Even the Stupid Need is not a Stupid Need

A reviewer commented about the idea of honoring habits—that in all honesty, the underlying need for a habit—the premise—might be embarrassing or childish or just wrong.

Oh yes.

And don't forget 'out-dated.'

But bashing on habits just makes them less receptive to change. The trick is for the habits to allow the novel experience and to be willing to receive the new information that comes from those experiences. Support, safety and 'I respect your premise (for now)' is the best way I know to find the space that a habit needs to not be embarrassed, to allow evolution from 'childishness' or to—one of the hardest things—to admit to having been wrong.

How is the embarrassing/childish/wrong premise supposed to find its way to release unless it has that space?

Whatever you do, please, don't shame the things that the habits are trying to guard. Go back to that moment they were first formed and what seems 'stupid' might actually look like a brilliant act of heroism.