Self-Medicating Your Emotions

When the body is broken, we address the pain.  We aren't ashamed; we aren't embarrassed.  But the fractures in our emotional body are treated much differently. 

Due to ignorance, shame, or just plain avoidance, emotional pain is often neglected.  But pain is pain, no matter its source -- it is uncomfortable and unwanted.  If you haven't been taught how to deal with emotional pain directly, you will inevitably deal with it indirectly. 

This becomes the doorway to self-medication.  Not only does it alleviate the pain, it also feels good and keeps you distracted from having to address the real issue(s). 

Though not a comprehensive list, common types of self-medication include:

• drugs/alcohol
• no-strings-attached sex
• gambling
• overeating
• pornography
• excessive tv/video games
• push/pull toxic relationships

Notice the trend?  By overindulging in entertainment and pleasure, we temporarily flood the brain with feel-good chemicals, such as dopamine and endorphins.  It's as though we're trying to trick ourselves into believing we're okay.  But the trick never lasts.  Before long, the pain returns and we start craving our next fix.

To stop the self-scamming, start by acknowledging the pain.  You may not know why or how it got there, but give it room to surface.  Half the battle is acceptance.  The rest is simply learning.  Books, support groups, counseling, etc. all provide valuable insight into healing broken emotions.  The tools are available; the choice is yours.

The Art of Letting Go

"Life is a balance of holding on and letting go." ~Rumi  

We cannot control everything in our lives.  No-brainer, right?  So why is it so hard to let go?

On the surface, controlling a situation seems to be about making sure we get what we want.  But dig a little deeper and you'll find that control is merely a defense mechanism.  It is how we protect ourselves from the perceived threat of pain.  By vigilantly maintaining control, we disillusion ourselves into believing that we are not vulnerable.  Control keeps us guarded, thereby protected.  But no matter how hard we try, change happens anyway.

Surrendering to the flow of life takes courage and trust -- in our soul path and in God.  It requires that we shed our defenses, our façade, and our ego in exchange for the nakedness of vulnerability.  From the ego's perspective, this is both scary and intimidating.  But from a soul perspective, it is within this very place that we discover the depth of our character and the strength of our faith.

The Path to Peace

Peace is a treasure that everyone longs for but few truly find... because peace is not given; it is earned.

In its most pure essence, peace is calm, tranquil, serene, and harmonious.  But its opposing force is distress, disagreement, agitation, and discord.  Simply put, the obstacle to peace is turmoil. 

Not a single one of us is exempt from turmoil.  We have all experienced disappointment, loss, regret, rejection -- just to name a few.  The obstacle arises when the turmoil is left unaddressed and unresolved.  This invariably becomes the barrier that keeps us from peace.

To journey on the path to peace, you must be willing to acknowledge your inner turmoil, seek to understand its place in your life, forgive (yourself and others), then integrate this new awareness to achieve a more whole and balanced self.

Carl Jung famously stated, "What you resist persists."  Avoiding the memory of a painful experience will not make it go away.  To truly free yourself of the pain, you must first heal the wound.

Spiritual Ecosystem

Imagine walking into the most beautiful garden. 

The grass is lush and dewy.  Flowers of every color bask in the rays of the sun. 

Butterflies dance between magnolia trees, and birds perch atop the fountain. 

As the breeze picks up, you smell the sweetness of the summer air. 

You look up at bright blue skies, close your eyes, and smile. 

Back to reality (bummer, I know).  Each snapshot of this scene captures a unique essence.  Is one greater than another?  No way!  In fact, they actually contribute equally to the whole.  Take away one, and you've suddenly changed the dynamics of the entire scene.

You are no different.  Your unique essence -- your skills, talents, opinions, perspective, etc. -- is an important aspect of the whole.  Without you, there'd be a ripple effect of great magnitude because you are here to accomplish and contribute.  No one else on earth can duplicate you.

There are no mistakes in creation, so embrace yourself, flaws and all.  The scenery would not be the same without you <3