A substantial portion of my day is dedicated to following my regular routines. These routines involve familiar tasks like waking up, getting ready for the day, making plans, and as the day unfolds, at times I reflect on whether it went as expected or took an unforeseen turn. This pattern is something that many of us can relate to—a usual day that may unfold as anticipated or take an unexpected twist.
However, the aim of this blog isn’t to delve into the specifics of daily planning. Instead, its purpose is to explore the relationship between seemingly small actions—our daily habits—and the profound impact they have on the decisions that shape our lives.
Before delving deeper, it’s important for us to understand that our automatic actions—our routines—often occur without conscious awareness. This design serves a specific purpose—it conserves cognitive energy. Tasks that we’re accustomed to performing require minimal mental effort because we know what we do and it seemed to have worked yesterday so why not today and tomorrow?
The principle of least resistance guides our survival mechanisms, even though survival doesn’t involve joy or enrichment. It just wants to stay safe and relaxed. This mode governs over 80% of our thoughts and decisions.
So, what does this mean in practical terms? An astounding 80% of our actions are carried out with minimal conscious choice. While we long consciously to live an authentic life, we choose the known, that what we always do, the safe version of our life. And safe means here that what we always do. Meaning not getting into a committed relationship and changing partner as soon as it get to close seems change but it is what the person always does. So let us not fool ourselves with what real choices and changes are and what really motivates us.
This is where the concept of awareness becomes crucial. Only through awareness can we tap into the power of true choices. Without awareness, our ability to make authentic choices is not possible.
Consider a scenario where we’re conscious of our routines, such as our morning rituals. This awareness empowers us to evaluate and potentially reshape these routines.
When we question our automatic actions in a neutral way and we can ask ourselves those questions:
• Do I really like it?
• What do I expect to get out of it AND do I get out of it, what I expect?
• Is it what I want, is it what I would choose out of 100 options I can imagine?
That’s living in awareness.
A remarkable realization emerges: a significant portion of our automatic actions often lack tangible benefit, desire, or enjoyment. Routines often continue unexamined, as something we always do it is well-established and has a place just because of that.
However, what if we were to critically assess them?
To comprehend how small actions have a significant influence over major outcomes, we must nurture awareness.
This awareness equips us with the ability to make authentic choices.
Routines that may seem normal might, in reality, exact a toll we hadn’t recognized— blocking inspiration, numbing our creativity, and consuming time that could be invested in other pursuits that would be much more enriching for us.
With lack of space and the illusion of having chosen our routines, we might not even think of anything else – there seems to be no space for it – no need for it.
Awareness has the capacity to create the space for authentic choices.
You might be aware of certain traits you do automatically, and you have tried to get rid of them or to heal them, and here your Inner Saboteur comes in. Those traits, and if you’ve been following the NEWEX Approach – Inner Voice Power Inspiration for some time, you know that already, exactly those traits ask for your attention because they are valid, valuable aspects of your authentic being. They just need supportive space to naturally develop further and become grown-up aspects of you in their very own authentic and natural way. But this is not the topic of this blog. Read and listen to other material to understand what I mean by this.
Here I only want you to know that we all function out of routine for more than 80% of all our thoughts and actions. And it needs this awareness first to make the choice to become aware of what we do automatically.
Only then we can question our automatic actions in a neutral way, and we can ask ourselves:
• Do I really like it?
• What do I expect to get out of it AND do I get out of it, what I expect?
• Is it what I want, is it what I would choose out of 100 options I can imagine?
If our answer is a yes – that’s then a conscious choice. Also if you choose safety before joy, its our conscious and authentic choice. Its what is the best at this moment for us. That is a real choice.
That is living in awareness. That gives us the opportunity to create space for ourselves, for our creativity. For natural development This awareness and this space are needed to really choose – regardless of what you will choose.
I wish you to live in awareness and in the presence of choice. And in the awareness that you are authentic as you are now. Nothing to look for, to work hard on. Just to be aware.
I could tell much more about it. And not for no reason are my programs built up in a certain order, to step by step grow into the awareness of choice and into the awareness of authentic self-expression. It’s my experience that doing it on your own is often a bit hard. To do it together with like-minded people in the same process, learning the same, is helping that automatic system to feel much safer. And that is needed for natural development.
A safe and supportive environment – nourishing grounds to develop what is already there naturally. Feel invited to join Friends of Inner Voice Power – the place where all aspects and especially your Inner Saboteur are more than welcome!
Much love, Karin
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