Are Your Habits Failing You? The Hidden Force That’s Keeping You Stuck in Life
Uncovering the Misguided Unconscious Decisions (MUD) That Cement Your Identity and Sabotage Your Success
Introduction: The Crumbling House of Habits
Imagine you're living in a house that looks picture-perfect from the outside—fresh paint, manicured lawn, and pristine windows. But step inside, and you'll find cracks in the walls, sagging floors, and a foundation that's slowly giving way. You wouldn't spend your time rearranging furniture or repainting walls in such a house, would you? You'd address the foundation.
Yet, when it comes to our lives, most of us are doing just that—trying to change our habits without addressing the faulty foundation underneath. That foundation is our identity, built on layers of Misguided Unconscious Decisions (MUD). These MUD layers are like the hardened cement beneath our feet, anchoring us to the same struggles, repeating the same patterns, and keeping us stuck in an endless loop of frustration.
In this article, we're diving deep into what MUD is, how it forms, and, most importantly, how you can start dismantling it to build a life that’s not just a fresh coat of paint, but a rock-solid structure from the ground up.
What Is MUD? The Hidden Saboteur of Your Identity
MUD stands for Misguided Unconscious Decisions, a term that perfectly encapsulates the internalized stories and beliefs that quietly dictate your actions, reactions, and ultimately, your identity. These decisions aren't conscious choices we make with clarity and wisdom. Instead, they're the result of coping mechanisms we developed during moments of stress, trauma, and confusion—times when we lacked the tools, maturity, or understanding to deal with life’s challenges.
Take, for instance, a child who grows up in a volatile home environment. Without the emotional resilience to navigate such unpredictability, the child might develop a belief that people are inherently unreliable. This belief, formed in the throes of confusion and fear, solidifies over time, becoming an unconscious decision that shapes the child’s adult identity—creating MUD that clings to every aspect of life, from relationships to career choices.
How MUD Forms: The Cement of Childhood and Beyond
MUD often forms during our formative years—childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood—when we are most vulnerable to the external forces shaping our worldview. But it doesn't stop there. Any time we face situations beyond our capacity to handle—whether it’s losing a job, experiencing betrayal, or navigating a health scare—we're at risk of creating new layers of MUD.
Here’s a personal story: As a child, I was often left alone at sports practices, feeling forgotten and insignificant. I also had an emotionally volatile mother whose unpredictable moods left me walking on eggshells. And then there was my older brother, whose teasing felt more like bullying. Each of these experiences added layers of MUD to my identity, instilling deep-seated beliefs about safety, trust, and belonging.
These beliefs followed me like shadows, shaping my adult relationships, especially with women. I found it hard to trust that a woman could be emotionally stable and have my back—a belief that nearly derailed my marriage. This is the insidious nature of MUD; it feels like an immovable force, but it's one we've unconsciously chosen to carry.
The Unseen Weight of MUD: Repeating Patterns and Recurring Struggles
How do you know you’re carrying MUD? Look at your life’s patterns. Do you find yourself in the same kinds of relationships, facing the same obstacles, or battling the same frustrations over and over again? This isn’t coincidence—it's the MUD at work.
For example, maybe you've switched jobs multiple times, but no matter where you go, you always seem to end up feeling unappreciated and overworked. Or perhaps you've tried every diet under the sun, yet always find yourself back at the same weight. These recurring struggles are signs of deep-rooted MUD—beliefs and stories that have crystallized into your identity and are now directing your life on autopilot.
Why Habits Alone Won’t Change Your Life
Many of us believe that changing our habits is the key to transforming our lives. But habits alone only skim the surface. Imagine trying to plant a beautiful garden over a concrete slab—no matter how much you water it, nothing will grow because the roots can't penetrate the solid ground.
Similarly, when your identity is rooted in MUD, no amount of willpower or new habits can make lasting change. You’ll find yourself slipping back into old patterns because the foundation—your identity—is stuck in place.
Breaking Free from MUD: The Power of BEEP
So, how do we break free from MUD and rewrite the narratives that have been driving us for years? At Next Level Human, we’ve developed a unique approach called BEEP—Breath Enhanced Emotional Processing. BEEP is a transformative process that combines breathwork, meditation, journaling, and hypnosis to access the unconscious mind, where MUD resides.
Here’s how it works:
Breathwork: We use intense, controlled breathing techniques to induce an altered state of consciousness. This allows you to bypass the rational mind and access deeper layers of your subconscious, where MUD lives.
Meditation: In this relaxed state, meditation helps you engage with the memories, emotions, and patterns that have been stored away, allowing you to confront the MUD head-on.
Journaling: Writing down your experiences and emotions during BEEP sessions helps solidify the new narratives you want to create, reinforcing the process of rewriting your identity.
Hypnosis: This final step uses guided hypnosis to plant new, empowering beliefs in your subconscious, replacing the old MUD-laden stories with ones that serve your highest potential.
Rewriting Your Identity: A Path to True Transformation
The goal of BEEP and the work we do at Next Level Human is to help you dismantle the MUD that has been weighing you down, so you can rewrite your identity and live a life that’s truly aligned with your authentic self. This isn’t easy work—most people spend their entire lives defending their MUD because it feels safer to stick with what we know, even if it’s not serving us.
But if you’re ready to dig deep, confront your MUD, and do the hard work of identity restructuring, the rewards are life-changing. You’ll find yourself breaking free from old patterns, achieving goals you once thought were impossible, and living a life that’s not just a fresh coat of paint, but a complete renovation from the inside out.
Call to Action: Take the First Step Today
If you’re tired of spinning your wheels and are ready to get to the root of what’s holding you back, I invite you to explore the BEEP process with us at Next Level Human. This is your opportunity to rewrite your story, reclaim your power, and build a life that’s not just beautiful on the outside, but strong and unshakeable at its core.
Click here to learn more about BEEP and how you can get started on your transformation journey: BEEP
Interested in personalized coaching? Discover how our Next Level Human coaching can help you uncover and eliminate your MUD: Human Coaching
This article isn’t just a story—it’s an invitation to dig deep, confront your MUD, and rewrite the narrative that has been holding you back. It’s time to stop rearranging the furniture in a crumbling house and start rebuilding from the foundation up. The life you’ve always wanted is within reach—let’s break through the cement together.