Addiction is defined as, "being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming." When you hear the word addiction you may think - drugs, sex, alcohol, or gambling. What if the addiction is more benign? Perhaps it's that morning latte, or the gossip magazine. Don't forget the favorite TV show, your face book account, or texting. All seemingly harmless, right? Addicts lose themselves in their addiction. Some even lose themselves in food.After reading the post: The Four Addictions That Destroy Your Dreams, I've come to see addiction in a new light. External sources or things can become addictions because they feed a need deep inside - a need for love. But now we are asked to look inside and how the relationships in our lives feed us. Where are we feeding the need beyond material items?
Depending on your conditioning, any one of these 4 may be a source of addiction for you:
1. Opinions of Others
2. Drama
3. Past
4. Worry
Opinions of Others:
Are you a good girl or boy? Do you worry that you might hurt someones feelings just being you or speaking your truth? Do you look to authority figures for approval? Our society has an incessant marketing push to get the newest, latest and greatest item. Along with this culture comes the idea of being judged. No one wants to be judged. We are taught to follow the rules. Here's a freeing thought - "There's nothing you can say or think about me that I haven't already thought of myself." So, if I (or you) are already all those terrible things, and we both know it, what's there to worry about? For all those awful things you or I may be, we are also all those wonderful things as well.
Drama:
I grew up with a lot of family around and plenty of opportunity to stick your nose in other people's business. Just stirring the pot, so to speak. Do you over react or always seem to be the one in the crisis holding everyone together? Do you get tired of it? Then there is the chronic complainer. She has the answers to solving the world's problems. The only problems is, the world isn't asking her. How about the Uncle who goes to every wake or funeral? What about the friend who always has a problem. Do you seem to be the one who is always fixing or solving it for her?
Past:
My dad was very sentimental. Always remembering when... sometimes I can get that way too. This addiction is taken to the extreme when you can't seem to move past the past. Maybe change is way to scary or you just can't imagine anything being better than how it used to be. Are you open to new ideas or open thinking? Buddha said, "Change is." Life is change. Evolution happens. Go with it.
Worry:
I've come to understand worry as a lack of trust in God. A lack of trust that all is and will be taken care of in Divine Order. There is a meticulous, intricate dance to all of life. Your small part in it is suppose to happen exactly as it does. There is no should or shouldn't have. There is only 'what is'. You can't block God. He told me so. This is God we are talking about - anything and everything happens according to HIS PLAN. The ultimate designer and coordinator has everything under control. Just show up and enjoy the ride. Great things happen IN SPITE of bad attitudes. Wonderful opportunities show up when the time is right. You don't have to try and force anything. Fruit that is ripe, falls from the tree. This is true for everything...
Just because you may indulge in any one of these areas does not mean you are necessarily addicted. I encourage you to look at your life and any blocks or resistance you may notice and ask yourself if the root cause is one of these addictions. Do you see a repeating pattern of behavior?
Can you start taking back some of your power and trying to break out of any habits that really get in your way? What if you tried something new?
Posts
