the strategy. Obviously it takes effort and perseverance, but without an adequate method it is much more difficult to succeed.