Are you as smart as a lab rat?

(Originally published 18 March 2012) 

Whether you actually did this in science class or not, you know how rats are put into a maze, and how they run down and back those passages looking for the cheese. Once they've gone down the same passage a few times and found no reward there, they usually stop going that way and concentrate their search in different directions where the likelihood of finding their cheesy reward is greater.

So are you as smart as the average lab rat?

Are there goals you want to accomplish—some reward as important to you as a chunk of cheese is to a rat? Are there paths and actions you have taken in the past that have proved unsuccessful at bringing you closer to your goals? Have you abandoned them and tried a new way?

Maybe you think you know exactly how to reach your destination. You have the perfect road map: to lose those unwanted pounds, you just have to give up sugar and fat and salt, most of your favorite foods and do 30 minutes of cardio and 30 more of strength training—oh, and you should probably learn yoga and meditation too, to help cope with the stress. And then there's the 15 to 30 minutes of organizing you're going to do every day. And let's not forget the journaling and crafting you plan to start, the self-help books you're going to read, the volunteering you know you ought to be doing, and it's time to get out of debt and learn to invest. See? You know what to do, you know exactly how to reach your goals!

So how's that working for you? Are you significantly closer to your goals than you were a year ago?

If you really want to achieve different results, you know you have to make changes, right? Are you willing to change your actions and your thinking? Or do you plan to keep clinging to the same beliefs and thoughts and habits that have gotten (and kept) you where you are now? Are you willing to be less than perfect? Are you willing to focus on one change at a time, and stop expecting to suddenly develop superpowers?

I'm not saying I'm an expert. I acted out certain patterns for quite a while before I figured out they were not working for me. The first thing I had to give up was my wine and potato chip habit. After work, on weekends, after a hard day or an emotional upset—I deserved a treat, didn't I? The trouble was that I had trouble stopping. The alcohol made me stupid and led to pretty consistent overeating, because it became all about sensation—what else would taste good right now? I didn't sleep well after over-indulging. But the clincher was that I felt disconnected from Spirit. And I valued my relationship with the Goddess more than the taste of the wine or the buzz, or the high-fat, salty foods I craved.

My change started there with getting sober and accepting that I couldn't drink alcohol or buy potato chips by the bag. The next change was walking around the block after lunch. I made it a habit and discovered I loved getting outside in the fresh air, seeing the trees and bushes change with the seasons, observing the weather; it was a great time to pray and say affirmations. (It's also a great way to break up the workday!) I liked it so much that I began taking a walk for my morning break, and later adding an afternoon walk as well. Most days I sort of speed walk, though occasionally it's more of a stroll. And I love it!

I do strengthening exercises and stretching on a semi-regular basis. I go for a longer walk on some weekend days. It varies. I don't expect myself to be perfect. I've made steady progress for the last year and a half by exercising more (not all the time or always strenuously) and eating better. In fact I've lost 60 pounds so far. I'm less than 15 pounds from a healthy BMI, after starting at an obese 215 on my 5'3" frame.

Everyone has to find the path that works for them. I've had great success with what I call babysteps. Small consistent changes that can be maintained for a lifetime will lead to progress. They don't create upheaval in your routines, you can introduce them slowly and get used to them before adding something new. In fact my focus has shifted from fitness (though I'm continuing my healthy habits there) to organizing—an even bigger challenge for me. But in my babystepping fashion, I'm making slow progress through little changes and consistent effort.

I believe that every person has the ability to make positive changes in their lives. The main requirements are a willingness to change the way we think and behave and the wisdom and honesty to recognize and admit when the path we are on is not getting us where we want to go. Once we realize that, we can look for a better way—you know, like the lab rats do. Because we really can be as smart as they are!