Tag: Habits

Blockages

Posted on by philipdodson

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No matter what we are trying to do in life, we often come up against blockages.

These blockages are not real physical things very often, perhaps a tree might fall and block the road, but normally the blocks live in our heads.

No one else puts them there either, we put them there. We may try to blame others and say it was them who made us think that. But ‘them’ are not to blame, no one is, we choose to put the blocks there.

Sometimes they are obvious blocks, for example if we have a bad leg, then it is probably a good idea to block the plan to go tree climbing. Or if we can’t swim, then in the short-term it probably might be good to block the idea of a round the world sailing trip. Longer term we can learn how to swim, if we really want to sail around the world badly enough.

The more difficult blocks are the ones that are well disguised by excuses that our chimp, instant gratification brain, comes up with to block anything that will interfere with short-term reward and gain. Blockages in the head are often fear related, fear of failure, fear of being laughed at, fear that we aren’t good or worthy enough to do something.

Blockages come in all forms, but the good news is, like a blocked pipe or drain, they can be flushed out and cleared.

The key is to identify what the real reason is for holding us up from trying, starting or doing something. It is nearly always the thing that we think we most want in life that we have the biggest blocks about.

Sometimes the block is we kid ourselves that we want to do a particular activity or want to behave in a certain way, when really deep down we don’t.

If we find out who we really are, how we really want to be and why we want to do something or not, then there is a good chance of finding what the blocks are.

Then it’s a step by step process of removing the block by changing habits and the ‘truths’ we tell ourselves.

We all have blocks, find them, and slowly start to remove them. But first, make sure that you really, as in really, really want to do that thing. Then the inspiration is there to overcome any blockages.

Worry

Posted on by philipdodson

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The thing with worry is it becomes a habit. Once we allow the fear of future outcomes to enter our heads too often, then even when things are running smoothly, there is a habitual tendency to search out for things to start worrying about.

Every single person worries. It is a normal thing.

It is how we choose to react to worry and the habit that we can form to lessen how often we worry that matters.

Normally when something is causing worries, then it matters or is important to us. So learning how to lessen worries will make a difference to the things that matter.

Worry leads to indecision.

Firstly, when something is troubling us, we need to assess a simple thing, is it something that I can do anything to affect the outcome of? Meaning, is it in my control?

Much of what we worry about, is in fact, how others might react, what another person might do to us, not will do to us!

However, we can not control that. So there is little point in worrying about the future reactions of what others will do.

The second action, following the above simple assessment, is if we can control it, then do something to change it. If we are worried about becoming overweight, well we can change our diet, change our exercise regime, we can change our mindset towards this too and so on.

That is the fact about most of the worries we have, is that we are using the fears or worries as an excuse not to change something. So starting of changing our mindset to something is essential.

Worry is always a futile activity. If we can’t change something, then don’t bother worrying. If we can change it, then change it, so no need to worry. If we don’t want to change it, then accept the likely outcome and don’t worry.

Like anything in life, the more often we practice this approach, the less we will worry and that will form a good habit of worrying less.