There is a concept that comes from Neuro Linguistic programming called the pattern interrupt. Simply put, is a way of changing a person’s mental, emotional, or behavioral state or strategy. Developing the skill set for creating a pattern interrupt can help you learn new behaviors that lead you powerfully forward toward living a more intentional, passion-filled life. (Definition from Chopra.com)
In thinking about this current crisis, it occurred to me to be a HUGE pattern interrupt to the whole world. You interrupt a pattern that is not serving you so that you can stop doing that particular thing and then are able to replace that particular action or activity with something that does serve you.
We have all had our patterns interrupted. Now the question is, what will you do with it? Are you surrendering to the slowing down of things so that you can hear yourself and address what this is all meaning to you? Or are you resisting, keeping yourself overly busy, even in this time where everything is mostly coming to a screeching halt.
Now is the perfect time to take inventory of all of your habits. Your thoughts. Things you have been engaged in. It is the perfect time to take a good look at your business. What are the things you have always known you should change, but have never taken the time? What in your life needed an overhaul anyway? A crisis may not be the time to make major decisions, but it IS the perfect time to start doing the thinking, the research, the planning, the reflecting. So that when the time comes and we are going back out into the world, something new and fresh is going to start.
You are not going to just go back to the same old. This time can change you for the better, if you let it. How can you work with the fear and anxiety, listen to it, thank it, let it give you some information, and also learn to release it in healthy ways.
What happens can you take of and drop starting right now. I saw this scrolling on the bottom of the news screen last night: make sure to get exercise, good food, rest, fresh air and limit your intake of coronavirus news. The news said that! I think we better pay attention to that one.
If you are scrolling Facebook and reading all of the article- stop. Get your news in a reliable place. Instead of reading news, read something you love. Or dance! Shake out that restless energy. Shake out that fear and anxiety. Pattern interrupt yourself when you start to engage in what Coby Kozlowski calls a “crime against wisdom”. Something you KNOW is not helping you and you are doing it anyway. Or something you aren’t doing that you know could help you and support you.
Take a look around at your resources. In your home- what can you use that you forgot about? What corners can you clean out. What games can you play? Every part of our house is being used as it has never been before. The kitchen has dirty dishes everyday, our living room is the new workout room. I am working from my dining room today, for a change of pace. I think I have sat in every chair in the house over the past 3 weeks!
What has been on your to do list forever? How could you get it started? What is your first step?
How can you contribute to others well being and mental state without leaving home? How can you encourage and uplift others.
These are all things you can do. Interrupt all of your old patterns that stop you from doing these things.
Let me know what you come up with!
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