What may start out as a good decision, if turned habitual, may become a detriment.

It is important to remember that every moment of every day we are a different person with different needs.

For example, I was once on an 80 mile bike ride and my friend and I misjudged the number of calories we would need to have with us.  I felt my energy getting low and bought a Snicker bar.  Normally, I would never eat processed candy full of hydrogenated oils, but the gas station only had junk food and a I knew a Snicker bar would keep me from bonking. (“Bonking” is what cyclists call hypoglycemia, when the glycogen stores of the body are exhausted and the body shuts down to protect the brain).  My friend declined to eat the junk food and I had to leave him ten miles later, on the side of the road, to get my car to pick him up. (This is a dangerous situation because a person can actually go in to shock and have a seizure if they get sufficiently calorie deprived). This was a situation where a Snicker bar was the perfect choice, this does not mean, however, that I should make a habit of eating Snickers.

Today I am dealing with an injury inflicted upon myself because I turned a once healthy decision in to a detrimental habit.

On occasion I’ve had massage therapists or other body workers give my wrist an adjustment.  About six months ago I figured out how to give myself the same adjustment, which provided some relief when I was typing or after a hard swim workout.  Unfortunately, I allowed myself to develop a habit of popping my wrist at least once a day. I have already loose joints and this made it even more unstable.

About a week ago I recognized that I had developed a habit of popping my wrist.  I saw this habit for what it was, a nervous tic, and decided to wean myself off the habit.  Unfortunately, I didn’t stop this tic soon enough.

Asana Practice: While I was practicing yoga in the airport yesterday, I injured my wrist.

I was doing vasisthasana, or side plank pose, and as I lifted my left leg in to the sky I felt a deep pop in my wrist.  My wrist had become so accustom to being adjusted that it adjusted itself.  The problem was that I was resting a lot of my body weight on this joint and when it adjusted I hit bone on bone.

Lesson Learned: Avoid habitual tendencies because they are a sign of dissociation from the body and may lead to injury.  If you notice you have a nervous tic, shed light on it.  Ask yourself, where did the habit come from?  If it served a purpose at some point in your life, ask yourself is it helping me now?  If it is serving a purpose, do it with intention and awareness.  If it no longer serves you, stay present with the desire to do this action and relax the body.  Allow the energy of the habit to move through you without acting on the impulse.  Often, you will find that the true source of anxiety or dissociation is revealed and can be handled directly.