Why is it difficult?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Ireland
Posts: 177
Why is it difficult?
Right, im not going to give a story on why im asking so im just making a general question: why is it so difficult not to do things that we know we shouldnt or dont even want to do (for various reasons and consequenses)?
RIP Sweet Suki
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: In my sanctuary, my home
Posts: 39,908
I think ego has a lot to do with it. We know we shouldn't do something and we know the probable outcome if we do it, but we do it anyway thinking that we are in control. Not sure what you're getting at, but an alcoholic is never in control of alcohol.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 61
To answer your question:
The spiritual component of a person is at the center and core of their being.
Due to its position there it is the most powerful component of a person.
It is even more powerful that the will.
Spirit is a life force, equated actually and historically and presently with breath.
To prove that the spirit is more powerful than the will, use your will to hold or stop your breath(spirit).
The disease of addiction is a spiritual disease. It is posited and positioned in the spiritual core of a human. It seeks your premature death.
The disease of addiction is more powerful that the will.
If you do not treat the spiritual disease of addiction with spiritual treatment, suggestive of the 12 steps of AA/NA, then it will freely dictate, ignoring your will, to act in self and other destructive ways.
Not one of us ever treats this disease perfectly, 100% of the time all day every day. The best we claim is progress, and step ten is a litmus test of our progress.
When you do something that is wrong step ten reminds us to PROMPTLY admit it. Promptly means NOW. And the word prompt, comes from the little angel (GOOD) sitting there on your right shoulder, in contrast to the little devil(EVIL) sitting there on your left shoulder.
Step eleven is to focus our attention on the little angel on our right shoulder, and to resolve to listen to and obey it more frequently than the one on the left shoulder.
The spiritual component of a person is at the center and core of their being.
Due to its position there it is the most powerful component of a person.
It is even more powerful that the will.
Spirit is a life force, equated actually and historically and presently with breath.
To prove that the spirit is more powerful than the will, use your will to hold or stop your breath(spirit).
The disease of addiction is a spiritual disease. It is posited and positioned in the spiritual core of a human. It seeks your premature death.
The disease of addiction is more powerful that the will.
If you do not treat the spiritual disease of addiction with spiritual treatment, suggestive of the 12 steps of AA/NA, then it will freely dictate, ignoring your will, to act in self and other destructive ways.
Not one of us ever treats this disease perfectly, 100% of the time all day every day. The best we claim is progress, and step ten is a litmus test of our progress.
When you do something that is wrong step ten reminds us to PROMPTLY admit it. Promptly means NOW. And the word prompt, comes from the little angel (GOOD) sitting there on your right shoulder, in contrast to the little devil(EVIL) sitting there on your left shoulder.
Step eleven is to focus our attention on the little angel on our right shoulder, and to resolve to listen to and obey it more frequently than the one on the left shoulder.
New to Real Life
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: I come in Peaces
Posts: 2,071
Originally Posted by Supercrew 
Short term pleasure will sometimes beat out long term pain. It is a human trait.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Ireland
Posts: 177
The question is in relation too is drinking spirits. It sends me into a crazy person and i know this and dont buy them. I am fine on beers but as soon as i touch spirits i turn insane, yet i still want to drink them while in the moment...
Laozi Old Man
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit, MI
Posts: 6,665
Originally Posted by CheekyAngel
... why is it so difficult not to do things that we know we shouldnt or dont even want to do (for various reasons and consequenses)?
I know it was certainly true in my case. No amount of knowledge could stop me from drinking. I had to experience an "awakening" before I could circumvent the blown circuit.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Bethlehem, PA.
Posts: 1,781
Your drinking because you enjoy it, if you didn't like it you wouldn't do it. That fleeting period of bliss that alcohol imparts has a large price tag attached though. If you reach the stage where you go through the living hell of alcohol withdrawal you'll understand what paying the piper is all about. Tack on the social, physical, financial etc. etc. consequences of alcoholism and ask yourself if it's really worth it, you buy the ticket, you take the ride.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 28
This is a human trait, not something specific to addicts. It is exasperated by addiction because of reasons I'll come to.
It happens because we make deals with ourselves. "I'll have a biscuit now, but I'll do an extra 10 minutes on the rower in the gym tomorrow".
"I'll spend £10 today, and next week I'll make sandwiches for work"
You get the idea. When tomorrow comes, or next week, the tendency is to make another deal rather than see through the existing one. And why wouldn't you? If 10 minutes extra on the rower can wait until tomorrow, surely it can wait just one more day beyond that??
Some people are better at seeing through those deals, others are better at renegotiating with themselves.
It happens because we make deals with ourselves. "I'll have a biscuit now, but I'll do an extra 10 minutes on the rower in the gym tomorrow".
"I'll spend £10 today, and next week I'll make sandwiches for work"
You get the idea. When tomorrow comes, or next week, the tendency is to make another deal rather than see through the existing one. And why wouldn't you? If 10 minutes extra on the rower can wait until tomorrow, surely it can wait just one more day beyond that??
Some people are better at seeing through those deals, others are better at renegotiating with themselves.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Wappingers Falls, NY
Posts: 618
Originally Posted by Tabula
This is a human trait, not something specific to addicts. It is exasperated by addiction because of reasons I'll come to.
It happens because we make deals with ourselves. "I'll have a biscuit now, but I'll do an extra 10 minutes on the rower in the gym tomorrow".
"I'll spend £10 today, and next week I'll make sandwiches for work"
You get the idea. When tomorrow comes, or next week, the tendency is to make another deal rather than see through the existing one. And why wouldn't you? If 10 minutes extra on the rower can wait until tomorrow, surely it can wait just one more day beyond that??
Some people are better at seeing through those deals, others are better at renegotiating with themselves.
It happens because we make deals with ourselves. "I'll have a biscuit now, but I'll do an extra 10 minutes on the rower in the gym tomorrow".
"I'll spend £10 today, and next week I'll make sandwiches for work"
You get the idea. When tomorrow comes, or next week, the tendency is to make another deal rather than see through the existing one. And why wouldn't you? If 10 minutes extra on the rower can wait until tomorrow, surely it can wait just one more day beyond that??
Some people are better at seeing through those deals, others are better at renegotiating with themselves.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,006
I think comfort has a lot to do with it. You may be treating yourself bad, but it is habit and it is comfortable in a way.
It feels weird to do the right thing, to treat yourself well. It feels uncomfortable.
It is very sad how comfortable we can get with treating ourselves like garbage.
Part of the solution is, I think, to accept that it is going to feel uncomfortable to treat yourself right. It will feel different and weird, but you need to do it all the same.
In fact, if it feels different and weird, that is a good sign that you're doing the right thing.
It feels weird to do the right thing, to treat yourself well. It feels uncomfortable.
It is very sad how comfortable we can get with treating ourselves like garbage.
Part of the solution is, I think, to accept that it is going to feel uncomfortable to treat yourself right. It will feel different and weird, but you need to do it all the same.
In fact, if it feels different and weird, that is a good sign that you're doing the right thing.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
