It is human nature to have habits and vices that do not ultimately serve us in being happier, healthier, and more successful.
However, it is my experience that we do not need to completely kill our addictions but only realize that we can transform addiction and use it to find greater self-empowerment.
Has Addiction Ever Held You Back?
To be human is to experience pain and to attempt to avoid that pain through addictive behaviors.
This then leads to imbalance and a lack of health in many different areas of our lives. We then often fall into a state of denial where we don’t even realize that we have a problem.
Addiction Comes In Many Forms
I’m sure we have all experienced addiction in some form in our lives, whether it be dependence on entertainment, food, drugs, a person, or many other things.
Our modern world creates an environment where it is very easy for individuals to fall into addictive patterns as a way to cope with the difficulties of life.
But the good news is that there are tried and true strategies to overcome addiction and the energy that fuels our dependence can be transformed into fuel for our passion.
In my journey, a key shift occurred when I changed my relationship with alcohol and freed myself from dependence on it. This transformation affected every aspect of my life.
Transforming the Energy of Addiction Into Creativity
Through discovering IGI and Inviting God In, I found the strength and happiness that I had been seeking for many years through many forms of vices.
Many people don’t realize that the energy that we channel into addictive activities and habits is the same energy that we could use and channel into creative activities that make us happier and healthier.
When we do not act on our creative energy, it becomes stagnant, leading us to fall into addiction as a coping mechanism.
When we understand this, we do not need to end our addiction but only channel our energy into more productive activities.
We can transform our smoking habit into a conscious breathing practice; we can substitute drinking water, tea, or fresh juices instead of alcohol; we can do something creative and productive in our business instead of swiping through social media or playing video games.
These are all examples of how we can substitute the energy of addictive behavior for acting on our passion and excitement. It is the same energy we are now just using it to empower us instead of holding us back.
Don’t See It As Giving Up Something, But Rather Gaining Something Even Better
One of the things that I learned was instead of looking at what you are giving up, look at what you are gaining.
I gave up alcohol and partying; what I gained was my health, a better relationship with my family, and the ability to have fun without being intoxicated.
It may be difficult at first, but transforming our addictions frees up our energy and allows us to have all of our efforts directed towards creating abundance and success in our business and life. The energy that we used to sink into destructive habits is now freed up to live our deepest purpose.
For myself, the overwhelming feeling as I began to become free of my addictions was gratefulness. Feeling gratitude is a very powerful state of being. And the more I felt gratitude for my life, the more reasons came into my life for me to be grateful. This is a very powerful cycle to experience.
Some Tips and Strategies for Overcoming Addiction
There are certain things that everyone who attempts to change their relationship to addiction will face. When we start making changes, our ego throws up every defense mechanism it can to keep us in our old state of consciousness.
By attending AA meetings and undertaking the 12 steps, I learned powerful strategies to overcome addiction and bring love and goodness into my life.
This article gives some excellent guidance on 5 of the challenges that arise when you seek to change your relationship with alcohol. Although this article talks specifically about alcohol, its wisdom can be applied to any form of addiction.
This article is no substitute for professional help if you have a severe addiction; however, it does offer some good tips and strategies for all of us to apply in our lives.
Are you seeking to turn your addiction into the empowerment of being more of your true self so you can share your deepest gifts with the world?
As one who has “been there and done that,” I can help guide you on putting your creative energies into building your dream business.
