Day #30: Addictions 100 days of gratitude

Day #30: Addictions

100 days of gratitude

The fourth day in succession I went for a run. Ok, actually a walk, jog and a hint of a run. But it tired me out as much as a run. It’s over two years since I ran consistently. But I am feeling good that I’m getting back into shape. I’m again falling in love with the feeling that I’m getting fit and healthy. It’s addictive.

When I used to run earlier for a few years I had to have at least three or four weekly runs otherwise I did not feel complete. I was addicted to running. And I had to stop because of some change of schedules and an injury that combined to keep me away for a few months and then it was very difficult to find the discipline to get back to running.  But now I’ve enrolled for the Wipro marathon and I have to get some decent timing there so I train. Ok, no, I’m not doing the full marathon (42 km) nor the half (that is 21 km), I’m just doing 10 km. But at my age and fitness levels that is still something, so, I need to train to get a decent timing.

Are you wondering why I refer to this as an addiction? According to Cambridge dictionary: "Addiction is the need or strong desire to do or to have something, or a very strong liking for something"

I understand that addiction is "something that I do naturally without an external force acting on me to do it". It reminds me of Newton’s First Law. An object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force.  Nobody has asked me to run. No one has asked me to stay fit. But intrinsically driven to do whatever is required to keep me fit. And running is an excellent, cheap and fun option all rolled into one. Since I’ve practiced it for almost eighteen months of running for at least 4 days a week, I was accustomed and habituated to it. My body craved it. I didn’t have to think about it, I Just do it.

When I stopped for some extraneous reasons, I became accustomed to that too and it was very difficult for me to come back to track.

Smoking, drinking, excessive exercising, drugs, substance abuse, are all addictions. One smoke, one drink is how it all starts. Then it becomes more regular. Before you realise it, you are smoking when you are happy, you smoke when you are sad, you smoke when you are tensed, you smoke when you are bored, you smoke to celebrate a victory and you smoke to mourn a defeat. Whatever the reason you crave it and submit to it. You are addicted. Most people only speak of negative addictions. But there are positive addictions too.

Each of us has many addictions in our life. We may not look at it as that, but it is there. Some are addicted to certain TV serials, first day first show, first iPhone, running, exercising, sex, friends, weekend parties, media attention, books, music, sadism, altruism, job, business, photography, nature, an evening drink, an after dinner smoke, FB, social media,  etc., etc. Whatever we need to do on a regular basis without someone forcing it on us is a habit that has become an addiction.

Are you aware of your addictions? Are they helping you to your life goals or are they taking you away from it? Awareness followed up with course correction will take you where you want to. Always replace a negative addiction with a positive one. You cannot remain without the addiction, your brain craves for it. You can only cheat it with another positive addiction that will give it the same feeling.

What addiction are you going to replace in yourself?

I’m grateful for the awareness of my addictions and their presence in my life.

Your friend who is addicted to life!!!