When we are young, our minds are predominantly in a theta brain state—copy and paste. This allows us to learn an immense amount of information quickly as we adapt to new environments. Unfortunately, we don’t have the capacity to question the appropriateness of what we are learning during these early and formative years. This means we can take on beliefs, perceptions, and behaviors that are ineffective and produce unwanted results.
My mother was an extremely reactionary and destructive person, even though in her true nature she had a heart of gold. When she was stressed she would blame and attack others—saying and doing very harmful things. As a young child, I became very fearful of others, and also acquired the same knee-jerk response pattern. When I became aware of this pattern and the negative impact it was having on my life, I began to watch and observe myself in stressful situations. I came to understand that if I could remain calm and centered in a triggering situation, I also had the capacity to respond differently and create a new pattern for future interaction, as well.
While process was uncomfortable in the beginning, over time I was able to let go of the learned behavior with the simple act of being conscious and present in the moment. By remembering that her behavior was unconscious and learned from others helped me be more compassionate, and not take her behavior so personally. In retrospect, I can see that accomplishing these small steps helped me to break the chain of harm.
The ICWIB activities are a great way to gain a deeper sense of self and change ineffective patterns and behavior.
I invite you to explore some of the ICWIB art activities and videos for FREE.
If you enjoy these messages, Like us on Facebook.
If you would like to read previous posts, you can find them under resources.