Motivation Monday | Breaking the cycle of mindless behavior.

Let's talk a little more on being conscious of our subconscious behaviors so that you can operate in a way that you want versus acting out old repeated behaviors and thought processes.  Chances are, most of your subconscious actions are not ideal.  Before we talk about what we can do, it's important to note that over 90% of what we do in a day is a result of, or connected to, past thoughts and actions.  In some cases this is a good thing, but for most of us, these old patterns no longer serve us.

I believe there are diminishing returns for our actions.  When we first do something, there's an immediate impact or benefit so we do it again and again.  The more we do it, the greater the impact.  Then, at some point, the results start to level off and, eventually, you start to experience negative returns for the same actions.  Even "good" actions are subject to this which is why it's critical to always elevate our thoughts and actions.  One example of this diminishing return theory is when people hit plateaus in their fitness journey.  The same actions that brought them outstanding results no longer have the same effect. New actions must be introduced in order achieve the results you want.

This is precisely why we don't want our subconscious leading us throughout the day.  It specializes in turning past actions into habit patterns.  Meanwhile the quality of our lives slowly start to diminish.  Got it?

Ok, so know what do we do?  The First Rule in living consciously is:  BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE LIVING SUBCONSCIOUSLY.  Knowing that we're always defaulting to the path of least resistance is half the battle.  Because now, you are armed with the knowledge needed to transform.  Sometimes I catch myself in a trance like state while bouncing from one website to another without having any purpose.  Before, I could do this for hours on end.  Now, it doesn't take me long before I'm like "Nadege, you're being mindless right now, snap out of it!"

Sometimes those words are enough to make a difference, sometimes not.  Which brings me to rule #2 of living consciously:  CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR AUTOMATICALLY BRING US INTO A CONSCIOUS STATE.  Whenever I see my life entering into a lull, I know that I have to do something different to snap out of it.  Sometimes that means driving a new route to work, or instead of doing what I normally do when I get home, I do one thing different.  This suddenly brings me to a state where I'm conscious and present to what I'm doing.

Rule number 3 of living consciously is my favorite technique and I thing the most powerful.  One thing our subconscious mind is designed to do is conserve mental energy.  It enjoys turning on the cruise control settings.  The way to combat this default setting is to EMPLOY YOUR POWER OF CHOICE.  Let's say that every night after work you eat diner then settle in for a night of TV watching and web surfing.  One thing you can do is ask yourself "what else can I do when I get home?"  From there, you may come up with options such as stopping by the gym, research ideas for your business, write down your list of important things to do tomorrow, etc. The possibilities are endless.  The more options you come up with, the more possibilities you create for yourself.

The last rule of living consciously that I'll mention today is regarding your environment.  Whoever said that we are the product of our environment was on to something.  I once heard that Steve Jobs worked in an all white office because it sparked the most creativity.  When my office is cluttered, my creativity is stifled.  Nothing good comes from it.  But when my environment is clear, my mind feels free to create at new levels.  Our environment is the foundation for everything that happens in our lives.  Lookout for a full post on this topic in the future. In the mean time start practicing the art of living consciously by creating the ideal environment for yourself.