October 23: Releasing Old Identities
- Scriptural: Ephesians 4:22-24 — “…To be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
- Reflection: In a season when the leaves change color because the chlorophyll dissipates with colder temps, showing the underlying hues, transition is on our minds. As the leaves fall, more sights are revealed. And for a brief time, the leaves cloak the ground, masking the terrain below.
For us as spiritual beings, what lies underneath the familiar? What else is within each of us? And what is hidden? What would need to change, to show what is glorious in each one of us? To prompt growth? To reveal something golden and shining in you?
Transition invites us to shed old identities and beliefs that no longer serve us, or that do not align with God’s vision for us. Embrace renewal. What parts of your life could fall away? Be released? What parts of yourself deserve welcome and refreshing?
To change an old habit:
1) Identify triggers: Pinpoint what causes your old habit. This could be a time of day, a location, or a feeling.
2) Analyze the reward: Determine what you get out of the habit, such as stress relief or a sense of comfort, so you can find a replacement that offers a similar reward.
Set up your new habit:
1) Replace, don’t just remove: Instead of trying to stop a behavior entirely, replace it with a new one.
2) Use habit stacking: Link your new habit to an existing one by using the formula: “After/Before [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT]”.
3) Start small: Make your new habit easy to start. A small, consistent action is more effective than a large, infrequent one.
4) Make it easy: Change your environment to make the new habit easy and the old one difficult. Remove temptations and make sure your new habit can be chosen easily.
Stick with it:
1) Set a clear goal: Know exactly what you want to achieve and why it’s important to you.
2) Track your progress: Seeing your progress can be a powerful motivator. You can use a journal or an app.
3) Reward yourself: Give yourself a reward for performing the new habit to make it feel positive and rewarding.
4) Be consistent, not perfect: Don’t get discouraged by slip-ups. It takes time for a new habit to stick, and consistency is more important than perfection.
5) Believe in yourself: Be kind to yourself and believe in your ability to change. It takes practice to build new patterns. - Spiritual Practice: Identify one old belief or habit you want to release. Use the tips above to outline a new habit or belief you can adopt to replace the old one and make the plan as above to begin.
Song:
- “New Light” with Stan Walker: https://youtu.be/LJ_6CcCUsT0?si=2rYbSwj-0SrhejT3
“Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.” — Pablo Picasso
Oct 23 Daily Devotional