Why Life Feels Like You’re Stuck in Repeat
Most of us haven’t had the opportunity to consciously consider how much of our life is shaped by the actions we take…and the actions we don’t take.
A day is made up of actions.
A week is made up of actions. A month, a year, a career, a lifetime…all shaped by the actions we repeatedly choose.
Choose is the critical word here.
It is so easy to see the actions you ‘should’ be taking, the actions you ‘should’ stop taking. Perhaps people suggest this and you know the logic makes sense, but nothing changes.
Instead, I want to support you to take the actions you know best serve you. That starts with emotional empowerment.
When each day feels intense and emotions are going unprocessed, it’s almost impossible to find the mental or emotional energy to reconsider anything. So life becomes repeat.
The same actions. The same patterns.
Not because you’re incapable, weak or unintelligent. Just because your brain is doing exactly what it’s designed to do.
Your Brain Repeats What Feels Familiar — Not What Empowers You
Neuroscientific studies have found that up to 40% of daily actions are habitual rather than conscious choices (e.g. Wood et al., 2002).
This means your brain will often choose to default to existing actions.
Even if the action doesn’t serve you. Even if it keeps you stuck. Even if it quietly drains your confidence, energy or potential.
Routine feels easier because it requires less mental or emotional challenge. But “easier” doesn’t always mean “empowering.”
Every Action You Take Is Driven by an Emotion
A critical concept that most people never have the opportunity to realise is this:
All actions you take and all actions you avoid, are influenced by the emotion your brain associates with them.
If your brain associates an action with a welcome emotion, you’ll likely take action.
If your brain associated an action with a challenging emotion, you’ll likely avoid it.
Not because you’re weak. Because your brain is wired to prioritise immediate emotional comfort over long‑term benefit.
In other words: Our emotions are constantly steering our everyday actions, despite what we might conceptually think.
My Own Life Was Shaped by Disempowered Actions
Before emotional empowerment, I didn’t realise how many of my actions were dictated by emotional associations:
I avoided talking to my husband about parenting balance because I associated it with worry.
I avoided giving my opinion because I associated it with the fear of judgement.
I avoided executing boundaries because I associated them with stress and rejection.
None of these were conscious choices. They were my emotional defaults.
Emotional defaults quietly shaped my entire life. I had no idea!
Without Emotional Insight, You Can’t Take Empowered Action
When you don’t understand your emotional experience with clarity, you can’t influence it.
When you can’t influence your emotions, you can’t influence your actions in an empowered way.
You end up living reactively. I used to be a slave to whatever emotion happened to show up that day.
This is why emotional empowerment matters so deeply.
It gives you the ability to:
Understand the emotion driving your behaviour
Influence and change that emotion
Choose an action that genuinely serves you
This is how you stop taking actions that disempower you and instead start taking the actions that you know best serve you.
Practical Step: Start Noticing the Emotional Drivers Behind Your Actions
This work is not about forcing yourself into new habits. Brains don’t change sustainably in that way.
This is about supporting yourself emotionally in the best possible way to fuel the action that best serves you.
That always begins with awareness.
Today, simply notice:
What action did I take, or avoid, today?
What emotion influenced that decision?
Did that action serve me?
No judgement. No pressure. Just awareness.
Because with awareness comes choice. With choice comes opportunity.
Let’s Build You a Life Shaped by Empowered Action
I NEVER in a million years, would have started my business without emotional empowerment on my side.
Anxiety, low worth and low confidence would have been permanent barriers.
So much wonderful empowering change in the world wouldn’t have happened.
When you understand your emotional experience, you reclaim the ability to choose actions that best support you.
You deserve a life that feels intentional, energising and aligned with actions you feel emotionally free to choose.
Let’s empower your everyday.
“Habits in Everyday Life: Thought, Emotion, and Action” Authors: Wendy Wood, Jeffrey M. Quinn, Deborah A. Kashy Published in: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Year: 2002 Volume 83, Issue 6, Pages 1281–1297 DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.83.6.1281