In our hearts, we trust. But how much of our emotions and behavior can we really trust? Social media personality and influencer Leo Skepi is the founder of “Aware & Aggravated” a podcast series that releases episodes every Sunday about the significant impact mental health can have on your day-to-day life and reveals insights about how to become a 1% better version of yourself.
“Make leveling up your natural state of being,” Skepi emphasizes to exhibit the purpose behind what each episode is meant to do for listeners. Our everyday actions and behaviors serve as an explanation behind what makes each person different when handling situations in your life. Yet, what happens when being aware of what you can control gets you aggravated due to the habits you repeat of falling into your old patterns?
Why Does This Happen?
The process of self-improvement is complex because human behavior is rooted in deeply ingrained habits. Falling back into old patterns occurs because these behaviors provide comfort, even if they aren’t beneficial in the long run. According to psychologists, much of our decision-making is driven by subconscious habits, meaning we often fall back on familiar behaviors when stressed or anxious, even if those behaviors hinder our growth.
When we are aware of our unhealthy habits but continue to repeat them, it’s because these actions are serving a short-term emotional need—like providing a sense of security in an uncertain situation. It’s important to realize that even negative behaviors offer some form of relief, albeit temporary. Recognizing this is the first step toward understanding why you repeat patterns that hold you back.
Consistency is Key To Break The Cycle
Breaking old habits requires a consistent effort to override automatic, emotional responses. Repetition of new, healthier habits helps replace those ingrained patterns. Studies on neuroplasticity show that the brain can adapt and change over time with practice, which means that through consistent positive behavior, you can break old cycles and establish healthier routines.
The key is not to aim for perfection but for small, incremental progress. Instead of focusing on the overall destination of “success,” focus on being just 1% better each day. This mindset shift alleviates the pressure of immediate results and makes the process more manageable. It also reduces the chances of falling back into old habits since the focus is on continuous improvement rather than an all-or-nothing outcome.
One Day At A Time, In 4 Ways
To get one thing straight, understand that there is no such thing as self-sabotage. This concept actually is more beneficial than anything, yet your anxiety and self doubt refrains you from seeing the bigger picture. Look at every single thing that you are doing and ask yourself, “What is this doing to comfort me?” even if it’s just for a moment and what are you getting out of this?
Coming up in second place is the whole “spiraling” concept where you seem to label your emotions when you don’t have a clue about what to do. This only is an excuse to fly completely off the rails because you are noticing you are going down a downward path without giving it recognition.
To give it an analogy, you can say you’re the one driving the plane or riding the boat because you are in control of your emotions. This switches off your logical mind, but to tell yourself you’re spiraling is the equivalent of losing power for letting your anxious thoughts win. Let yourself do what you need to do.
Next, you need to stop catastrophizing your thoughts. As humans, we think when one thing goes wrong or bad in your life, we suddenly spiral into a mentality where we believe not caring or giving attention to something will make your problems go away.
Now you fell into this old pattern, another repeated action and an unhealthy habit you wanted to gain control over all over again. Being reckless and doing what you want to do gets you off track immediately, blows your self esteem, diminishes confidence and you have a “what do I do now?” epiphany.
And last but not least, turn those “I can’t do it” thoughts into a “I can do it” mentality. The only person who is holding you back and giving you opposition to everything coming your way is yourself. You have a mind of your own, with no one who has a remote controlling your every move, every emotion or every action you decide to take for yourself to think what you want or not.
Everything happens for a reason, acceptance and taking responsibility for why you tend to lean towards so-called “self-sabotage”, the “Spiraling” thing and catastrophizing your thoughts is how you will begin to improve 1% better everyday without even noticing it.
Now, how will you begin to identify and effectively replace an old habit with a healthier one, especially when that old habit seems to offer immediate comfort?
Let us know on X what you had to be aware of to improve your life by 1% every day by tweeting us @VALLEYmag!
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