We move through our days on autopilot, planning dinners, juggling schedules, checking off to-dos, rarely stopping to question why we respond the way we do.
Little thought is often given to the way we make decisions, what influences us in our reactions to people and daily situations.
Our patterns follow a rhythm, subtle, yet consistent. Shaped by beliefs, past experiences, and the values passed down to us.
It took me years to identify something that sat right in front of me. I grew up like most kids, who were told to respect and obey their parents. This belief, created a falsehood, that our parents know everything and their word isn’t an opinion, it is fact. At least this is how it felt to me.
When I was 47, my life turned upside down. Everything I knew was changed in an instant. I didn’t know until later, that this was the doorway I had prayed for. During this time as I was sifting through the ashes, I turned to my mother like most women who have their mothers in their lives.
One day, we were playing Rummikub with my daughters. It’s a fun game of strategy, and as I was removing pieces from the board. I placed them in the corner closest to me. My mother then took the pieces I laid down and moved them to the opposite corner.
Being the ever observant good daughter, I asked, “is that a rule?” My mother’s lip slowly curled up in the corner of her mouth, into a smirk as she answered me, “no, I just like them there.”
I was floored! In that instant, I realized my whole life, up until that moment, I took my mothers word as gospel. I believed what she told me, was fact.
How could I have been so blind, so foolish to think this? I was a 47 year old woman who raised her own children!
Our beliefs are so ingrained in our personality and created identity, that it goes unnoticed, our responses and choices are automatic.
We only pay attention to these patterns when something shows up that causes turmoil, or shakes up our world or relationships.
It doesn’t even occur to us that our patterns are asking us to pay attention to them. They show up over and over and get louder and louder when we do not listen.
It is the invisible within us that is calling us to more.
The patterns that have created chaos, sabotage, confusion, misaligned decisions and more.
If we pay attention we begin to see that life is always calling us forward.
I know I have not always been available to listen, to recognize when life is asking me to step in and step up. It takes practice. Learning to unravel your patterns and habits through awareness, increases your emotional intelligence.
The more you increase your awareness and emotional intelligence, the more opportunity you have, the broader your vision becomes, leading to more of what you love and value because you can see more clearly, and connect more deeply.
Stay curious, get support. We cannot see what we do not have an awareness of. Bringing that awareness into your world is life changing.
It reminds me of something I heard someone say recently. We crave change as human beings and we fear change all at the same time.
It comes down to what tools we have access to. Giving ourselves the opportunity to think differently.
We are so used to the thoughts in our own head, that we miss half of what we say to ourselves.
How can we make significant shifts in our thoughts that impact our lives?
For those who are seekers and deep connectors, I invite you to learn more about The Art of Awareness Community™ membership.
We use creative strategies to reveal the conversations that are really happening beneath the surface. Release the beliefs and patterns that are holding us back from becoming ourselves.