The Immediate Power Of The Pattern Interrupt

The Fastest Way To Upgrade Your Reality

Tasneem and Eddie are in love. They’ve lived together for three years and each considers the other to be their ‘person’. Mostly they’re friends but sometimes they’re not.

One early Friday evening after a long work week for both of them, they’re in the kitchen conjuring up dinner. Neither of them are excited about it but they’re on a budget and choosing home-made over take-out despite no desire to cook.

Distracted, Eddie casually mentions the Sunday plans he’s made with friends. Tasneem feels a flash of irritation. They hadn’t discussed the weekend together and she likes to feel considered but she knows Eddie’s been under huge pressure at work and needs a break. She breathes and although still unsettled, asks him about his plans.

While explaining, he adds that his parents want to see them and he’s booked dinner for next week. Tasneem struggles to contain her anger at not being consulted. It’s a recurrent theme and she’s tried to express her need in this regard many times before. She growls quietly, and almost without meaning to, says, “are you for real?”.

Her level of irritation is incongruent to the situation. The memory of each of the other times this theme of conversation has played out between them rises in her body. They know their roles: she pushes into the subject with anger and Eddie gets defensive. They fight and Friday night’s potential turns to misery.

Except, not tonight, actually. Eddie has a moment of clarity. He loves Tasneem and she’s repeatedly saying she feels unconsidered. He wants to be happy, not right. Just as she’s about to lash another harsh sentence out her mouth, he pulls a funny face and does a silly dance across the kitchen to where she stands. Startled, she’s disarmed and can’t help but smile, then giggle. Laughter offers them both release and presence. They find each other again with a few calm words of mutual acknowledgement and a slow hug.

That is a pattern interrupt.

In this particular instance, one that shifted the potential reality for these two humans from Friday night hell to Friday night hanging out and connecting.

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