Why change seems so damn hard...
Have you ever thought about where / who would you be if you actually implemented every single piece of advice you read from a book or learned about?
A question that’s relevant to us all.
The biggest mystery that has puzzled humanity for centuries is why we don’t do the things we know we’re bloody well meant to do. 🤷🏻♀️
First things first. Our brains are dynamic and never stop evolving. Neural networks are constantly being formed, new neurons are always being fired and neural pathways are perpetually being reorganized.
So if the brain is doing its bit in consistently adapting. What's the damn deal with us and change?
Enter human resistance...Let’s explore these.
The Upper limit: Believe it or not but we tend to put a cap on our limits for happiness and success, or as author Gay Hendriks likes to call it, the Upper limit.
When things are going too well, we'll find a reason to sabotage our success and return to our familiar state. So we end up back at square one. As bizarre as it sounds, the fear of succeeding is as real as the fear of failing and it is driven by our narratives from childhood.
Comfort over growth: It's no news that familiar territory is our favorite zone. It's easy and comfortable. Stepping out of that challenges our sense of control and stability.
Why bother initiating a conversation with that stranger also sitting alone across the table, when you have the option of texting your friend through the luxury of your screen? When comfort is chosen, growth is undermined.
The unconscious mind aka the body: There are things that are way beyond our conscious minds to comprehend coz some patterns are running on auto-pilot as stored imprints in the body in the form of habits. This is sabotage at its best.
The conscious and subconscious mind are at war with each other, leading to your downfall.
Heuristics at play: Heuristics are mental shortcuts that save us time and energy from making decisions. While it's got its advantages, it can lead to some solid biases including confirmation bias.
This makes change daunting coz you're constantly seeking information that confirms your pre-existing beliefs about yourself or the world at large. If you ask us personally, it's a bloody nuisance.
Changing fundamental habits and thought patterns may seem difficult but it's not impossible. Applying conscious awareness and intentionality can make it happen. It's confronting, challenging and painful…
But when you see the results, you know it's well worth it.
You got this.