The path to Tranquility (summer)
74. Let consciousness replace habits
From birth, we develop various habits. In terms of diet, exercise, work and
rest, and other aspects of doing or thinking, habits always affect us
unconsciously, and sometimes even put us into physical or psychological
difficulties. From the perspective of common concepts and behaviors, we are
not alert enough to the dangers of habits. Therefore, it is necessary for us
to conduct an in-depth analysis of habits and explore the possibility of
replacing habits with consciousness.
Let’s look first at instinct, which are unconscious habits. For example, some animals instinctively bury their feces after excreting to reduce the risk of being hunted. But even if they defecate on the concrete floor, they will make burying movements without knowing that doing so is ineffective and cannot avoid being tracked by predators. This renders their burying instinct lose its protective effect. Besides instinct, other habits are developed in daily life. Some habits are less harmful, such as food preferences, but others can harm our health, such as smoking or drinking alcohol. From these examples, we can see the potential dangers of unconscious habits to life. Habits also have a far-reaching disadvantage. When they become part of our identity, we tend to ignore the feelings of others in order to stick to the habit, which will have a negative impact on interpersonal relationships.
Although habits also have some effects, they can enable us to operate efficiently without thinking when our consciousness cannot respond in time. For example, when we encounter a critical situation and are about to fall, we will instinctively hold the ground with our hands to give our head a chance to avoid injury. But in most cases, habits are unnecessary or even a hindrance. When we need to take the initiative to make a falling action, if we cannot overcome our instinctive habit and continue to support the ground with our hands, then we will not be able to complete the task. This example highlights the importance of developing consciousness and breaking out of habits. Because most of the time, critical situations will not occur, and the more conscious we are, the better we can avoid critical situations.
However, getting rid of a habit is not easy. In addition to our dependence on habits, the difficulty stems from a deep-rooted misconception that habits can be divided into good habits and bad habits. What we need most is freedom, and we can explore habits from this perspective. Psychological research makes us realize that all habits create dependence, and the more dependence, the less freedom there is. Therefore, whether it is a good habit or a bad habit, as long as it restricts our freedom, it is harmful. Only by facing up to the negative impact of habits on life and recognizing the harm of habits to life from both rational and emotional aspects can we be truly willing to get rid of them.
There is an essential difference between habits and consciousness. Habits are sets of fixed memories and programs, and by acting on them, we act like programmed machines, set in stone. Consciousness is flexible perception and prediction. When we act consciously, we fully consider our situation and adjust our goals or methods. For example, when we brush our teeth according to habit without thinking, sometimes we brush not cleanly, and sometimes we brush too hard, causing damage to the teeth. This unconscious way of brushing our teeth can even make us forget whether we have brushed, causing us to brush too many times. But if we consider the condition of our mouth every time we brush our teeth, and how to be cleaner and more moderate, we will improve the way we brush our teeth or choose better appliances to make our teeth healthier. Therefore, habits are obstacles to progress, but consciousness is the driving force for progress.
The main disadvantage of habits is that they prevent the development of consciousness. Every habit in life means that our consciousness in that aspect has stopped growing, and the danger increases accordingly. For example, eating regularly or exercising are habits that are rated as healthy but can also be detrimental to our health. This is because habits can cause us to ignore physical aging or changes in the environment, and fail to realize that we sometimes need to adjust the time, method, and rhythm of our diet or exercise, thereby increasing health risks. On the contrary, if we take every action in life consciously rather than being driven by habits, we can constantly review our choices and behaviors and adjust them according to the current situation, so that our health can be fully protected.
On the other hand, habits are also the biggest obstacles in relationships. Habits are like a wall that keeps people at a distance and prevents them from getting close. For example, if two people from different regions form a family and each sticks to their previous living habits, their relationship will not be close, and they may even be separated due to conflicts. Therefore, if we want to build good relationships, we must first let go of habits, especially those that destroy relationships, such as being unkind and emotional. Even if they grow up in different cultures, they can live together and love each other as long as they are willing to let go of their habits. Because love is a consciousness, not a habit, by getting rid of habits and integrating with others with consciousness, we can love each other.
In general, many difficulties in life are caused by clinging to habits and being unwilling to change. Therefore, we should pay attention to the cultivation of consciousness rather than the formation of habits, and let consciousness replace habits. Even for small things in life such as brushing teeth and washing hands, we should decide whether and how to act based on actual needs, rather than acting according to habit. When we get rid of habits and become more conscious, many difficulties are eliminated and our life goes more smoothly. This gives us more time to learn new knowledge or skills.
Since habits have many disadvantages and awareness is advanced, we should start to get rid of them. This requires setting some specific, measurable, and time-bound goals so that we can track our progress. For example, we can set a goal to get rid of the habit of staying up late, use a month as a limit, and record the time we sleep every day. If we can achieve our goal, we will check whether our physical and mental state is better than before going to bed early. When we find that we have benefited from the change, we feel happy and go to bed early in the future, so that the habit is broken. It is worth emphasizing that we should not set material rewards for progress, nor should we look for substitutes for bad habits. Because this will create new habits, defeat the original purpose of removing habits, and will not help cultivate consciousness. For example, we should not reward ourselves with dessert the morning after going to bed early, as this will form a new habit of eating dessert.
Getting rid of habits means getting rid of unconscious behaviors and letting consciousness direct actions. By clearly understanding the purpose and method of each action, fully predicting the possible results, and summarizing and reflecting afterwards, we can take more conscious actions. For example, when speaking, we need to know the reason and target of what we are speaking to, arrange our words and tone, and try to make it easier for others to understand. We also need to observe other people's reactions after speaking, so as to improve our speaking skills. Acting consciously requires more time and effort, but it reduces the chance of error, gives us more pleasure, and has great benefits in delaying brain decline.
When we successfully get rid of some habits, we will deeply understand the harm of the habits and the benefits of getting rid of them. By doing things according to the traditional habits of one party, we make the other person uncomfortable. Or if we speak according to our childhood habits, we will cause a lot of misunderstandings and conflicts. And by getting rid of habits, we can consciously manage good relationships instead of turning the relationship into a habit. Most importantly, we realize that consciousness is who we truly are. Only by living through consciousness can we feel that we truly exist and protect our life to the maximum extent. Therefore, no matter how difficult it is, letting consciousness replace habits is a direction worth our efforts.
Letting consciousness replace habits is ultimately for the growth of consciousness. Life is like a car and consciousness is like the driver. If the driver allows the vehicle to run on inertia, not only will an accident occur, but it will also fail to improve his driving ability. Any ability is improved in the process of application, and consciousness is essentially the ability to control life. Aging and death in life are the limitations of our growth. If we allow our life to be controlled by instincts and habits, we will not gain more opportunities for growth. Therefore, for a healthier and longer life, and to allow ourselves to continue to grow, we must let consciousness replace habits.
73. Insight into the truth of the things
75. Love is the action that creates happiness
