Have you ever noticed that some patterns just keep showing up no matter how hard you try to avoid them? Sometimes it feels like you’re on a hamster wheel, repeating the same behaviour while hoping for a different outcome. This week’s episode is all about how I caught myself in one of those loops and what I did to shift it.

I’m sharing a personal story about a hidden pattern that kept popping back into my life. It wasn’t earth-shattering, but it was definitely limiting. After a weekend “aha” moment, I realised I could do something different to create a new result. It was surprisingly simple, yet it changed a lot. In this episode, you’ll hear about the moment I noticed it, how I decided to correct it, and the ripple effects of that choice.

Spotting the Repetitive Pattern

My epiphany started while I was doing something completely ordinary: I was tidying up at home and caught myself rushing around, almost in a panic to finish. That’s when I realised I’d been pushing myself too hard for no real reason. I thought, “Why am I acting like this? There’s no one to impress.”

It hit me that I do this in many areas. Whether it’s cleaning, preparing for a call, or even writing, I tense up when there’s a deadline. It’s like a self-imposed race—there’s no big prize at the end, just more stress.

“When I finally slowed down, the solution to my problem appeared so much faster.”

Why We Fall Into These Loops

Once I recognised how often I chase invisible finish lines, I started wondering why it’s so easy to slip into old habits. Is it a fear of failure? A need for perfection? Maybe it’s just a form of autopilot. I suspect it’s a mix of all three.

We’ve all got ingrained behaviours that lurk in the background. For many of us with dyslexia or ADHD, we can be extra prone to these so-called loops. Maybe we’re used to feeling behind, so we speed up to catch up—even when no one is chasing us.

Shifting the Mindset

So how did I change this pattern? The first step was simply pausing. When I noticed I was rushing, I took a moment to breathe. Just three or four deep breaths can do wonders. It breaks the momentum of frantic energy.

Then I asked myself a quick question: “Is there actually a race going on, or am I creating one?” This single question brought me back to reality. I still finished tidying up, but I did it calmly and with more awareness.

It might sound small, but that shift changed my day. I felt more relaxed and started to see other ways I rush without noticing. It’s amazing what a two-second question can unlock.

Practical Ways to Break Unhelpful Patterns

You might be wondering how to reset your own unhelpful loops. Here are a few tips that might help:

• Pause and breathe: When you catch yourself in that rush, stop for five seconds. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
• Question the urgency: Ask if there’s a real reason to push so hard. Sometimes the answer is no.
• Track your triggers: Notice where this pattern appears. Is it at home? At work? In social situations?
• Think ahead: Before you start an activity, decide if you actually need to operate at 100 miles per hour. Often you don’t.

These small actions won’t cure everything overnight, but they can create enough space for you to try different responses. Over time it becomes a habit, and those old patterns lose their grip.

Embracing Progress Over Perfection

It’s tempting to think that if you don’t rush, you’ll never get things done. That used to be my excuse. I’d say, “If I’m not flying around, I’m failing.” But we both know that’s not true.

It’s more about finding a pace that works for you rather than one that burns you out. It might feel off at first if you’re used to going full steam. Yet, after a few days of trying, you might wonder why you ever raced in the first place.

There’s also a powerful side effect: you start to notice your own voice more. You learn to trust your internal clock instead of letting external pressures set the tempo. That’s huge for anyone managing dyslexia or ADHD.

Building On This Momentum

Once you start changing a little habit, you often unlock surprising confidence. You might notice you’re calmer not just in this one area but in random moments throughout your day.

I found myself planning my tasks in a simpler way too. I’d ask, “What’s truly essential, and what’s just noise?” This improved how I spent my energy. It also showed me that even small wins can energise me more than big, dramatic changes.

Now I’m constantly scanning for patterns that don’t serve me. If I notice one creeping back in, I try to repeat this process: pause, breathe, and question if the urgency is real. It’s a cycle in itself, but this one is much less stressful.

Key Takeaways

• Spot the pattern by pausing. Don’t miss that rushed moment—it’s a clue.
• Question the urgency. Most of the time, the race is imagined.
• Take small steps. Don’t feel like you need a grand overhaul. Tiny tweaks add up.
• Celebrate progress. Even a single moment of mindful change can brighten your day.
• Use dyslexia/ADHD to your advantage. Our brains work differently, which can help us think outside the box.

These insights shifted my weekend from frantic to calm, and that’s why I wanted to share this story. Sometimes we just need a reminder to slow everything down and confirm if we’re actually in a race before we start running.

If you’re curious about the deeper story behind this realisation, you’ll definitely want to hear the full episode. It’s up at the top of this page, so just hit play when you’re ready. Let me know what you think, and feel free to share your own runaway patterns and how you’ve beaten them.