Ever wonder why you say or do something and then feel uneasy when you finish the thought or action?

Sometimes we move about in our daily routines without ever realizing that we are carrying a lot of history on our shoulders. Without being mindful and present in your interactions, you may carry forward in the current day some patterns of the past that worked as far back as childhood. They just look different today.

How? Look at any situation today where you were uncomfortable after an interaction and can’t figure out why.  For example, when you were a child, did you hold a parent or adult in such high regard that you didn’t want to disappoint them?  What did you do when you got overwhelmed, or had a bad report card? Did you go to sleep, sit alone, stop talking or playing with childish spontaneity?  Now fast forward the mental video to being an adult with grown up responsibilities. How do you respond when you make a mistake, or choose a path different from  what the group would expect of you? Do you run away, get overwhelmed, or feel guilty in some way?

Maybe you discuss your perceptions openly and without guilt or anticipation of a negative response. If you do, you have transformed your reaction to situations to be proactive and conscious, present (in the moment), aware of pros and cons, and your own integrity as a responsible adult. Most importantly, you are aware of your response on a conscious level. This takes a deeper level of self understanding which brings about consciousness and confidence. It is not an easy position to grow into or maintain.

We are all inherently fraught with patterns from our childhood and youth that are unconsciously ingrained in our psyche. When we take the time to discover who we are, looking at reactions and ripping them down to their origin, we can objectively critique the response and decide to change it or keep it. Sometimes it is a helpful source for survival, other times it is a built-in self destructive mechanism. It takes honesty, freedom from self criticism and judgment to make such changes.

Change is a constant in life, and everyone agrees that although it is necessary, it is not easy. So, if you accept the challenge to go forward mindfully and be present, you may find your life more fulfilled and joyful, and feel freer in your spirit.  To me, this option sounds like a worthwhile effort to try. What do you think?