No matter how much some of us resemble a bird, we are not birds. However, we all experience the Ostrich Effect to some degree. Some of us may just procrastinate from time to time, and some may be caught up in a chronic state of denial and/or delusion.
The Ostrich, unfortunately, has the instinct to bury its head in the sand when it is experiencing fear or imminent danger. This act makes it feel safe because it can no longer perceive the threat, even though the problem is still very real.
Consciously, we’d all agree that this behavior is unacceptable, yet we still practice it. We know we have to make a change, but the negative feelings associated with that change are great enough that we just say “Nope” and then move on to thinking about something else. We simply divert our attention away from the important thing that we should deal with, and focus on anything and everything else. We avoid it, deny it, and ignore it for upwards of millions of times, and each time it gets pushed a little deeper into our subconscious mind. But it’s always there, and it bubbles up to our consciousness on a regular basis, until we finally decide to confront it.
How can we break this pattern? We can shine a light on it, and then turn up the brightness.
Again, we’re not birds. We have the intrinsic aspect of what we call our heart center. It’s the part of us that has the innate ability to ‘care’ for things, for others, for ourselves, and for anything else. If we can engage this part of ourselves, then we can hopefully summon up enough courage to shine the light, or ‘look’ at our problem, even for just a moment. Celebrate the fact that you just accomplished that, be grateful for the ability to do so, and accept the resulting good feelings about yourself that this knowledge has brought to you.
To turn up the brightness, you will need to recruit reinforcements. This can come in the form of a self-help book, a therapist, a friend, or anyone who cares about you and wants the best for you. Someone you can put your full trust into. Seek them out and add them to your team. We all need this help at some point, and to think otherwise is folly. Put your pride aside for a moment, and know that the only path to gaining something begins with the acknowledgment of the fact that you don’t have it yet.
Try to foster this way of thinking. Be kind, understanding, and gentle with your own thoughts and feelings. Know that it’s okay. It’s okay to make a million mistakes or ‘bad’ choices. It’s also okay to make ‘good’ ones. You decide. You’ve always decided, and you’ve always had the power to choose your thoughts, words and deeds, as you have the power now. 😊
We of course specialize in the reinforcement component of this solution-based method for changing habits. We maintain caring and supporting roles with our hypnosis therapy, energy work, wellness, and weight loss and fitness services. Please don’t hesitate to reach out for a consultation as we are here to help you with whatever your health and wellness challenges may be.
