Here are 7 effective ways in which I have personally used in my life to master my addictions. I recommend that all 7 ways be used together in order for you to see positive results.
Here goes:
- Set a date on when you will begin the process. This is important, if you do not set a date, you will never start.
- Do a thorough research on the effects during your transition period so that you are prepared for them and know what to anticipate. When you are prepared, you will prevent yourself from sabotaging the process.
- Create a list of the positive changes you will experience once you have mastered your addiction. Remain focused on your goals and use the list you created to inspire yourself daily. What I would recommend is to read the list daily and add to it as you go along.
- Dis-identify with the illusion that your addiction is good for you or said in another way, dis-identify with the false experience that the addiction gives you. Eg. if you’re addicted to sugar, you experience a false sense of comfort when you finish the big slice of cake that you know is not good for you, only to feel bad physically afterwards because of what the sugar is doing to your physical body. So dis-identify with this false sense of reality.
- Identify with the positive effects of how you feel when you master your addiction through visualization. For eg if you are addicted to procrastination, visualise yourself like a power dynamo. Full of energy and being able to get things done and even fulfilling what was previously perceived as impossible. Use all your senses – feel it, taste it, smell it, see it, hear it. The more frequently you do this, the more you will experience this for real. Understand that your subconscious mind does not know the difference between what is happening for real and what is visualized. All it does is have these experiences (real or visualised) imprinted within your subconscious mind. So think about it, the more you visualize the positive effects the more your subconscious mind will operate from the positive effects!
- Work with positive affirmations and self talk. Again, this works in the same manner as described in point 5. Only this time you are working with positive affirmations and encouraging and engaging yourself with positive self talk.
- Make friends with people who have the positive qualities you are looking for. Eg. if you lack motivation, then hang around with people who are highly motivated and stay away from people who will feed your addiction/bad habit.
I hope this will inspire you in your personal battle!
© 2009-2010 Shamala Tan
