Gators

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different response.

Since returning to social media I have been watching gators. This is not a metaphor. Actual alligators. This may sound strange but my Facebook actually believes that I need to see alligators doing all sorts of things and in all sorts of situations.

Now I am aware that the situation I have found myself in is all based on algorithms set up by one late night LIKE of an alligator walking through a Florida neighborhood. He was impressive I assure you, but I am still not sure what possessed me to hit the LIKE button.

So here I am with reels of alligators on trail cams in the swamps of Louisiana. Sorry Florida, sometimes I look at different swamps. At this point I could work for animal control in several states where alligators are the state reptile. In fact if I have my phone out, 9 times out of 10 I am watching gators.

So I bet you are now wondering what this blog is about. Yes it’s about gators but it’s also about being a creature of habit. As humans we like routine and “the known” over the unknown. However, we cannot have real and lasting change if we stay with “the known”. Sometimes “the known” is pretty crappy, but we stay because it is familiar and perceived safe.

Familiarity and emotional safety are two different things. It may be familiar to stay in unhealthy relationships regardless of your worth. It may be familiar to stay in toxic job situations for fear of chancing to a new gig. It may be familiar to ignore your own needs to people please, disregaurding yourself in the process. It may also be familiar to avoid your feelings until you explode. Maybe it is familiar but I guarantee you it is not emotionally safe. Your perception will lie to you and your health will suffer.

So as long as I watch gators, my social media will continue sending me videos of alligators. You cannot have the same behaviors and expect a different response. You have to do something different. Try something new. Or ask for what you want or need.

So if I want to see reels of cuddly pandas I have to do something different. I have to inform Mark Zuckerberg that my needs/wants have changed. I have to change my behavior and stop watching the Florida game warden. This has become a thing I assure you, I am not proud of it. I have to choose something different.

Don’t be afraid to make another choice and maybe you will get to see some cuddly pandas in the process.