I've let go of two things in the past two days - Facebook and sugar - and, oh my gosh, is it painful! Inside it is; from the outside, I don't think anybody would notice. I'm letting go of things that I know I use as palliatives - substances and behaviors to soothe uncomfortable feelings.
I'm letting go of these things for my physical, my mental, and my spiritual health. Physically, I'm 30 to 40 pounds overweight, depending upon which guidelines one uses. To illustrate what sugar does with me physically, I'll note that I've lost 5 pounds in 2 days of no sugar and very little carbohydrates. There is a sort of withdrawal, but it's not nearly as bad as withdrawal from many other addictive drugs. I'm making it through the cravings by realizing how good I'll feel at a lighter weight and how much more in control I'll feel without the highs and lows of sugar use. There are other physical issues as well, the main one being that I'm avoiding diabetes. I've got some super-tough heavy-duty organs, but everything wears out eventually, and I'd like to use whatever control I have over maintaining my health. My use of Facebook affects my physical health because the time I'm spending on Facebook is time that I'm not exercising, and sometimes not sleeping.
I'm not sure how much a role in my mental and emotional health sugar plays, but I've been doing some reading, and some sources say it plays a huge role. I don't know how much of a role it plays in my mental health because I have never gotten off of sugar. I was raised on Coca-Cola and Chips Ahoy cookies and sweet desserts. Alcohol is sugar in another form. Maybe it's like crack sugar. I do know that when I indulge in a lot of sugary snacks at night, I wake up in the morning with sort of a hangover. I use sugar to relax after work (ice cream) or during work (candy). I would rather like to use some of the healthy coping skills I know to see how well they work.
Facebook is kind of strange for me. I've gotten a world of good out of it, and I've also allowed it to affect the way I feel in a negative way. I see it as a handy tool for well-disciplined folks. I don't think I fit into that category. For me, right now, it allows me to isolate a little too much. I believe actual human contact is beneficial for my all-around health. Also, Facebook is one of those things I go to when I feel uncomfortable, and, again, I'm going to move toward using healthier (to me) coping skills when I feel uncomfortable.
Spiritually, there is nothing wrong with Facebook, and there is nothing wrong with sugar. When I discover my place in the Universe, and begin to discover my oneness with the Universe, I recognize that there is nothing created that does not belong. Sugar has a place, and so does Facebook. Alcohol, opium, and the coca plant have a place and a purpose as well. What I must examine is my relationship to what is in my life. Alcohol played an important role in my life - it kept me alive when otherwise I would have killed myself, and the resulting addiction led me into a new way of life. Alcohol is no longer necessary or desirable in my life, and I've let it go. Depression is a result of intense dissatisfaction with life along with a belief that I'm powerless to change. Without that dissatisfaction, I would not have bothered to change; without that feeling of powerlessness, I might not have begun my search for my personal power, which resides within me (yet is still sometimes elusive). Depression may still have some purpose in my life, because it still comes to visit - it just doesn't stay as long or leave such a mess. My recovery from alcoholism and depression has led me to a lot of very awesome people, a career, and an avocation.
So Facebook and sugar aren't detrimental to my spirituality. Neither is alcohol, so long as I don't consume any. But what happens is sometimes I allow things to become a higher power to me. When I rely upon stuff that's 'out there', rather than on my Higher Power, I'm not getting the full benefit of my connection with the Universe. I was using sugar and Facebook to avoid parts of life (I still use other things to avoid life too - it's just sugar and Facebook that I'm letting go of right now). When I hit a wall at work, or didn't want to do something at home, I was on Facebook. When I didn't want to feel discomfort, I indulged in sugar. So, one could say that I spoiled my relationship with Facebook and sugar by using them for purpose for which they aren't intended (for me). So I let them go. (I may use Facebook again if I can find a way to use it as a communication tool, and not an excuse for not doing the dishes).
What am I going to allow to come into the space left by letting go of Facebook and sugar? Tune in tomorrow.
Namasté,
Ken
No comments:
Post a Comment