Nathaniel Branden, noted psychologist, speaks of the “Art of Living Consciously”. In my opinion, this seems to be a dying art. In our technologically “advanced” society, we seem to have slipped into neutral with respect to conscious thought and awareness. In my world of chiropractic, this seems to be most pronounced in the “daily routine”. People get up at the same time, shower, brush their teeth, comb their hair, drink their coffee, read the paper, get in their car, drive to work, do their work, eat their lunch, do more work, get in their car, drive home from work, eat their dinner, watch TV and go to bed, all the SAME WAY.
I have challenged many of my patients to live a little more consciously – be aware of how they are doing the things they are doing – and be able to change things slightly. These don’t have to be big things…it could be choosing to drink your coffee with your left hand or toweling off after your shower a different way. Find new ways to get in and out of your car and change it from time to time. Some of you are going to read this one and want to burn me at the stake, but change sides of the bed with your spouse.
The definition of insanity is doing the same things the same way over and over and expecting a different result. This goes way deeper than solving the big problems in your life because the solution to the big problems lies in the solution of the little ones – the mindless ones – the things we do every day – OUR HABITS!
But is toweling off the same way after each shower a bad thing? Not in itself, no. But, combine that habit with the neurological patterning of other habits and it can hold you in a rut. The only way out of our habits, our ruts, is to consciously choose to change and the only way to choose to change is to become aware.
Questions? Contact us today!
