Mindfulness. The art of being present and fully experiencing the moment.
After a week of alcohol and gambling sobriety, I find myself exploring different activities to fill my time. While the desire to gamble or drink subsided substantially due to last week’s faux pas, I recognize that I do have consistent thoughts regarding both addictive behaviors more often than I’d prefer.
Metaphorically, many would compare these addictions like standing in a burning building. However, if each of us were literally standing in a burning building, our need to self-preserve would kick in and we’d do everything in our power to leave said burning building.
However, with a non-physical threat like addiction, it’s not as simple. How does one leave something that is embedded in your mind?
I’m attempting to use mindfulness as part of my toolkit.
I recognize that my mind is full of thoughts that cover the spectrum of life. What was, what is, what’s to be. Sometimes, I ponder regrets, but other times, I think about how lucky I am.
Similar to the movie “A Beautiful Mind”, we all have that voice that is guiding us to do something that we know is bad for us. This voice is telling us to reenter the burning building. But for what purpose? What is inside this building that will provide value to any of us?
I know it’s easier said than done. How do we ignore thoughts that consistently reverberate in our heads? How do we exchange negative behaviors with positive behaviors? How do we cope with life?
There is no easy answer, but I can almost guarantee that by feeding the addiction, everything will always be far worse than it has to be.
While I’d like to think that the next 51 weeks will be as easy as this past week in terms of avoiding my addictive tendencies, I realize that the rollercoaster of life has much more in store for me this year. That means I must be vigilant and prepared, but also, open to giving myself a break from time to time.
To err is to be human, right?
In the end, I’m doing my best to put as much distance between me and this burning building. I am choosing to never set foot in this burning building ever again since it is there to destroy me.
I hope you all are able to make a similar decision and will join me in my quest to find more suitable places to live and breathe in.