Week 5: Awareness of Automatic, Habitual Patterns
“No one can live without experiencing some degree of stress all the time. You may think that only serious disease or intense physical or mental injury can cause stress. This is false. Crossing a busy intersection, exposure to a draft, or even sheer joy are enough to activate the body’s defense mechanisms to some extent. Stress is not even necessarily bad for you; it is also the spice of life, for any emotion, any activity causes stress. But, of course, your system must be prepared to take it. The same stress which makes one person sick can be an invigorating experience for another.”
Hans Selye
Anything that threatens our sense of well-being can trigger fight or flight to some degree.
The impact of great awareness—knowing more closely one’s reactive patterns—supports developing more clear seeing and introduces the possibility of stepping out of automatic, habitual patterns.
Awareness creates space between a stimulus and a response. In that space we are more able to see alternatives to our habitual patterns.
Life Practice:
Alternate sitting practicing with body scan or yoga (lying, standing or sitting) every other day (at least 6x per week)
Continue to bring awareness to moments of reactivity, and actively explore new possibilities. Asking yourself, are there other options?
Experiment with the wedge of mindfulness between a stimulus and a response
This may include using your anchor as a way to ground or center oneself.
You may also experiment with S-T-O-P in the midst of stressful events.
Continue to practice mindfulness with your chosen daily activity. Notice when you are more present throughout your day.
Extend awareness to communication and complete the Difficult Communications Calendar.