The belief
I’m not special, but I’m conscious. Being aware of what I’m doing and why doesn’t make me better than anyone. It’s just something I can practice, and anyone can.
Where it comes from
One afternoon after basketball, a man handing out flyers about Jesus looked me in the eye and gave me one. About twelve minutes later he came to my car with the same flyer and didn’t recognize me. I sat there thinking: you’re doing something so important to you. How can you do it so unconsciously?
How it shows up for me
It’s my test for the gap between what I say I represent and what I actually do. If I say I value kindness, am I being kind right now, to this person, or just reciting it?
I go unconscious all the time. Whole days on autopilot. The point isn’t to never do it; it’s to notice and come back.