Ever wonder why you keep repeating the same patterns over and over, regardless of how determined you may feel to create different and more positive patterns of behaviour? Do you notice that you often respond automatically to the same situation, or feel like you are stuck in a habit you can’t break out of? Well you can blame your archetypes and your subconscious mind for that!
Archetypes or ‘original patterns’ are universal roles, ideas or behaviours which we all recognise instinctively. At different stages of our lives different archetypes dominate our thinking and behaviours. An example of this is becoming a mother for the first time. Although some of the ‘mothering’ behaviour may be learnt from our own mothers, much of it is instinctive, an archetypal behaviour. Our archetypal patterns are our personal ‘companions’ residing in our subconscious and ‘coming out’ to help us when needed. Obviously the more we use or practice a particular pattern or archetype the more ingrained it becomes. Our archetypes provide the foundation of our personality, motivations, feelings, beliefs and values. Some examples of standard universal archetypes include an organiser, a hermit, a creator, a hero, a child, a risk-taker.
So how do we know which ones we’re using, and whether they are working positively or negatively for us? The first step is to notice our behaviours and patterns as they occur. Many of us take stock of the physical, work, career and financial goals we’ve achieved either yearly, monthly or weekly. However instead of focusing solely on these achievements it would be useful to focus on our patterns of behaviours and thinking. What behaviours have you consistently used in achieving your goals? What instincts have you followed? How do you relate to others? What would others say about you and the way you live your life? While others may have their own subjective opinion about you, some of their observations may be objectively helpful.
The next step is to notice any recurring patterns or themes within these behaviours. For example if you notice that you’ve been avoiding taking risks, and continually ‘playing it safe’ in different areas of your life, what does this pattern relate to? How does it help or hinder you from moving positively forward in your life? Writing these answers down is important as it helps to make you more consciously aware of the recurring archetypes which may be sabotaging your life.
So how can the power of your mind help transform your life? Our subconscious mind holds all our beliefs, values, limiting thoughts, archetypal patterns and behaviours which impact our conscious behaviours. Our subconscious is designed to protect us and keep us safe from harm, it does not use logic to evaluate which thoughts, behaviours etc are useful and which create harm, it simply protects. In order to transform our lives we need to access and change the patterns, thoughts, values and beliefs which are stored in our subconscious.
Here are some ways you can reprogram your mind to transform your life.
1. Identify the archetypal patterns, beliefs, limiting thoughts and behaviours which are sabotaging your life.
Choose ones that you notice are the most dominant ones, or think about the most important thing you want to change in your life.
2. Write down how these patterns, beliefs and behaviours currently ‘protect’ or hinder you?
Remember that your subconscious does not filter or judge your thoughts but simply works to help you. Once you have noted how some of these thoughts, behaviours, patterns are limiting you, you can notice whether they are all working towards the same outcome or different ones.
3. Re-program your subconscious with new positive and empowering thoughts, behaviours and beliefs.
Imagine your subconscious is like a computer program, and you are now consciously choosing to delete negative programming and replace it with empowering, positive and transforming thoughts, beliefs and patterns. List some positive alternative thoughts, patterns and behaviours which will help you achieve your goals. For example if you want to stop ‘playing it safe’ and begin to take more risks in your life you could identify one new thing that you could do every week. Your goals don’t need to be major, many small steps can achieve great changes.
4. Practice new thoughts, beliefs and behaviours.
Any new behaviour, thought or pattern needs to be continually repeated in order to override old ones. Make sure you consciously practice these every day for at least a month, as it takes that long for a new pattern or behaviour to become automatic.
Remember that positive change takes time and patience, and it is often easy to slip back in old habits and patterns. Use ‘anchors’ to help ingrain your new ways of thinking and behaving. An anchor can be a particular touch, gesture, phrase, sign or music which whenever you use it will automatically ‘trigger’ the new behaviour, thought or pattern you wish to access. The more you become aware of any of your negative, repetitive, archetypal patterns and use the power of your mind to positively change these, the more likely you are to transform your life.
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