Change is an inevitable part of life, but it's not always easy. We all have automatic behavior patterns deeply ingrained within us, which serve as shortcuts for our daily actions. These patterns are a product of our evolutionary design, ensuring that we don't need to consciously deliberate over every step we take. While this automaticity is often beneficial, it can be problematic when we've developed negative patterns under abnormal, unhealthy, or traumatic circumstances.
Consider, for a moment, how automatic behavior patterns help us in our day-to-day lives. If every action demanded conscious thought, even the simplest tasks, like walking, would be laborious and time-consuming. Yet, it's crucial to recognize that our automatic behaviors aren't always in our best interest. 5 reasons change is challenging will explore why patience, compassion, mindfulness, and conscious effort are essential for change, delving into the importance of understanding, rather than judging, these patterns, and how they can be replaced with healthier alternatives.
1. Automatic Behavior Patterns: A Necessary Evolutionary Feature
Our ability to develop automatic behavior patterns is deeply rooted in our evolutionary history. As humans, we've evolved to efficiently navigate our environment and conserve mental energy. Many of our actions, from tying our shoelaces to driving a car, have become automatic through practice and repetition. These patterns, stored in our brain's neural pathways, serve as shortcuts, allowing us to complete tasks without conscious, deliberate thought.
2. The Protective Nature of Patterns
For the most part, these automatic behaviors are immensely beneficial. They help us move through life with ease and efficiency. However, they can also become problematic when negative patterns form in response to abnormal, unhealthy, or traumatic circumstances. These patterns are often protective or defensive in nature, developed to shield us from harm or emotional distress.
3. The Role of Patience, Compassion, and Mindfulness
Change, especially when dealing with deeply ingrained automatic patterns, requires patience, compassion, and mindfulness. It's crucial not to attach judgments, neither good nor bad, to these patterns. Instead, view them as a part of your unique coping mechanisms. They may have served you well in the past, but they may no longer be beneficial.
4. The Science Behind Change
Understanding the science behind change is invaluable. Brain science sheds light on how our neural pathways can be rewired, allowing for the replacement of negative patterns with healthier ones. By consciously directing our thoughts and actions, we can create new pathways, facilitating personal growth and transformation.
5. Internal Family Systems (IFS) and "No Bad Parts" by Richard Schwartz
Internal Family Systems (IFS), a therapeutic approach developed by Richard Schwartz, emphasizes the idea that all parts of ourselves have positive intentions. Even the patterns we might view as problematic were created with the aim of protecting us in some way. Embracing the "No Bad Parts" concept encourages a non-judgmental exploration of our behavior patterns and paves the way for meaningful change.
Beyond Venting: Informed Therapy for Change
Venting about our problems, while cathartic, is often insufficient for creating lasting change. To truly transform our automatic behavior patterns, an informed therapy approach can be immensely helpful. Therapists skilled in techniques like IFS or other evidence-based practices can guide individuals through the process of understanding and replacing these patterns.
In conclusion, change is challenging, especially when it comes to reshaping deeply ingrained automatic behavior patterns. However, by approaching change with patience, compassion, and mindfulness, by understanding the protective nature of these patterns, and by seeking informed therapy, we can embark on a journey of transformation, allowing us to replace negative patterns with healthier, more adaptive ones.
Finding The Help You Need
If you or someone you know is struggling through a time or change, it may be time to find professional help. As a licensed clinical social worker, Michele Gogliucci has all the skills necessary to assist you or someone you care about in transitioning through change. Michele is no stranger to change, taking risks and enduring change at a very young age. Eventually creating the life she desired, she is ready to help you do the same. To book a free consultation or get in contact with Michele Gogliucci, LCSW, contact her here today.