One number that can be helpful for anyone who wants to change a habit is the TIME MEASURE of 10

 

 

In a bodywork course, specifically the Dorn Method, I participated in recently, the very experienced and knowledgeable instructor with 25+ years of experience said that it takes at least 10 percent of the time to unlearn a pattern that you spent with the pattern. It was more of a side note she made than a fact to live by. I found it very helpful because especially when I meet new clients the duration of the process is one of the primary questions they have.

E.g. 10 years of chronic pain – 1 year for unlearning the posture you had to alleviate the pain.
Say you  had an accident and as a result have suffered from pain in the left shoulder for 10 years. You also developed a posture to alleviate or avoid the pain that you’ve maintained even after the original injury healed. If you want to improve your situation and are thinking of working on this with professional help, it would be unrealistic to believe one, three or five sessions will fix the problem. Even if you find an excellent therapists or healer who only needs a few sessions with you to do their part in correcting something in your body, to create a lasting change in your life, you will have to work on your posture or pattern for a good while after that.

The professionals can support you on the way with their special expertise, this is one aspect of the process. And then you need to do something in your life to keep it or work your way out of it.

No one can do the un-learning for you. It’s part of your journey. And it can be very rewarding as soon as you take the first steps. You will notice the benefits and changes. And the improvements will be what keeps you going.

This number gives you a good rule of thumb for a realistic goal to unlearning a pattern. Thas is if you stick with the subject and give it attention, you can unlearn it and fill the new space with fresh energy and purpose.

Do you want to unlearn a habit or pattern?
If there is a pattern you’d like to change and you want an impuls and expert’s opinion on what first steps you can take, get in touch with me. I’m offering a free 30-minute consultancy to discuss your individual situation with you and give you an outline of what your journey can look like.

 

1 Comment

  1. Daniela

    Another take on how long it takes to restore the “ability to perform all movements allowed by skeletal and anatomical structure” by Moshé Feldenkrais. I’m currently reading “Embodied Wisdom – The collected papers”. He said: “Reasonable, healthy people, free from serious disease, can achieve this remarkable state by an hour of work for each year of age, up to sixty years.Beyond that, intelligence and desire determine the amount of time.

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