Why do you keep doing things you know you don't want to do?

You procrastinate.
 You overthink.
 You check your phone.
 You people-please.
 You shut down.
 You go back to the same patterns you swore you'd leave behind.

And sometimes it feels like your brain is making decisions before you even realize there's a decision to make.

In this episode of Life's Limitless Potential, we're going behind the scenes of your behavior to explore the power of your subconscious mind—and what psychology can actually tell us about automatic patterns, habits, and behavior.

Your brain learns from repetition and context. Over time, certain situations can trigger familiar responses automatically.

And here's the fascinating part:

An automatic impulse isn't a command.

You can have the urge to do something without having to act on it. Habitual responses can compete with conscious decision-making, which means there can still be room to choose differently.

We'll talk about:

• Why your brain loves familiar patterns
• How habits can become automatic
• Why you can genuinely want to change and still repeat the same behavior
• The hidden payoff behind behaviors like procrastination and people-pleasing
• Why your brain may choose short-term relief over long-term goals
• How to recognize what's happening before the behavior
• Why understanding a pattern isn't an excuse—it gives you something to work with

And yes, we'll talk about why your brain might convince you that watching someone organize their refrigerator is somehow more urgent than doing the thing you've been avoiding. 😂

Because the goal isn't to fight your brain.

It's to understand it.

And once you understand what's happening behind the scenes, you can start changing the patterns that no longer serve you.

You don't have to become an expert on everyone else.

You need to become an expert on yourself.

I'm Kristen, and this is Life's Limitless Potential—a podcast about psychology, self-mastery, behavior, emotional intelligence, healing, relationships, confidence, and becoming more intentional about the life you're creating.

Your patterns are learned.
And what you've learned can be changed.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro
02:50 - What is Subconscious Mind?
04:30 - Your Brain Learns From Experience
05:59 - Your Patterns May Have Once Protected You
06:56 - The Subconscious Doesn't Mean Powerless
08:26 - The Moment Before the Behavior
09:52 - The Short-Term Reward
12:00 - The Pattern Loop
13:41 - Your Beliefs Are Part of the Pattern
15:03 - How to Start Changing a Subconscious Pattern
16:27 - You Don't Have to Fight Your Brain
17:21 - The Power is in The Pause
18:22 - Closing

STUDIES REFERENCED: 

Gardner, B., & Lally, P. (2018). Modelling habit formation and its determinants. The Psychology of Habit, 1–18.

Gardner, B., Lally, P., & Wardle, J. (2012). Making health habitual: The psychology of “habit-formation” and general practice. The British Journal of General Practice, 62(605), 664–666. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp12X659466

Wood, W., & Rünger, D. (2016). Psychology of habit. Annual Review of Psychology, 67, 289–314. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033417

Gardner, B., de Bruijn, G.-J., & Lally, P. (2011). A systematic review and meta-analysis of applications of the Self-Report Habit Index to nutrition and physical activity behaviours. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 42(2), 174–187.

Gardner, B. (2015). A review and analysis of the use of ‘habit’ in understanding, predicting and influencing health-related behaviour. Health Psychology Review, 9(3), 277–295.

Gardner, B., & Lally, P. (2013). Does intrinsic motivation strengthen physical activity habit? Modeling relationships between self-determination theory and habit strength. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 36, 488–497.

DISCLAIMER:
This video is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The information presented should not be used as a substitute for medical or mental health advice.Copyright disclaimer under Section 107 of the copyright act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Want to go deeper? Explore the video lessons on my YouTube channel:
Life’s Limitless Potential

I believe we all have the potential to become experts on ourselves—and that understanding ourselves is the first step toward changing our lives.

Life's Limitless Potential with Kristen is a podcast about understanding yourself—your brain, your emotions, your patterns, your relationships, and your choices—so you can stop fighting yourself and start becoming an expert on yourself.

I’m Kristen, a certified life coach, college professor, and health and wellness expert. For years, I’ve studied psychology, self-mastery, emotional intelligence, spirituality, and the science of behavior—and I’ve spent the last several years putting those lessons into practice in my own life.

On this podcast, I share the tools, insights, and personal experiences that have helped me break patterns, heal from difficult experiences, build confidence, and create meaningful change.

We’ll talk about self-sabotage, mindset, psychology, emotional intelligence, relationships, healing, spirituality, confidence, and what it really means to master yourself.

Some episodes will teach you the science behind why you think, feel, and behave the way you do. Others will take you into my own story—and the lessons I've learned along the way.

Because I don't believe self-mastery means controlling yourself. I believe it means understanding yourself well enough to have a choice.

If you're smart, driven, self-aware—and still find yourself repeating patterns you desperately want to change—you’re in the right place.

Welcome to Life’s Limitless Potential. I’m so glad you’re here.

Master yourself. Master your life.

Want to go deeper? Explore the video lessons on my YouTube channel:
Life’s Limitless Potential