I have been thinking a lot about how we can get stuck in a rut. Some times its our behavior. Sometimes its our thoughts. Sometimes its our emotions. Some times it is much larger, like our whole state of being. We fall into a rut when our responses to specific situations can rise to the level of a habit. This is true whether we’re talking about thoughts, behaviors or feelings.
Do you have a characteristic emotional response to challenging situations or the unknown? Many of my clients reflexively react with anxiety, depression, or anger. When they examine their emotional responding over time they notice consistent patterns.
If we pathologize these patterns we would diagnose ourselves with the appropriate mental disorder and then treat it, usually with medication and/or therapy, to make the symptoms go away. What if it weren’t as nefarious as all that? What if we simply had a bad habit of responding to situations with a specific emotion?
If this were true, then at least part of the solution would be to change the bad habit; substituting a more adaptive response for the undesirable one. My experience has taught me that there are three essential steps to this process. Awareness – the ability to notice when maladaptive feelings arise. Interruption – the ability to “stop the train” of negativity. And finally, Redirection – the ability to refocus your attention, thought, emotion ,and energy on a consciously chosen desired response.
Practicing awareness, interruption, and redirection replacing negative responses with healthier ones, is hard work. But, over time, these new patterns become your default, helping you navigate life with greater resilience and positivity.Transformation is gradual but empowering, as you reshape your emotional landscape with intention and care. ~ Paul
Do you have a characteristic emotional response to challenging situations or the unknown? Many of my clients reflexively react with anxiety, depression, or anger. When they examine their emotional responding over time they notice consistent patterns.
If this were true, then at least part of the solution would be to change the bad habit; substituting a more adaptive response for the undesirable one. My experience has taught me that there are three essential steps to this process. Awareness – the ability to notice when maladaptive feelings arise. Interruption – the ability to “stop the train” of negativity. And finally, Redirection – the ability to refocus your attention, thought, emotion ,and energy on a consciously chosen desired response.
