For the past 4 years, I have been taking this particular road on my way home. And recently, I discovered a new alternative stretch which helps me to avoid the traffic congestion! And guess what? On several occasions, I would still unknowingly turn into my usual familiar road even though I wanted to take the other road.
Does this sounds familiar to you?
I call it my automatic behaviours. Some may called it habits. A more sophisticated term is subconscious mind.
The subconscious mind is not clearly visible or measurable. However, it’s impact on our behaviour is subtle and yet powerful.
Over the years, we tend to develop certain good healthy habits while others may have picked up damaging or unhealthy habits. Take a look at addictive behaviour. It is another form of automatic behaviour. The most common addictive substance is smoking.
What causes automatic behaviour? It is a combination of genetics, how our brain are wired, strong feelings or emotions which were attached to certain memories, events or individuals, routine or habits and our collective learning.
A child who was traumatized by an abusive parent may believe that the world is a dangerous place and have difficulty trusting people. A man may easily turn to excessive alcohol to escape from his emotional stress whenever he had a bitter argument with his spouse. A parent may lose control and allowed her emotional release or anger get the better of his/her when his or her child make a small mistake – because he or she was physically beaten by a punitive parent for the slightest mistake or misadventure.
So, are we completely powerless in this fight against our inner negative forces? The answer is NO. When we choose to realize, increase awareness and acknowledge the existence of this powerful automatic behaviour, half our battle is won. Look for the root causes, be it biological ( genetic or chemical imbalance in the brain ), psychological ( childhood issues or current stressful lifestyle ) or social. If these behaviours are out of our control despite our efforts to contain them, then consider seeking help to deal with it before it ruin our lives.
