Taking old roads again?
What do you do when you find yourself on old paths again?
In the process of shedding old identities, we often find ourselves in an interregnum. This is a period where the old is dying but it is not yet dead and the new is being conceived but not fully born.
In this period of uncertainty there's a the temptation to return to old ways. The old is what you know but it longer works for you.Its like returning to your childhood home and finding out you have outgrown the bed you used to sleep on and the people who made it a home are longer there. There's an illusion of safety and comfort in familiar territory but it's also a danger zone. There is the danger of prematurely aborting the more capable version of yourself.
When you try to return to your old identity,you have to chop off certain aspects of yourself to fit in to that identity. You have grown, you have been exposed and you know too much to be the old you again. You have to shrink yourself. That creates all sorts of psychological problems such as addictions and self destructive behaviours.
What to do when you find yourself going back to old habits?
1.Remove yourself from the environment, including the people who enable you to be your old self.
2.Seek out a community of people who will encourage you and keep you accountable on your journey of growth.
3.Get rid of your old wardrobe and start dressing like the person you want to be.
4.Delete that playlist of yours that reminds you of the good old days. Why are listening to music that reminds of your highschool or tertiary days. You are not that person anymore.Its unnecessary to keep reminiscing about the past. The past is gone and it's never coming back. Forget the old days immediately.
5.Use new language. Expand your vocabulary. Don't speak the way you used to. Try by all means to find better and higher means of expressing your thoughts. You can't still be using slang from when you were 15.
6.Most importantly don't stay where you have fallen.If you fall don't sit there and beat yourself up about it. If you fall ,crawl forward and keep going. Don't remain where you have fallen.
7.Burn every ship. A certain Roman general went to conquer a foreign a land. His first act of war was not to attack the army of that nation. His first act of war was to burn his ships together with his food supplies. That eliminated the option of going back should things get rough. His army had only one option, to win. Cut off anything that might allow you to return to your old self. Attack anything from your past that might trigger a sense of complacency.
Drink water and mind your business.
Stay on the path of righteousness and be triumphant always.
I love you all.