Groundhog Day: Are You Repeating the Same Patterns?
Remember the 1960’s Sonny and Cher song “I Got You, Babe?” In the wonderful movie “Groundhog Day,” that song is the one that Bill Murray’s character, Phil, wakes up to every morning. The first time it happens, he continues on with his day, not sensing any oddities with how his day will unfold. Each subsequent day, however, the song is his indicator that he will be repeating the same day over again. Throughout the movie, Phil runs through an array of emotions. His first is becoming aware that it is happening. He then enters into disbelief, then dread and despair and ultimately he learns from the repetitiveness. He transforms his life in the process.
“Groundhog Day” is the perfect movie to support our own review of cyclical patterns that we repeat in our lives. What then is your Sonny and Cher song? What keeps popping up in your life asking to be noticed?
If you think you know, but still want to understand where to begin. The first step is similar to Phil when he noticed he was repeating the same day — it is awareness. You can begin by considering the big themes in your life. For instance, do you:
Date or marry the same type of person?
Find the same controlling boss shows up in every job?
Feel high expectations are required of you by family or friends?
Feel like an outsider at home, work or community?
Recognize an addiction to work, alcohol, drugs, food, sex, exercise, etc?
Lose your job over and over again?
Find you are in frequent accidents?
Sometimes the easiest way to begin to consider your patterns is by looking at “triggering” issues. What situations do you find trigger a strong emotional response from you?
Don’t forget the beneficial patterns too! Maybe you have a knack for starting new projects that are successful. Or maybe you are the family and friend social planner. What and how have your positive patterns influenced your life too?
Patterns are of course a combination of those cyclical experiences that have been beneficial to our lives and those experiences that are worth reducing or eliminating from our lives. In “Groundhog Day,” Phil has the wonderful opportunity to learn and transform his experience – and so do you.
By taking a look at the patterns that we have in our lives, we have an opportunity like Bill Murray’s character to remake, to re-do to rearrange our lives. In investigating those patterns, being aware of them and seeking to change those that block us from greater success, we have an opportunity to change the dynamics in our lives.
Happy Groundhog Day! Read more articles at https://www.fourdirectionswellness.com.