Looping In

A look at emotional repetition, hidden rewards, and the quiet work of breaking free by understanding first.

Same Move, Different Level

Some patterns don’t look like patterns.

They look like a personality.

“That’s just how I am.”

“This always happens.”

But if you look closely, you’ll see a loop.

Trigger → Reaction → Reward → Anticipation → Repeat.

And the more aware you become, the less you’re just reacting inside it.

Built to Repeat

In video game design, there’s a mechanic called the Game Loop:

Trigger → Action → Reward → Anticipation → Repeat.

It’s what keeps players engaged.

It’s also what keeps us stuck.

You feel discomfort.

You react: fix, please, withdraw, explain.

You get a moment of relief.

You brace for it again.

And round you go.

Not because it works, but because it’s familiar.

The Reward Keeps It Running

We need more willpower.

But what we need is pattern recognition.

Emotional loops don’t require force; they need awareness.

What gets rewarded gets repeated.

Even when it hurts.

The goal isn’t to fight the loop.

It’s to pause just long enough to notice it’s there.

And in that pause, a shift becomes possible.

Stuck Is Just a Pattern in Motion

What’s one pattern in my life that keeps repeating, even with different people or places?

What hidden reward am I getting? (Relief? Control? Avoiding discomfort?)

What slight shift could break the rhythm gently?

“The moment we begin to turn toward what we habitually turn away from, healing begins.”

Tara Brach

Exit Point

Not all loops need to be broken.

Some only need to be noticed before they begin again.

The moment you stop turning away and start staying a little longer, something begins to soften.

What repeats may not disappear, but it might unfold differently once you meet it with presence.

You’re invited to pause with care.

Download the Soft Loop Mapping practice and explore what begins to shift when you do.

Practice Soft Loop Mapping.pdf

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