Habit Change: Cause Vs. Effect

When we think about changing habits, it helps to think about cause vs. effect. If you’re trying to get rid of a behavior or a habit that you don’t want anymore, one of the first things to do is to realize you’re in control. Are you at cause, or at effect?

At Cause
When you’re at cause, there’s no room for excuses. You do what needs to be done in order to complete the task at hand. You take responsibility for the outcome of every situation. This doesn’t mean you feel guilty or defeated when things don’t work out as you want. It means you think about what you can do differently next time.

A person at cause feels confident and relaxed. When you’re at cause, your words come easily, your actions are competent, fluid, even when you’re doing something you don’t know how to do very well. When you’re at cause, you takes things as they come, and you make choices based on what you want. You feel energetic, healthy and happy.

But what if you’re at effect?

At Effect
A person at effect feels stressed and uncomfortable in a situation. Their words are halting, and they are unsure of what they are saying. Their body language shows their stress. The person at cause questions whether or not they are good enough to be in the room. They tire easily, and their actions can be stilted and awkward.

Next time you’re feeling “at effect”, you could take a deep breath and remember a time you felt “at cause”. Everyone is good at something. I wonder if I can ask you to try a simple exercise. Think about something you’re really good at. Notice how you feel. Really step into that feeling. Now think of something you wish you could do better. Can you bring that feeling of competence along with you?

If you can’t, no problem. Come in for a hypnosis session. We’ll find another way to go about bringing out that confidence. It’s hidden in there somewhere.