Addictions

The following was adapted by an email written by David Kekich of www.MaxLife.org  

You almost certainly have at least one Addiction. And the temporary comfort it gives you could very well cost you your life.

Almost all of us are unknowingly addicts. When we use that A word, it generally conjures up images of someone struggling with hard to shake drug, alcohol, or tobacco habits. 

But most addictions ar­­e much more subtle… and seemingly harmless.

First, exactly what is an addiction? All addictions seem to boil down to one thing – losing your ability to abstain.

That’s acutely obvious with alcohol addiction for example.

Sure, alcoholism is a serious issue, leading to ruining personal and professional lives. And of course, it could be a serious life shortener. On the other hand, we all know of functional alcoholics who manage successful careers. But the rest of their lives can be disastrous.

Let’s look at seemingly innocuous “habits” that are in fact addictions that can ruin lives and careers, robbing us of our chances to achieve the dreams, hopes and aspirations that are usually dividing lines between happiness and unhappiness.

Between success and failure.

And often between wellness and death.

These addictions can be anything you surrender to:

Sleeping in. Sugar. Second helpings. Passively watching TV. Skipping workouts. Negative thinking. Physical laziness. Mental laziness. Living in the past. Accepting things at face value. Reluctance to say “no.” Going with the flow.

We can go on and on with this exercise. Sometimes addictions are things that seem virtuous such as working unreasonably long hours… but while ignoring your family… also known as “workaholism.”

All addictions contribute to chronic stress. (And chronic stress kills.)

 That’s just one-way addictions shorten your life… while extending your periods of sickness and suffering.

 It is important to manage your lifestyle with healthy longevity as your target. I used to annoy some friends who lived for instant gratification and almost universally told me: “You have to die from something.”

 My usual retort was that their habits typically lead to years of sickness before killing them. I gave up on trying to convince them that reversing their course could lead to open-ended healthy lifespans.

 Now, I don’t bother broaching the subject with them. In fact, I rarely speak with most of them at all anymore. We drifted apart since I get satisfaction from relationships with people like you who place a high value on life, wellness, and longevity.

 That’s energizing. Trying to convince anyone to do something that simply does not resonate with them drains your energy… and chews up your time.

 So it’s YOUR addictions I want to address. Mainly the life-shortening ones like poor diet choices, lack of exercise, stress, and more.

 Don’t expect a free lunch though. You will need to work to survive those sneaky addictions and trade short term gratification leading to death for long term satisfaction and life.