Are you living on autopilot?
Are you sleepwalking through your life? 😴 Time to WAKE UP! ☀️
Evolution has allowed our brains to develop an unconscious decision-making system. This system can be very useful as it allows us to make decisions quickly, unconsciously, and automatically. It prevents our brains from overloading and enables us to complete everyday tasks easily and efficiently. However, when we’re using this unconscious decision-making system consistently we begin to live on autopilot and this can happen without people realising.
✍️ Are you living on autopilot? Have a think about your responses to the following questions...
🔶 Do you feel bored about the day ahead? 🔶 Is your daily routine predictable and habitual? 🔶 Do you forget to mindfully consider things before making a decision? 🔶 Do you feel like you’re missing out? 🔶 Do you feel unfulfilled? 🔶 Do you feel like you do things in a trance? 🔶 Do you feel you’re sleepwalking through life? 🔶 Do you agree to things you don’t want to do because you’re unsure of your own needs?
If you responded yes to these questions, you may be living life on autopilot. 😴 ✈️
When you’re living on autopilot you are missing out on the journey of life, you’re simply reacting automatically with what happens and you’re not purposefully choosing for yourself what happens.
💫 It's time to begin to take small steps into creating the life you actually want to live, taking time for yourself, being present in the moment, and making decisions with awareness and intent. 💫
👉 Living on autopilot Example: John is tired when he wakes up from work. He chooses the same breakfast he has every day and eats in haste while scrolling social media on his phone. While commuting to work he thinks to himself about how his life feels like a mundane routine, he feels unhappy and bored even though everything in his life is going well at the moment. He feels sad and confused that he never seems to have time for himself and isn’t enjoying his life. The breakfast routine is completely different for Mary who is mindful. Mary wakes up and has allowed herself enough time to prepare and enjoy breakfast. She focuses on what she chooses for breakfast and decides today she wants avocado on toast, although yesterday she enjoyed oatmeal. Mary is intentionally aware of her food when she is eating it, she thinks about the texture and taste as she takes each bite. All her attention is focused on eating her breakfast, with no other distractions. When Mary's mind wonders about the day ahead she brings her attention back to her meal. While Mary is commuting to work, she thinks about how grateful she was she allowed herself to take the time to mindfully enjoy her breakfast. Mary showed herself self-compassion and acknowledged how well she had done this morning allowing herself some “me time” while eating breakfast. Mary felt calmer and relaxed and excited for the day ahead.
The difference between John and Mary is John ate breakfast on autopilot because he is living on autopilot. John is sleepwalking through life and so he ate his breakfast following his routine and wasn't present in the moment. This led to him later having the realisation of how unfulfilled he feels. Whereas Mary allowed herself to focus on the present moment, she purposefully chose her breakfast, she wasn't making automatic decisions, and then Mary was intentionally aware while eating her food. Mary is practicing being present and enjoying the little moments.
👉 Switching off autopilot exercise:
This exercise aims to help you focus, be fully present and encourage you to be intentionally attentive and aware of your actions. This exercise can be applied to multiple activities in your everyday life, the example provided is going to involve a shower. But you can change this if you wish to something that suits you.
🚿 Let’s think about your usual shower scenario🚿.. ✍️ Is having a shower just a necessary part of your morning/evening routine? ✍️ Is showering something you assign an allotted amount of time for? ✍️ While in the shower, are you thinking about other things (e.g., what you need to do next, thoughts about the day ahead)? ✍️ Is having a shower something you do out of habit requiring little attention from you?
👉 If you responded yes to any of these questions, then you may be sleepwalking through your shower and this means it’s time to wake up and enjoy the bliss of a mindful shower. Try and follow these steps when you next have a shower:
❇️ Try and clear your mind of all other thoughts and focus all of your attention on having a shower. ❇️ First, you need to think about the products you’re going to use in the shower. If you have “special products” you’re saving in the cupboard, allow yourself to use them now. You don’t need to wait for a special occasion, permit yourself to enjoy them now in the present moment. ❇️ What towel are you going to use after you get out of the shower? Think about the towel, is it your everyday go-to towel? Do you need a separate towel for your hair? Prepare these ready. ❇️ Pay attention to the temperature of the shower you are choosing. Are you having a cold refreshing shower or a warm relaxing shower? Acknowledge and focus on the water falling onto your body. How does the temperature feel? Are your muscles relaxing or are you becoming energised? ❇️ If your mind wanders that’s ok, allow those thoughts to be washed away with the water and focus your attention back on to the present moment in the shower. ❇️ Be aware and feel all the sensations of your chosen body wash as you mindfully massage it into your body. How does it feel? Does it have a particular smell? ❇️ Make the action of washing yourself mindful and purposeful, focusing all your attention on the present moment. ❇️ When it times to dry yourself, do so mindfully. Focus on the area you’re drying and watch the water from your skin being dried away. ❇️ If you choose, apply any creams or lotions and this can be the ideal time to practice gratitude for the lovely shower you have been able to provide to yourself.
👉 You may be thinking “I don’t have time for this”. But you deserve to make time for yourself, to engage in the present moment, to be attentive and aware, and to enjoy life as you’re living it rather than worrying about the past or the future. Change your shower from a necessary habit to a mindful experience, setting an aware and attentive tone for the day. 💫
Waking up from autopilot can feel like a lot of work and that is because it is. It is easier to allow your brain to make all your decisions for you, but this can lead to you feeling unfilled and unhappy in life. Happio is available to help you with switching off autopilot and waking up to the magic of being in the present moment. Take a look at the restore and release group for further support 🤗