You're at a restaurant with your best friend having a great conversation about their vacation.
They're telling you about their stay in Mexico.
About how while standing on top of a cliff, way above the water, they were watching dolphins swim by when all of a sudden someone ran right past them and frantically leaped right off the cliff into...
"Hello, my name is Lisa and I'll be your waitress for tonight".
You both look at her, look at your menu and then proceed to tell Lisa your delicious menu choices.
Lisa leaves; you look back at each other and say...
"Now, where were we?" Welcome to the world of 'Pattern Interruptions'.
I'm sure that you can remember a time in your life when you were in a very deep conversation with someone and then suddenly, something or someone interrupts your conversation and you're challenged with recalling what you were talking about? It happens to all of us all the time leaving us totally unaware.
That is...
until now.
This natural phenomenon, when practiced properly, can be used in our day to day lives to our advantage.
Think about it, you're a parent with a child.
You're walking through the mall.
And the following conversation takes place...
Child: "Mommy, mommy I want an ice cream!" Parent: "Maybe later, after you've had your lunch.
" Child: "Mommy! I want an ice cream!" Parent: "Not now, after lunch.
" Child: "Mommy! Pleeeease, can I have an ice cream?" Parent: "Okay, just a small one.
" Now, same scenario, except one small difference...
Child: "Mommy, mommy I want an ice cream!" Parent: "Maybe later, after you've had your lunch.
" Child: "Mommy! I want an ice cream!" Parent: "Not now, after lunch.
" Child: "Mommy! Pleeeease, can I have an ice cream?!" Parent: "WHOA! Look at Mickey Mouse jumping over Pluto!" (While diverting your child's attention and pointing at Mickey in the front window of the Disney store) "That's too cool, let's go see what's going on!" And you proceed to guide your child in the direction of the store.
Conducting a pattern interrupt takes practice.
And, when done properly, it will leave you with a small window of opportunity that you need to act upon immediately and with total congruency in order for it to be effective.
Another example, your spouse wants to talk to you about...
'you know what'.
It's the kind of conversation in nature that you know will eventually end up turning into a disagreement.
While your spouse is talking, you pinch 'your' nose and state "what's burning?!" while frantically looking around for the source of the smell.
"Don't you smell it? Quick! Before it gets worse!" Now, one of two things can possibly happen...
Number 1: Like I mentioned earlier, this provides you with a window of opportunity to break the argument pattern thus assisting you with redirecting the conversation to a different topic.
Number 2: The pattern interrupt didn't work as expected.
Or, did it? If anything, it has effectively reduced the 'tension' of the discussion.
You and your spouse can now go back to discussing your topic in a...
well, a more sensible fashion.
Or, maybe you say, after your spouse has started talking once again...
"Was that your Cell phone vibrating or mine?!" (While frantically looking for the Cell phone)...
"There it was again! Quick, before they hang up!" Ahhh!...
the old multiple pattern interrupt.
Points to remember about Pattern Interrupts...
-You're less likely to be successful if you 'crack' up and laugh while doing the Pattern Interrupt.
The other person will pick up on that.
-You must be congruent in what you're saying or doing regarding the pattern interrupt and follow through, re-directing their focus elsewhere.
-The Pattern Interrupt can be a re-direction of thought, a dropping of a pile of papers, a funny noise, making a silly face, etc...
Be creative.
Have fun and practice, practice and practice some more.
I'm sure that you'll find this technique very useful in many different applications.
Hey! Oh my gosh! Did you hear that? Always Sending Positive Energy!
They're telling you about their stay in Mexico.
About how while standing on top of a cliff, way above the water, they were watching dolphins swim by when all of a sudden someone ran right past them and frantically leaped right off the cliff into...
"Hello, my name is Lisa and I'll be your waitress for tonight".
You both look at her, look at your menu and then proceed to tell Lisa your delicious menu choices.
Lisa leaves; you look back at each other and say...
"Now, where were we?" Welcome to the world of 'Pattern Interruptions'.
I'm sure that you can remember a time in your life when you were in a very deep conversation with someone and then suddenly, something or someone interrupts your conversation and you're challenged with recalling what you were talking about? It happens to all of us all the time leaving us totally unaware.
That is...
until now.
This natural phenomenon, when practiced properly, can be used in our day to day lives to our advantage.
Think about it, you're a parent with a child.
You're walking through the mall.
And the following conversation takes place...
Child: "Mommy, mommy I want an ice cream!" Parent: "Maybe later, after you've had your lunch.
" Child: "Mommy! I want an ice cream!" Parent: "Not now, after lunch.
" Child: "Mommy! Pleeeease, can I have an ice cream?" Parent: "Okay, just a small one.
" Now, same scenario, except one small difference...
Child: "Mommy, mommy I want an ice cream!" Parent: "Maybe later, after you've had your lunch.
" Child: "Mommy! I want an ice cream!" Parent: "Not now, after lunch.
" Child: "Mommy! Pleeeease, can I have an ice cream?!" Parent: "WHOA! Look at Mickey Mouse jumping over Pluto!" (While diverting your child's attention and pointing at Mickey in the front window of the Disney store) "That's too cool, let's go see what's going on!" And you proceed to guide your child in the direction of the store.
Conducting a pattern interrupt takes practice.
And, when done properly, it will leave you with a small window of opportunity that you need to act upon immediately and with total congruency in order for it to be effective.
Another example, your spouse wants to talk to you about...
'you know what'.
It's the kind of conversation in nature that you know will eventually end up turning into a disagreement.
While your spouse is talking, you pinch 'your' nose and state "what's burning?!" while frantically looking around for the source of the smell.
"Don't you smell it? Quick! Before it gets worse!" Now, one of two things can possibly happen...
Number 1: Like I mentioned earlier, this provides you with a window of opportunity to break the argument pattern thus assisting you with redirecting the conversation to a different topic.
Number 2: The pattern interrupt didn't work as expected.
Or, did it? If anything, it has effectively reduced the 'tension' of the discussion.
You and your spouse can now go back to discussing your topic in a...
well, a more sensible fashion.
Or, maybe you say, after your spouse has started talking once again...
"Was that your Cell phone vibrating or mine?!" (While frantically looking for the Cell phone)...
"There it was again! Quick, before they hang up!" Ahhh!...
the old multiple pattern interrupt.
Points to remember about Pattern Interrupts...
-You're less likely to be successful if you 'crack' up and laugh while doing the Pattern Interrupt.
The other person will pick up on that.
-You must be congruent in what you're saying or doing regarding the pattern interrupt and follow through, re-directing their focus elsewhere.
-The Pattern Interrupt can be a re-direction of thought, a dropping of a pile of papers, a funny noise, making a silly face, etc...
Be creative.
Have fun and practice, practice and practice some more.
I'm sure that you'll find this technique very useful in many different applications.
Hey! Oh my gosh! Did you hear that? Always Sending Positive Energy!
Source...