One year is ending and another is beginning. Some of us are in the process of making resolutions for the new year, while some of us are taking the time to recharge and reflect on the year that just passed. Looking back, we may realize that we made mistakes, some big, some small. We all know that mistakes, in essence, are good – they bring wisdom, they instil experience, they help us learn and grow. The best, the brightest and the most accomplished of our time have been known to make mistakes. The problem arises when we make the same mistakes, over and over again.

The first step to stop repeating the same mistakes is to consciously acknowledge that we’ve created a pattern. We must then ask ourselves why, and what did we have to gain from creating this pattern? As soon as we figure out the why, we must then decide whether it’s worthwhile to remain in this pattern. If the answer is no and we decide that it’s finally time to break free, we must then realize that we most definitely have the power to do so. No one is holding us behind bars or forcing us to jump into the same holes. We can break free anytime we want. This is a process and it may take time, but as soon as we come to the point of consciously choosing not to repeat the same mistake and acting on it, the feeling of freedom and accomplishment that comes with it will be absolutely wondrous.

The poem below, written in 1977 by author & songwriter Portia Nelson, is brilliant and it will touch anyone who is struggling with ‘breaking the cycle’.

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

Chapter I

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter II

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter III

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there.
I still fall in… it’s a habit… but,
my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter IV

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter V

I walk down another street.