Your Actions – Why Did You Do It?

Do you often perform actions that you just ask yourself, “Why did I just do that?” You would not be alone. They key is learning the why.

When I first seriously started thinking about why I did certain things, it became frustrating because I had no idea why I acted like I did.

Sure, you can say that you did something because you have always done it, but that is just covering up the root of the action.

How do you find the cause? Is it impossible?

Understand Yourself

As I sought to learn the whys, I came to understand that I needed to know myself, and that led to some uncomfortable introspection. Seeing yourself can be so annoying.

That is what I used to think anyway. Now I recognize that seeing myself as I am, and as I may be is very powerful.

A key to making this a successful practice is learning to forgive yourself. That takes real power, and it must be developed. It is like a muscle that requires toning to be effective.

What Is An Antecedent Of An Action?

An antecedent is the thing which precedes. So what comes before your action? What did you do or think?

Don’t get caught up in what someone else did or said. That will not help you find your why. It is a redirection of your accountability for how you act. Avoid discouragement if you find yourself acting like this. This is actually good practice for finding actions when you are noticing this avoidance.

You may ask , “How do you know?” Well, someone explained it to me, when I was doing it. I have firsthand experience with this. I get to check myself often and ask such questions.

Learning to master your thoughts and acknowledge your emotions takes a lot of practice, so show yourself a little patience.

Where Does This Lead?

As you become more aware of your actions, you will start to notice certain thought patterns or emotions that precede your actions. Often the trigger by comes from something that happens.

Someone may say something or looks at you in a certain way. A car cuts you off, and maybe an hour later you act out. Or, you start feeling down on yourself about something that triggers you.

As this comes into clarity, you are now prepared to start acting before the action repeats. Trust me, there will be times that you just don’t care. Recognize that you are still practicing. Forgive yourself.

When you start mastering your actions, it leads to another level of awareness. It is lots of fun. Why do you do the good things you do? How do you do those things more often? Find the thoughts and feelings that lead you to act that way. Then nurture them.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

It is true that they speak volumes, but what words preceded them? How loud are they in your head and heart?

As you seek to master yourself, you may find that you begin to see these patterns in others. I look to my ancestors constantly to find these patterns. It allows me to develop compassion and greater forgiveness. I know that they help me to understand them.

When I make this effort, they are grateful for the forgiveness and for being remembered. They also want me to see those tendencies in myself, and thus I gain the opportunity to master myself more.

I also see this in people around me. That is why I like to work with my ancestors first. They are very forgiving when I make mistakes in dealing with this awareness. Practice with them, and then you will be more successful helping the people around you.

I would love to hear your success stories as you work on this. And, if you are struggling through this process, I would love to help you in the process. Let me know how things are going.