Making Conscious Decisions

I've been contemplating the metaphor of old shoes. I have a pair I've worn for years. They're comfortable because they're broken in exactly to my feet. They're familiar. I know how they feel. But they're also worn out. The soles are thin. They don't support my feet properly anymore. They hurt me even as they feel comfortable.

Once new ones are purchased we make a conscious decision to wear them. This is where I get stuck with character defects. I can see they're worn out and hurting me. But making the conscious decision to wear something new – that requires faith. New shoes are uncomfortable at first. They don't feel right. I want to go back to the old familiar ones even though they're damaging my feet.

Step Six asks me to make that conscious decision. To choose the new even though it's uncomfortable. To trust that what replaces my character defects will eventually feel right even though initially it feels foreign. The conscious decision comes before the comfort does.

I can't wait until the new way feels natural to choose it. I have to choose it first and trust that naturalness will follow.

When facing a situation where my old character defect would usually activate, I can make a conscious decision to try something new even though it feels uncomfortable. The new way won't feel natural immediately. But choosing it despite discomfort is how it eventually becomes familiar.