What would you do if you were not an addict?

What is it that the addiction has denied from you?
What activity would bring joy, purpose and content in your life?
Something that you would love to become very good at. Something that you would
commit to, if you just had the energy and courage that the addiction has taken from you.

Try doing it today.

 

I started to practice drawing about a year ago. I like it very much. But it can also be stressing,
when you start to set the bar too high. So the stress is a good excuse to not practice. Today
I try again after a break of some months.

 

The point of my questions was not so much about thinking literally what would be different had there never
been any addictions. Entertaining self-pity is not good. I wanted to encourage you to ask yourself, am I using
addiction (or anxiety, stress etc.) as an excuse to not do the most important and inspiring things in life. To think,
what could be the passions that drive my life. Activities that would fill the emptiness from which the addiction
has grown.

Even more important point was that once you know some answers to these questions, you could wonder if the
addiction really prevents you from doing those things. Perhaps we could make a brave move and start following
the passions.

 

This is exactly the point. I am happy for your success, but I just hope you know what it is that you want to set
your mind to. My theory is that otherwise the success will not last. And when there comes this huge setback,
that's just too bad. And I would disagree with you on what you said about PMO making you crave for instant
gratification. It is the inability to cope with unpleasant feelings, emptiness and anxiety that lead you going after
the instant relief. And when the instant gratification has been learned to get from PMO, that is called addiction.
This applies to any addiction, really.

Committing to your passions can be tough. It requires wise use of willpower, which is a resource with limits.
Commitment is a skill that has to be learned and practiced. Children are naturally good at following their curiosity.
So are people who have found their true passion and the correct ways to work for them. Those people are often
called gifted or talented.

Creativity has its price as stress. One is in danger of falling back if one doesn't develop and grow the relation to
his/her passions. We have to respect the stress that rises even from the practice of the inspiring things. Learn to
know it. Otherwise there is not so long way to the crave for instant relief.

Of course I am mainly speaking for myself. And sorry if this feels like lecturing. I just feel that I start to really
understand some things.

 

Yes but will you write it?