As she was walking down the boardwalk,

immersed in thoughts about her next step in life, she suddenly recognized a rather unlikely scene: somewhat to the right in front of her it looked as if the earth was throwing up. Curious she approached the place and now she recognized the tip of a shovel actually doing the throwing. From the distance it appeared as a regular motion: first the spitting out of earth, then the shovel attached to it, very regular, like a machine, before actually releasing its burden.

Further approaching the scene she got a clearer picture. A man was standing at the bottom of a steep hole, digging it deeper and deeper. He did so with a fervor that would not want to be interrupted. Sweat was running in streams from his face, and one couldn't imagine him stopping.

This man was simply immersed in digging a hole. Yet he was also digging himself into a hole.

She thought to ask him about what he was aiming for but quashed the impulse. He might have reacted angry if at all. What did it look like, he might have asked back while continuing his exercise, I'm digging a hole. This kind of relentless business was supposed to shut up everyone even remotely daring to question its purpose if there was one. This man was simply immersed in digging a hole. Yet he was also digging himself into a hole.

She observed a certain fascination with the pattern of the action: a man was digging a hole. No questions asked. No reflection would disturb his mechanical repetition.

Her own reflection of next steps suddenly took a decisive turn. Patterns can become habitual and thus hungry time wasters: never would she allow herself to get involved in blind repetitive motion. She would use a set of actions to break such patterns as soon as she became aware of them.

She made a mental list of patternbreakers to remember. She promised herself to bring up the courage to put them to good use.

7 patternbreakers:

If possible, leave your current environment for a moment.

1.Social awareness

Adjusting to un-interesting social patterns can cost lots of time and nerve. Just remember what you would love to do at this moment and excuse yourself by mentioning an important task you have to attend to. If you really can't escape the situation use it for body grounding and self- inquiry.

2.Questions, ideas, creativity

Blind repetition is the real enemy to good questions, new ideas and creativity - and vice versa.

3.Move: take a stroll, do Taichi or Yoga.

Moving gets you out of habitual behavior, especially when combined with a good question.

4.Get out

If you have access to nature, join it in its magnificence.

5.Speak to someone (friend, family, stranger)

Strike up a conversation or call someone and listen more than you talk. Other people's concerns make you leave your own 'soup' for a moment.

6.Play a game (unrelated to screens)

Playing involves a different set of skills than repetitiveness.

7.Meditate

Deep meditation (not using any soundtrack) is engaging and relaxing at the same time.

There are also dubious pattern-breakers which exchange one bad habit for another. They are usually not regenerative:

- watch a movie (too passive)
- any form of drugs
- sexual activity
- fill in the blank: anything that is not clearly regenerative.