What are behavioral patterns? It’s a question often entangled with the concept of habit, yet they possess differences worth exploring separately.

Habit: Defined as a behavior that becomes automatic through repetition, habits are the familiar routines we engage in daily, often without much conscious thought. From the simple act of brushing our teeth each morning to the subconscious nibbling of nails, habits range from beneficial to detrimental and are typically formed through repetition and reinforcement.

Behavioral Pattern: Unlike habits, patterns extend beyond individual behaviors, encompassing recurring themes or sequences of actions, thoughts, or events. These overarching structures can be observed in various aspects of life, from our relationships and work routines to personal habits. While habits contribute to patterns and are influenced by them, patterns themselves reflect broader, more complex arrangements of behavior.

Habits as subsets of underlying behavioral patterns

In my experience, habits often constitute subsets of underlying patterns. For instance, brushing one’s teeth twice daily may signify adherence to a broader pattern of personal hygiene or health maintenance. Such a habit includes behaviors like regular handwashing, consuming nutritious foods, exercising, getting sufficient sleep etc

Together, these habits form a cohesive pattern aimed at promoting overall well-being.

Similarly, negative habits such as nail-biting frequently exist within broader patterns of behavior often serving as coping mechanisms for managing anxiety, stress, or boredom.

These behavioral patterns may encompass additional habits like fidgeting, hair twirling, or skin picking, all serving as strategies to navigate emotional states or situations.

Identifying habits is straightforward, but uncovering the underlying behavioral patterns can prove challenging. Rooted in unconscious beliefs, these patterns may arise as responses to past or recurring life events, shaping our experiences, thoughts, and emotions.

Behavioral Patterns based on negative experience

Surprisingly, what appears to be a positive habit may conceal a deeper pattern rooted in negative experiences.

Example 1: Exercise: while regular physical activity is generally beneficial for health. Excessive exercise may indicate an underlying pattern of addiction, eating disorder, or body image issues.

Example 2: The phrase: “penny wise, pound foolish.”. While being penny-wise involves prudent management of small expenses, being pound foolish reflects a broader pattern of overlooking long-term consequences.

Conclusion

Behavioral patterns shape our perception, our reality. Patterns guide our actions, our choices. Patterns tell the story of a thousand moments. Patterns connect us to the past, present, and future

“I don’t trust words, I even question actions, but I never doubt patterns.”

– Unknown

Behavioral patterns possess the power to steer the course of our lives unless we actively disrupt them. Thus, I embark on this journey of writing to identify and document such patterns. I strive to break free from their grasp and foster personal growth.

“We are capable of engineering a world in which our better angels predominate. This will not come easily, and there is much about human nature that is not pretty. But as long as we remember that we are not exclusively defined by that less savory side, we have a chance.”

– Robert Sapolsky

Read in Hindi here.

Books Referenced

Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert Sapolsky