Grooves in Old Dirt Road (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ever notice how you can almost let your car drive itself down a dirt road, one which you’ve travelled everyday for years? The grooves have become so worn and deep that the tires just follow right along. You can sit back, turn on the tunes, and enjoy the ride. The only thing you have to do is press on the accelerator or brake once in a while..
But what if you want to take a different route? What if you don’t want your car to take you down that same old grooved road? What if you decide on a different destination? Well, then, that will take three things, and they all will require effort for quite a while before your car doesn’t automatically drive itself down those old grooves.
- Attention
- Intention
- Action
That’s the way those old, pesky habits work. The neuropathways in our brains become so deeply grooved over the years that we literally, without thinking, without much awareness at all, do stuff. The stuff we’ve always done. The way we’ve always done it. And this is especially true if that “something” brings pleasure or averts pain. That’s because we’re designed to #1: move away from pain, and #2: move toward pleasure. So, how do we create healthier patterns of accomplishing this? No, we don’t install a GPS. That would be too easy, and it wouldn’t work. Changing those old patterns will require attention, intention and action. The hard part is repetitively paying attention, reminding ourselves of our new intention, then taking an action that is different than that our old habits want us to take. Remember, the pain is in having to make the effort to change the pattern, and the pleasure, which is not immediate, is the end goal and it will happen, provided we persist.
How do you become a great writer? You write, and write, and write, and write. Even when you don’t want to.
How do you become a great violinist? You practice, and practice, and practice, and practice. Even when you don’t want to.
How do you stop smoking? You don’t smoke, and you don’t smoke, and you don’t smoke, and you don’t smoke. Even when you want to.
Forget those old things you’ve read about neuroplasticity, and how it takes about 21 days to form new neuropathways. Try more like six or twelve months. And know that’s the way it is, and if you are persistent with your attention, intention and action, new ways of doing things will prevail.
Remind yourself, when you get discouraged, how long it took to form those deep grooves in that dirt road, those grooves that your car tires just follow along, allowing you to lapse into nearly complete unconsciousness. That’s fine, if you’re a robot. But if you want to have choice in your life, living unconsciously doesn’t work well.
It takes attention to note the tires have slid back into the old grooves, a reminder of your intention to steer your tires in a different path, followed by action to take control of that steering wheel and make those tires turn onto a different path. It will take time, but if you persist, you’ll find you’ve created many different options, many possible destinations, and you’ll be consciously in control of where you are going.
©Janet Mitchell, May 2012.
I truly appreciate your post. Great site!
Hi Janet,
I have nominated for the Inspiring Blog Award http://theway2fullconsciousness.com/2012/05/26/inspiring-blog-award/ Please accept it…I am truly honored to read your work and connect with a beautiful soul like you.
Thanks, so much, Veeh, for this very special honor! I will be responding to this very soon–have been recouperating from a little setback, so have been quite tardy in getting back to you! You brought some brilliant sunshine into my home with this nomination!!
Janet (thoughtstomull)
This is such a gem of a poem
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading!
This is so true. Things become a habit when we don’t pay attention. This comes at a good time, as I have a few habits I’m working to redirect…including not staying up so late
Thanks, Janna. I think this boat is a crowded one, and there are things we all can work on! ♥♥ Janet
This is brilliant!
Thanks, so much!!
I just had to take the time tonight to attend to this wisdom here on your page. I have been re-framing my thoughts and have made some changes in my life recently that has brought fruitful results. Now I’ve just got to practice and practice and practice to keep on this successful path!
Thanks for this bit of inspiration. Awesome post, Janet! 
Thanks! And I’m glad to hear you’re making some changes that are proving fruitful, and am glad, as well, that the post gave you a boost to stay the course!! Janet
Janet…This is such good information! And, quite frankly, some information I needed to hear (read that is). I am going to think about this for awhile, as I try to get myself through some much needed changes. Thank you so much for being so dang smart AND intuitive….and for sharing. Big hug, my friend!
Terri
Thank you so much, Terri! Hope it helps . . . you know I wouldn’t have written it if I didn’t think I needed to make some changes, as well! Ugh!! If only good advice was meant ONLY for OTHER people–hehe!! Now begins the work!! (I keep thinking about that childhood story about the little train that kept saying to itself, when it struggled up a hill, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can . . . ) Glad you found it worthy of consideration. ♥♥ Janet
This is good stuff, Janet! I printed this, read it offline and will do as suggested. What made it more vivid for me is the road analogy and the photo, and thought of my brain’s grooves. Will let you know down the road how it goes.
Thanks, Marie! And do let me know how it works for you! I’ve got my own, ongoing changes to work on, as well. ♥♥ Janet