What are we Practicing?

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This post is a video lesson about our habits… and how we can start changing them!

Start with the video below (it’s about two-and-a-half minutes long):

Below, you can find the poem referenced in the video:

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters

Chapter I

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter II

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

 Chapter III

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there.
I still fall in… it’s a habit… but,
my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

 Chapter IV

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter V

I walk down another street.

– Portia Nelson

Path to BeachGorgeous — and so true, right?

We get good at what we practice — and we are ALWAYS practicing something!

Lesson:

The holes we fall into are our triggers — the things that set us off, that launch us into an unthinking, unskillful, habitual reaction that leaves us lost. It’s probably something we’ve practiced many times.

Can you identify your triggers, the holes you fall into?

If we pay attention closely, we can begin to see the holes in the path ahead of us, before we get to them. We can begin to detect the warning signs that we’re about to get triggered.

Think about a time when you’ve fallen into the hole — when you acted unskillfully, perhaps saying something you’d later come to regret, or acting in a way that hurt someone. What did you do? Did you blame others? Did you tell yourself it wasn’t your fault? “Fault” may be a loaded word, but can you take responsibility for your reaction? Can you identify the moment when you had a choice to act differently?

“I still fall in… it’s a habit… but,
my eyes are open.
I know where I am.”

Becoming more aware — practicing mindfulness — can help us open our eyes. We know where we are. We recognize our habits and patterns. And then…

“Chapter V

I walk down another street.”

Can you envision the other streets you could walk down? What would that look like?

Assignment:

I encourage you to spend some time this week paying attention to what you are practicing. Are you practicing distraction and worry during your day? Or are you practicing awareness and compassion?

Transformation begins with awareness… and finding a new street altogether.

What might those new streets be? Well, that’s where you and your insight and wisdom get to work together! The following resources might be helpful to you:

Simple Ideas for Soothing Self-Care

How to Start a Meditation Practice

Five Research-Based Practices That Make You Happier

The Power of Habit: Morning Meditation

Stress Management: From Top to Bottom

*****

p.s. You wouldn’t believe how long it took to make that 2:30 video at the top of the post — check out the out-take reel featuring my production assistants! 🙂

Sarah Rudell Beach
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