1) avoid reacting to things (this is a big one)

if i react to a situation or person’s behaviour, i’m more likely to react again next time.

i.e. when learning to juggle, avoid focusing on chasing the balls that get dropped.
focus on the task of juggling.
if you focus on chasing the balls, that’s what you will get, because that’s where you attention is.

* if you need to respond, do so. this has a different energy to it.
it has attention and thoughtfulness.

2) avoid giving descriptions of things that have happened in the past, and or complaining.

i.e. “my husband was cutting the grass yesterday, and i said: why don’t you bla bla bla…
and he said: bla bla bla…, then i said: bla bla bla…
can you believe the said that? i mean really…”

i see and hear this happening so much these days.
often people will repeat the same story to each person they come accross, in thier day.

* what this does is, increase the internal dialogue in one’s head.
we want mind-full-ness, not mindlessness.

3) spend some time in the now

the ego primarily lives in in time; past or future,
so having some now time helps to bring the mind into the present.

an example: during my lunch hour, i would go and sit near the fountain and listen & watch the water.
or sit with the pigeons (and feed them sometimes). animals are in the now, so they remind us to be present.

4) reduce your t.v. time

particularly news & current affairs.
the ego thrives on opinions, drama & emotions.
i program my t.v. time and record only what i want to see.
that way i can fast forward through the adds.

5) reduce self-focusing (decentralize)

narcissism is on the rise, and i’m not just talking about facebook.
we have a saying in Oz: “look at me, look at me…” (from Kath & Kym)
needing to be the centre of attention with have the ego thriving.
the more attention it gets the more it wants.

6) practice loving kindness

the ego doesn’t like loving kindness, it likes conflict and drama.
‘the ego is suspicious at best and vicious at worst’. ACIM.
these practices are something you can do on a daily basis (very practical).
they are very powerful.

# footnote: i’m not saying that all ego is bad.
just offering solutions to reduce the ego.
David Hawkins says: treat the ego as if it were a pet.
avoid admonishing or trying to attack it.
this will only make it stronger, as you are saying, in effect, that it exists (the false self) and is very real.

hope this is helpful.