 |
| Photo is Into the trees... by Petr Jan Juračka |
There is also an element of impatience here, of wanting solutions now rather than waiting for things to develop over time. I am particularly aware of my impatience during the winter, because it is such a natural time of hibernation and slowing down. And yet, if I had my druthers, everything would continue at a frenetic pace all the time; even my realizations and self-actualization would be sped up, almost instantaneous. Trying to live more in the present moment has helped alleviate this impatience to some extent, because more of my energy is focused on now than on some anticipated future. However, I still want quick and clear answers that explain my actions and reactions, habits and patterns, the causes and effects of my experiences. Taking more time to reflect is changing this slowly and gradually, and yet I'm impatient to become patient. Go figure...
This journey 10 years ago was the beginning of a deep dive into habit change and motivation and willpower. So I feel more clarity now on the naturalness, the inevitability of variability in willpower and motivation, and some of the cornerstones of what makes habits stick. And, in my more recent deep dive into IFS Parts Work, I've also come to understand that different Parts can have different habits. So I can have what feels like a super solid consistent habit that suddenly disappears, but that the cause is internal Parts drama, rather than something about the habit itself.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, the more integrated I am internally, the more likely I am to continue my habits with consistency. And when I am working to develop a new habit, there's an internal community buy-in process that needs to happen so that enough of my Parts are wanting the new habit to make it possible to institute it. Understanding these deeper layers around habits and consistency helps me treat myself more gently and increase my patience for the meandering path towards wellness.