Hole in the street

The notion that habits can be changed in an instant is a dangerous and misleading one.

It provides the perfect excuse to give up when we inevitably fall back into familiar routines as we declare our problem behaviour permanent.

“I’m never going to get it. I’m terrible.”

…

‘There is a hole in my sidewalk’ – A poem by Portia Nelson.

Chapter One

I walk down the street.

There’s a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.

I am lost. I am helpless.

It isn’t my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend that 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 3

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I see it is 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 4

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.