Habits can be very useful and necessary but they can also act as strong interferences and obstacles to moving forward. The issue is not so much about whether habits are bad or good. It is more a question of whether we are fixed in them, and whether they serve us in the present. Otherwise, they can become obstacles.
…yesterdays’ meaning become today’s dogma, often losing much of its original meaningfulness in the process. When this happens collectively, societies become governed by shadows, hollowed out myths from the past applied as inviolate truths of the present. This leads to patterns of thinking and acting that separate people from one another and from the larger reality in which they are attempting to live.” David Bohm Past meaning is imposed on present situations, which hinders freedom and choice in our lives. We spend so much of our lives trying to live from the past and defending our core beliefs, yet we rarely take the time to examine our beliefs, whether they are accurate, and whether they serve us in the present. Our habits are strong in defending our view, and we often seek other’s views that correspond with our own, and frequently disagree with those that differ from our own. If we are not aware of what motivates and drives us, and what our habitual patterns of thought and action are, how can we expect to break a cycle of patterns that keep us locked in a particular perspective? These fixed patterns can prevent us from seeing new opportunities and possibilities, and may prevent us from effectively working with others. Without awareness, there is risk of not seeing the pattern. We need to know how to examine our mental and physical patterns before taking action. Otherwise, we risk making the same mistakes over and over. Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If we remain unaware of our habit patterns, they will remain unexamined. Because they are unexamined, they will remain unchanged. To creatively cope, manage, and excel in our complex world, we must develop creative and adaptable habits. We can do this by learning to observe a habitual response to a thought, action, or feeling. Then we can learn how to pause momentarily, without reacting, which gives us an option for a different response. In doing so, we can create the opportunity for something new to emerge.