Hello, and welcome back to Practicing Human, the podcast where every day we're

getting a little better at life. I'm your host, Corey Miscarra. In today's

episode we're going to talk about the process of changing our habits and ways of

being. More to come on that in a moment. First let's settle in together with the

sound of the bells. There's a lot to be said about the process of change, but

there's one poem that I think captures that process really well. It's called

autobiography in five short chapters by Portia Nelson. So I'll read it to you

and just listen. Notice if anything sounds familiar and if it resonates. Okay, part

one. I walk down the street. There's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am

lost. I am helpless. It isn't my fault. It takes me forever to find a way out.

Part two. I walk down the same street. There's a deep hole in the sidewalk. I

pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I'm in the same place,

but it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

Part three. I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it

is there. I still fall in. It's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is

my fault. I get out immediately. Part four. I walk down the same street. There is a

deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it. Part five. I walk down another street.

Part five. This is autobiography in five short chapters. There's a part of me that

just wants to leave the episode here because I think there's just so much packed into

this poem. It's very intuitive. We understand it. We get it. I'll let you map it onto your

life in whatever way feels most poignant right now. But to me, this is just the process

of waking up to ourselves, our habits, our ways of thinking, our ways of behaving, acting,

...