Changing Your Habitual Reactions

Last week I shared with you some thoughts around the energy we contribute to our environment by the reactions we choose. I told a story of a reaction I had when I was annoyed with my phone.

In full disclosure, that experience was a long time ago. I wrote that particular piece back then and I’ve shared it in the past.

Turns out, it was one of those, “Just in time good reminders” for someone.

That someone was me.

This past week, my husband and I got new phones and changed carriers. And so, we started the process of porting from one carrier to the new one and setting up our new phones. I had never heard this word “port” before, but I assure you, I know it now. (Oh, how I know it now.)

When faced with a stressful and frustrating situation, I can cuss a blue streak. I say this with no amount of pride nor apology. It’s simply something I know about myself.

It’s also something I want to change.

I want to change it because I like a peaceful environment. And I’d rather pour my energy into completing the task (which, one way or another must be done) than into verbally venting my frustration which only functions to slow my progress.

This all reminds me of changing habits.

When we want to release a habit that doesn’t work for us, we must put a new one in its place. Or the old one just happily hops back into our routine.

First, you must identify what your new behavior will be and then use it over and over until it becomes your new pattern. Did you see the statistic above? 10,000 repetitions!

One way of doing this is to shift your mental focus from the current behavior to the desired outcome. For me, my two desired outcomes are the peaceful environment and the time I save when my energy is directed toward getting the task completed. Time I can use for things I actually want to be doing.

When I’m tempted to cuss the blue streak of profanity, I can pause and ask myself, “What outcome do I want?” With this shift in focus, I can seal my lips and move on with the task at hand.

There are times when coaches need to heed their own advice.

Such as the moments when one chooses to change phone carriers.

Phones.

My on-going source of practicing new habits.