The Perception Illusion

Habits are just thoughts and actions that have become automatic. People struggle to break bad habits, because they forget that the key to break habits is to change your thoughts. Without changing your thoughts, it is damn near impossible to your change habits, but once changed, moving on is effortless.

Habits can be new or old, you can may have had them since you were a child or developed them three weeks ago. No matter how long they have been a part of your life, you can change them. The idea that "old habits die hard" is just plain wrong. The amount of time you have been stuck in the same old rut doesn't matter; new or old the cure is the same.

With perception illusion, it all comes down to how we perceive ourselves. If you see yourself as a healthy eater, it doesn't occur to you to buy donuts every morning. But, you could live the opposite perception. If you think of yourself as unhealthy, then you will live your life as an unhealthy person, acting out your beliefs by smoking, never exercising, or eating a lot of junk food.

When I was a child, living at the beach, I saw the movie Jaws. That movie scared the crap out of me. Every time I went swimming in the ocean, I felt that I was in danger. My eyes were always looking out to the horizon, on the alert for a scary black fin skimming through the water. I could almost feel the brush of a shark's skin against my legs as they kicked in the water. My heart would race and my breathing quickened. The perception illusion that I developed was that swimming in the water was dangerous, even though there had never been a shark attack at my beach. My fear was real, as real as if there was an dangerous shark in the water because perception is as real to our minds as reality. Our minds do not distinguish perception from reality.

If your perception illusion is that a barking dog is a threat, then it is a threat for you. If you think the dog is barking because it is friendly and excited, then it's a friendly dog. How we think determines our feelings and actions.

So, to change your habits, you must first change your perceptions. Create a visual image of yourself as you want to be. The key is that it is you without the habit - not an image of you trying to break the habit. Ask yourself, "What would I look like as a non-smoker?" If you are depressed, get very specific about what a happy image of you would look like. Key in on one very clear action that you would take if you were no longer depressed. This may take several minutes and the image may be blurry at first. Do not lose focus until you have a specific action item. For example, if you were no longer depressed, would you call your best friend? Would you take your dog to the park down the street? Would you take someone out on a date to your favorite mexican restaurant? Focus on the behavior that you want in your life. Think of who you would be without the bad habit. If you were no longer stuck in this rut, how would you feel? What would it say about you? How would others see you?

Think of it as already being your habit. It is your habit as of right now, not in the future, but right this second. From now on, this is your habit. The clearer the picture (what shirt would you wear on the date? Did you shave first?), the more deeply ingrained the image becomes and therefore, the stronger you will identify with it. This leads to action. New habit or old habit, either way it can be broken in the same amount of time. how long you have been stuck in the same rut means absolutely nothing. When you are ready to change, then you will change. It is our nature as humans that once we set our minds to something, we can't be stopped.

When your desire to change your thinking is strong enough and your willingness to live a happier, more meaningful life is high enough, then the momentum will snowball into every day actions that are congruent with your new perception illusion. You become your new habits. They are who you are; there is no separation. Maintain the small acts that make your new habits thrive. Eat that extra carrot, floss 5 times a week, smile and say hello to the cute, datable stranger. It is not always easy, but it is truly that simple. Your perception becomes your reality.

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