Why Is It Important To Consciously Observe Your Behavioral Patterns
As I always talk about self-awareness, I’d emphasize today for all of us to understand how our mind works. Because when life throws curve balls, we only have power to control what goes inside us. Saying this, I point towards our feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Because later, they lead us towards our behavioral patterns (a.k.a actions).
To evaluate the realities of our lives, make better decisions, and enhance the capacity for achieving goals in life, we must have firm control over the scientific patterns behind our thoughts and emotions. Once we learn how to manage them effectively, we may direct them as we prefer. And this is crucial to improve the quality of one’s life.
What Are Thinking Systems? (How Does Mind Work?)
So the comprehension of mind functionality requires us to know about the thinking systems. A human mind has generally two systems of thinking. 1) The autopilot 2) The intentional system.
First one, the autopilot, is mainly run by intuitions and emotions. This system depends on our cognitive processes happening in amygdala (region of the brain primarily associated with emotional processes). Hence, we are able to take quick decisions and reflexes in any stressors.
Nevertheless, the downside of this system is, treating daily life stressors usually causes unnecessary stressful life experiences, which undermines one’s health and physical well-being. And also, since these quick judgments are based on feelings and emotions, they often lead to wrong predictable, systematic ways.
Not to mention, the autopilot system determines our daily automated habits too.
Second one, the intentional system is driven by rational thinking. And the processes in this system are conducted in prefrontal cortex (a part of the brain involved in a variety of complex behaviors like planning, personality development, etc.). Rather to say, this thinking system requires conscious efforts to function.
For a lot of right reasons, the intentional system is ideal for situations when the autopilot fails or is likely to lead to mistakes. In many life’s circumstances, you’ll rarely want to do right things, but since the motivation gravitates towards it, the intentional system comes in action. For instance, waking up early is hard, but you have to do it anyway to pursue your dreams.
Your body seeks comfort. But as growth is always uncomfortable, you got to make hard choices for yourself.
As human beings, we run on both systems of thinking, which eventually develop our patterns of behavior. You cannot abandon one and solely follow the other. You got to track both in order to understand yourself better, so that you may know when and how to intervene in them.
How Are They Built?
As mentioned earlier, behaviors are driven by both thoughts and feelings. That provides an insight to the individual’s psyche, which reflects in their attitude and values.
If, to mention, human behavior is mainly influenced by three factors, (i) environmental simulations, (ii) genetics, and (iii) internal dialogue.
In environmental, it entails what goes in your immediate surroundings that includes your household, school, and friends circle. Your environment raises the likelihood of how you are going to be in the same situation later in life. However, it doesn’t typically set in stone, yet still has a great impact on your personality.
For instance, your parents are against friendship with opposite gender, so you agree — until one day, you meet someone or read a book which defer their opinion.
And then if we talk about genetics, there are around 17%-23% people who suffer from mental disorder that have biological causations. Some of them are uncontrollable while for other, one needs medications to lead a completely functional life. For example, alcoholic people are likely to predispose the pattern into their offspring.
And lastly, internal dialogue is your inner self. In my opinion, the way you speak to yourself is one of the most important factors that control your behavior. It is a force between environmental and biological impacts through life. For instance, when angry, if you lash out or try to calm down. Also, if approached with a difficult choice, what your reaction is going to be. Through these events, behaviors are built and you are kept from being the exact same person through life. You learn how to handle what life throws at you and what to take from it.
Why Is It Necessary To Consciously Observe Them?
Since now it is clear that our behaviors and actions are reflection of our personality, we need to work on them in order to shape us into what we aim ourselves to be. The only condition is, WORK. The better understanding we have of us, the more deliberately we are able to activate our intuitions. And eventually, it enhances our ability to interact with others and to respond in an appropriate manner. As a result, you develop certain traits that speak for your identity as well.
How Can We Do It?
So far what I have known is One Needs to be in the Moment to Become Fully Aware. If you are eating, you just eat. If you’re listening, you just listen. If you’re reading, you just read. Cut down distractions to attain focus. It eventually improves your concentration.
Plus, spending time with self is extremely important. Positive self-talk leads one to know themselves better. So they may work on self-improvement where lacking.
Whenever you are having a conversation with someone, make sure not to respond immediately. Pause for a moment, think, and then reply (if needed). Doing so makes you conscious of every move you make.
Write what you feel. Spit all the trash going on in your head on to the paper. It will help you know what the problem is and how you ought to deal with it.
That’s it for now.
To have more insights into my life, you can visit my blog and also read my stories on medium.
