This week has been about noticing the old patterns that arise, the ones that sneak in when I’m not paying attention or pushing myself. The focus has been on the mental diet, and what’s been coming up for me as I practice more self awareness.

Awareness is the greatest agent for change. — Eckhart Tolle

For the most part, I would say my focus and mindset are positive. Little things don’t bother me, like someone cutting me off in traffic or waiting in line at the grocery store.

It just doesn’t bother, but that’s also the person I want to be. The game I play as I watch others react.

Living in Costa Rica helps; traffic isn’t exactly chaotic here, but waiting in line is a part of daily life. These small moments are great reminders of how I want to show up.

But then there are those other moments, the times when old patterns resurface. The negative dialogue that used to run wild in my younger years, especially when I was competing, in personal relationships, or even business partnerships.

I see it now, how it sneaks in when someone isn’t meeting my expectations, as if my way is the gold standard.

Not putting in the same effort or going after it as intensely as I would, my mind starts to project and judge them. This week has given me the awareness to see these patterns more clearly, but especially to notice them as they happen when I am pushing my mental capacity.

The Bursts and the Flow

One thing I’ve realized about myself is that I operate best in bursts. When I’m diving into something I’m passionate about, whether it’s learning a new skill, putting an idea into action for my business, or just pushing my own mental boundaries, I like to go all in.

I push and I love that feeling because I’m enjoying what I am doing.

But I’ve also noticed how that intensity can drain me energetically when I’m doing it for an extended period of time. I’m never running on empty, but there is a slow down just below the surface. A level of self induced stress from stretching that is hard to see in the moment.

That’s when I feel my old patterns come back to life.

I’ve learned that this is my signal to slow down, step back, and let myself play in other spaces. To take a pause, to let the system recharge for another burst of inspiration.

It’s hard when you are really enjoying what you are doing though, you are so in it.

And this might sound counterintuitive, to step away when you’re in a groove, but the more I listen to that internal navigation system, the more aligned I feel. It’s in those moments of rest, the moments of play, that I find my mindset shifting back to a place of openness, possibility and positivity.

The mental diet is not just about eliminating negativity for me; it’s about developing the awareness to understand when and why I’m doing it. For me it’s about trusting that the ebb and flow of energy is natural, and that stepping away doesn’t mean losing progress, it means allowing space for growth.

Awareness is the key for me

The more I can observe my own patterns without judgment, the more I can allow myself the space to choose a different path.

And that is where real transformation begins for me.