We all have addictions in our life that limit and control us. The ability to recognize addictions and eventually break free of them is essential if you want to change yourself and your life.
These are not limited to just drugs and alcohol. Can you think of someone who is addicted to food, or work? How about television or video games? An addiction is an attachment to anything that once that thing is removed causes a negative reaction physically, or emotionally.
I have large addictions, like needing to please everyone around me, or take care of people. I have small ones too, like my surround sound system or old letters that I’ve kept in a box for years. No matter what they are they limit us. An addiction to perfection will paralyze you and prevent your dreams from ever coming to fruition. An addiction to feeling safe will stop you from taking risks and finding your true edge as a human being.
These things on their own aren’t bad. You should enjoy food! Taking care of someone can make you feel great about yourself and make a difference in a friend’s life. The trouble starts when we start needing these things to feel whole. When we make decisions based on them and not really consider what would be better for ourselves.
If you want to start finding your own addictions the best place to start are your emotions. Look at what makes you sad or stressed. This is an attachment you are holding on to. You have to decide whether or not that attachment is really worth it. Consider what your life would be like if you didn’t have this addiction. Would you be able to get more done? Would you feel free? Would it just stop you from being in a bad mood?
Once you start identifying some addictions, more and more will be come apparent to you. You’ll see them in others and in yourself. The next step is to start taking these addictions and breaking them. Unfortunately there is no set of instructions I can write that will work for everyone, and even if I could learning what works for you by experience is much more important, and it is worth all the effort.
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I absolutely LOVE that picture! It totally depicts me when I’m deprived of chocolate! In your post you ask to identify the addiction and break it down. That sounds so scary but I’d be willing to try! Thanks for the great post!
Thanks Jenny.
It’s actually pretty terrifying. I’ve got another post next week that talks a little more about how to do things like this (it’s the one I was talking about on twitter
) and I mention how it can feel devastating to give something up like this, but the rewards are immense! It’s not the loving of chocolate that’s the issue, just the negativity that results from not having it. There will always be more chocolate and it will be glorious, especially if you have to wait a little extra for it!
~Scott
Great post Scott, and perfectly timed with New Years around the corner!
I’ve identified my addictions, now it’s the big work of breaking them. I’m definitely addicted to caffeine and nicotine… specifically Dr. Pepper and American Spirit cigarettes. But I keep trying and I think that’s important. I’ve tried to quit smoking about a dozen times this year (most recently yesterday). I think I need to do more inner work to really get to the heart of “why” I choose to continue. I’m at the point now where I’m asking my spirit guides to step in and give me a nudge in the right direction! It’s either that or toss me in a room and lock the door for two weeks.
Thanks for posting this Scott. After my most recent attempt it was good for me to click on your blog and find a post that speaks to where I’m at right now. Here’s to facing and overcoming addictions in 2011… and thank god it’s not crack!
Happy holidays to you and yours,
Tanja
You’ve got guts Tanja even admitting that you smoke. I admire that. I know it’s a bad habit but it seems so taboo to even talk about it anymore.
Hope you have luck dealing with it!!
Hey Randall! Thank you for visiting. I definitely agree talking about smoking is kind of taboo. I think it is good to be honest about it, especially if you are trying to quit. I know whenever I set myself out to do something big it helps me to let everyone I can know about it.
Happy Holidays Tanja, and congratulations on the book release! It’s fantastic. (Check out her site to see what’s up!)
I am extremely grateful to my parents and my friends that I haven’t developed any addictions to nicotine or anything worse. Like Randall said, it’s amazing that you are open about it. I hope you are able to break those addictions and set your body on a healthier path soon. =)
Best Wishes!
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