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Most of us have habits and behaviours we would like to change in ourselves. However, creating sustainable change when we are already full to the brim can be a challenge. We often set out enthusiastically with good intentions and then find we have drifted back into the same old, same old.
Without a doubt having a daily practice of meditation, somatic practices such as yoga, tai chi, movement, journaling, things that help us to wipe the slate clean and get present are powerful ways to realign with our intentions each day. A time to practice the behaviours and qualities we want to embody. Even a short daily practice serves as a reminder and offers us a chance to feel the qualities of peace, clarity and contentment that we often yearn for in our fast paced lives. However, what is equally important is what we practice throughout the day.
We are always practising something. Whether that is being irritable, peaceful, judgemental, optimistic, stressed, enthusiastic, sad or happy. We practice through the conversations we have with others, our thoughts and self talk, how we spend our time and where we put our focus. Whatever we practice we become good at. Repetition creates a habit, our habits create our personalities and our personalities create our personal realities.
When we are choosing to change a habit or behaviour, it helps to see it as practicing something different rather than restricting yourself or adding something else to do in your life. Every minute of the day we are directing our energy somewhere. If you see making changes in your life as simply redirecting your energy it won't feel like you are adding to the 'to do' list or restricting yourself. Instead, it will help you to stay focused on what you do want rather than what you don't want.
When we align our actions with our dreams and intentions and start to see change, life feels more spacious and integrating a daily practice becomes a way of creating more space and enjoyment making it easy for us to stay on track.
