Are you running on autopilot?

We have two paths down to the cabin at the end of our garden. Can you spot them?

There’s the one we want everyone to take…

… and the one the dog has created all on his own by hurling himself down the garden.

He does this when he desperately needs to assess the situation and combat any threats to our borders. He’s on autopilot.

Funnily enough he trots back down on the ‘official one’, when he’s calm and relaxed and has everything under control.

We all have these types of automatic reactions, but often they’re not as easy to spot!

It can be hard to rewire our brain and shift from autopilot - whether it’s an action, or a thought, or a habit.

Especially when it’s so much easier, and quicker, to take the well worn path of least resistance.

Especially when we’re reacting to circumstances that take us by surprise, or we don’t stop to think.

And especially when we can’t see what we’re doing.

So how to break the cycle?

It all starts with awareness.

When you’ve done something you wish you hadn’t, look back and see if you can spot the path.

Simply becoming aware of who you are will activate change within you.

You’ll get better at noticing what you’re up to, and create a different relationship with it.

Rather than BEING it, you can OBSERVE it.

Rather than being swept up in it, you can notice what you’re up to.

Often this can be after the fact, and the people I work with can then feel frustrated that they didn’t catch it in the moment. But catching it afterwards is a great first step that we always celebrate.

Are you running on autopilot?

And how can you start to notice the path you’re currently taking?

Wishing you all a great week,