Addiction Archives - Blowing It

February 20, 2020February 20, 2020

The Momentum Diet. Avoiding Blowing It #251

The Momentum Diet Is An Idea To Focus Strictly Gradually Building Momentum.

Let’s call all diet or life change what it really is. And that is simply willing your body and mind into building momentum. The initial phase of the momentum diet is the most difficult but as you get going it gets easier and easier till you’re chugging along like a freight trains and and that point it becomes difficult to stop you.

The Momentum diet is about never breaking the chain. We have all heard the story of Jerry Seinfeld chain method. Get yourself calendar and day one when you start your change put a x through the date each consecutive day you do your intended change put another X through the date. Soon you’ll have a chain and a process.

The best way to build momentum is gradually at first. Work up to the monster goal so you don’t get overwhelmed. If you want to run a marathon and have never ran a day in your life you are not going to lace up your shoes and simply run 26.2 miles day one. You might start with one mile, then two and so and and so forth.

With a new diet you might cut out one food group first. Or you could start minimizing intake of that food group until you can fully cut it out. Maintain the plan and structure checkpoints to add a new challenge. And once you have that under control add the next, just never break the chain.

Remember it’s about building momentum don’t try to do everything at once. You don’t need cheat days if you do it gradually. Cheat days break the chain and if you tie enough of those together soon you have momentum going in the opposite direction for you.

I will say when something has taken full control of your mind as in the case with drugs and alcohol. Moderation quitting will not work. You have to commit fully to never touching the stuff again. This is your momentum it just comes with maximum force in the beginning. Know the harder the addiction the more work it will be. With that pain comes far deeper rewards.

Want to quit social media or unnecessary screen time? Set a timer. What can you limit yourself too in one day? Is it one hour, two, maybe three? Find a good starting point with a plan to continuously minimize. Many times it will feel uncomfortable at first. You’re breaking years sometimes decades of bad habits. But the best way to succeed is to focus on the momentum you are gaining.

January 27, 2020January 27, 2020

Always Wearing Airpods. Avoiding Blowing It #247.

We Have Found Yet Another Way To Always Avoid Everyone Around Us. Constantly Wearing Airpods Everywhere We Go.

It wasn’t enough for just our eyes and mind to be always occupied by our screens. We needed more senses to be involved in our distraction. Add hearing to the list of new ways to check out of societal norms with Airpods. Comfortable Blutooth headphones that fit into each individual ear. Without cords to obstruct, people are using them as permanent accessories.

We’re only a few steps away from never ever having to talk to another individual in our lifetime and that’s a terrible thing. We need connection, simply listening to others connect on a podcast or watching a YouTuber talk to the camera is not sufficient human connection. It’s really no connection at all.

We get so addicted to these devices because it’s so much easier then actually connecting. We’re predisposed to take the easy way it’s hard wired into our DNA for survival purposes. Even though it’s not always the best thing for us and it’s usually far less rewarding. So we bury ourselves in our phones and think it’s our only access to the outside world. Even while we’re completely immersed in the outside world. We’ll still succumb to our devices where we think we have more connection. It is ruining human interaction.

So Many People Now Are Wizards At Texting Yet Complete Wet Noodles At Face To Face Interaction.

Where was the wizardry lost? It’s probably because they have no practice. They have no idea when to speak and when to listen. And it will only get worse with each technological advance that eliminates the need for personal interaction. As well as eliminating another sense. I’m sure next will be augmented reality glasses. Where you can create a completely fictitious world around you. Eliminate all the real people from view so you can finally check out into oblivion.

Be present. Turn off the screens and take your head phones out in the presence of another. Talk, even if you’re bad at. Maybe your a great listener, encourage others to talk. Let’s stop using technology so much to escape authenticity. And just know if you’re constantly wearing Airpods everywhere you go. You are kind of an ass.

January 4, 2020February 20, 2020

Harmless Addictions. Avoiding Blowing It #244.

It’s Sometimes The Harmless Addictions That Control Our Actions The Most.

The things we deem harmless addictions. Are often some of the most insidious because we don’t see them as a threat to health or well being. But they control us in the sneakiest of ways.

These addictions often start deep within childhood because of there worry free nature. You might think, what harm could this have on a child? Everyone does it. You might want to entertain them by always allowing them to watch television. Or keep them happy, alive and well fed with food. Food is one of the most dangerous addictions. And food choice can have an even bigger impact. Because we need it to survive, we literally have to eat. But it’s what we eat and the amount that can turn into a powerful addition that goes from harmless to harmful.

Television is an addiction of distraction, it’s so easy to space out for hours on mindless series. It seems harmless because nearly everyone does it. It’s rare you don’t go over to someone else’s house and they don’t have a television. Some can resist it’s sirens song but if you grew up heavily influenced by it. It’s an addiction that has turned harmful and has the power to now destroy ambition and derail you from your goals.

Now instead of television we have phones tablets and computers. The new screen addiction is far worse because they can get their fix at anytime of day or night in some instances. Strong limitations will be key to it not developing into a problem. Or channeling these harmless additions into ones of productivity. Coding classes and educational programs. Make technology the tool it was intended for, never a crutch for distraction. Always be learning on these distraction devices. And if they have too much power over you get rid of them all together.

Never get to the point of diminishing returns. If your investment in anything, be it time, health, or attention. Whatever your giving it to. If it begins depleting that time, health and attention it’s time to strongly consider removing it from your life. Always remember all addictions begin out ever so harmless.