#33
What’s the first image that comes to mind when you hear the word “addiction”?
From workaholism to excessive shopping and partying, we can get addicted to many things in life that give us a false sense of control and security.
While there are many addictions we may encounter, not all obsessions are unhealthy.
Yes, you can get addicted to things that are good for you, too.
Let me give you a couple of examples…
Drinking water
Staying fit
Sleeping well
Spending time in nature
Practicing empathy
A healthy addiction boosts your energy levels in a healthy, natural way. It’s a lot like a habit, but it doesn’t need a structure to exist.
There’s an endless amount of logic and emotion stored in us. The goal is to maintain a balance between logic and emotion, so that we can always make the healthiest choices for us.
If we try to solve our problems using only logic, we ignore our heart and our emotions suffer in the process. And vice versa, if we only listen to the heart, we go against our understanding and values, which makes us doubt our abilities.
When the body gets tired, it needs a nap or a walk – not an energy drink.
When the mind gets tired, it needs a fresh perspective or a change of scenery – not more work.
When the heart gets tired, it needs other people, love and laughter – not complete isolation.
Healthy addictions help us stay in a more balanced state for longer, so that we don’t reach extremes such as burnout, depression or stress.
Healthy addictions are a lot like habits but they don’t necessarily follow a pattern or need a structure to exist. You don’t need to perform them at a particular time or practice them every single day, although you might find yourself drawn to them on a daily basis, because you know they make you feel good.
The more we maintain our balance between logic and emotion, the more we’ll be able to see situations as they are and act in alignment with our authentic self.
