Isn’t it tough to part away from something familiar ? That delicious pastry ( tons of sugar ) or that toxic friend.
You wonder why they keep coming back to your life AKA why you keep going back to them !Well You’re not alone!
Familiarity, I believe, is a disease for change. It doesn’t let you think objectively, but simply generates emotions that you’re used to experiencing.
When something is familiar, it might not necessarily be the best for you !Being accustomed to something for so long that you treat it as an integral part of your life and then letting it go all at once- sounds frightful, doesn’t it? This ‘something’ could be your current job, your place of residence, your school, or even a person; moving on has always been difficult for us individuals. You often find yourself in a loop of similar situations, and hence, the familiarity with your surroundings and the current environment you thrive in makes it difficult and fearful for you to move on to something even greater. Breaking away from the monotonous schedule could, therefore, feel like a burden because you are worried that the next destination down the road is something you are not aware of. You are afraid of stepping into the unknown.
Familiarity often leads to attachment and thereby, stands the chance of impeding our growth and stagnating our progress. Familiarity is the only thing that holds us back from stepping out of our comfort zone and discovering new things. Let me ask you: Why do break-ups hurt? Medically speaking, It is because you have been familiar with the person and hence, the thought of having to live without him/her/them seems almost impossible. And this is what familiarity does: It forces us to cling to the past rather than inspiring us to take initiative that could change our future for the better.
There is nothing wrong with being attached to something or someone but you must know when it is time to let go of something familiar for your own betterment. The following are some of the pointers that could help you with this process of gaining clarity:
- Recognize – Self-awareness allows you to understand yourself better. This happens with meditation or relaxation.
- Be objective – What is it you’re familiar with and what are you trying to change about the situation.
- Make a list of steps towards the change you would like to witness.
- Pure intent – Make sure what you do has a pure and strong intent for the betterment and development of yourself with a strong sense of purpose for others too — this aspect simply makes things easier.
Regular meditation and self-awareness help in avoiding familiar situations from time to time, thereby, refraining us from falling into a loop of the same, repetitive patterns that are unwarranted to our growth. Hence, the above mentioned suggestions in addition to meditation and self-awareness can act as a catalyst for our growth, happiness, and prosperity.