Get Stuck in the Right Rut
We've all felt stuck. Usually we tie the feeling of stuck to something uncomfortable, or too comfortable, something we want to change. But I wonder if it's possible to get stuck in the right rut. That's what we all want, right? To feel like we are consistently in the right place at the right time with the right attitude and awareness for the best possible thing to happen, right?
Habit Science
In a University of California - San Diego study, about how the brain makes and breaks a habit, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Christina Gremel, found
"that the brain's circuits for habitual and goal-directed action compete for control -- in the orbitofrontal cortex, a decision-making area of the brain -- and that neurochemicals called endocannabinoids allow for habit to take over, by acting as a sort of brake on the goal-directed circuit."
We all know what it's like to have a habit--an automated routine we don't have to think about. We've all gone somewhere on auto-pilot and realized we were supposed to be somewhere else that day. Some habits are really good to do repetitively--like getting up before dawn, brushing our teeth after we eat, hugging our loved ones, drinking water upon rising, moving our bodies on the daily. What's tricky is not getting lackadaisical with those habits. When we repeat something over and over that at first requires a significant amount of focus, it can become rote.
Does Habit Lead to Boredom?
In a recent yoga lesson with my teacher, Scott Blossom, he pointed out how my home practice had changed over time and encouraged me to go back to the same routine and practice at half the speed in order to pay closer attention to how I move my body and where certain muscles have taken over, and others have fallen asleep. The routine of morning movement was there, but my practice lost it's ummph and my strength and inspiration were waining as a result. I felt bored with my pattern and resistant to paying attention like I did when I learned the prelude (yoga sequence) the first time.
This all makes me wonder how to get stuck in the rut of continuous improvement, the rut of growth.
In Christina Gemel's acknowledgement of the value of habits, she points out that
"We need a balance between habitual and goal-directed actions. For everyday function, we need to be able to make routine actions quickly and efficiently, and habits serve this purpose...However, we also encounter changing circumstances, and need the capacity to 'break habits' and perform a goal-directed action based on updated information. When we can't, there can be devastating consequences."
What Do YOU Want?
My guess is that to get stuck in the right rut, we need to employ goals. For my goals to feel worthy and for me to feel motivated to accomplish them, I need to feel seen and have the opportunity to celebrate. It's just something I know about me. If you're a self-motivated pro, right on. For many of us, we need the support of others to get stuck in the growth junkie rut.
Seasons Change
It's kapha season. Mud season, we call it here in Montana. Like the water and earth elements coming together to form a sticky mess on the ground, this season can trigger similar feelings in the brain. This may show up as resistance to change, a tendency to isolate, or just plain lethargy. If you're thinking, not me, I'm motivated by Spring! Nice work. You're tapping into the endurance, nourishment and connectivity qualities of kapha dosha. We're shifting from the light, cold, dry, rough, hard, mobile qualities of vata season --fall/winter-- into the heavy, dull, cold, oily, smooth, dense, cloudy, stable and gross qualities of springtime. While we see the potential for growth in the plants and animals around us, we also may experience a heaviness of mind, feel more weighed down with our obligations, resistant to movement when the clouds roll in.
Nature shows us that during this time of the year, we have the capacity for enduring significant change. We have to find a way to implement that change, though, in order for it to give us the results we want.
If you're thinking, what the heck is kapha, you lost me here, check out this intro to the Ayurvedic philosophy of our our unique constitutions --what makes up our body, mind, emotions as individuals. If you want more insight, tell me about it here.
Kapha likes company.
If you're watching the sun stay up longer and feeling the weather warm while you sit on the couch thinking, I should really get out there and move my body. I need to do something! You're not alone. We can beat ourselves up with shoulds all day, but likely the only thing that will get us moving when we feel stuck is accountability.
You might try one of the following to get you going:
Think of someone who is already doing what you want to do & give them a call--see if you can join them. Likely they had someone who inspired them to get going when they started!
Sign up & pay up for a group fitness class (I just joined CrossFit! Talk about accountability!!)
Tell a confidant about your goals and ask them to hold you accountable. Often when I know I need to do something and am fearful of taking the first step I simply announce it is going to happen, to friends, on social media, etc. I now feel the obligation and motivation to follow through!
Let us know how it goes on the Grounded Here Community Facebook Group!
