Curious about Addiction: Why, What and How Do We Develop and Have Addictions? And, Are All Addictions Bad?

Definition of Addiction: The state of being addicted; devotion; inclination.

“I really love to act; I love everything about it. I've never had this addiction to being known. I mean, sure, if you go into acting, there's part of you that is saying, 'I want attention' but I was brought up to work to deserve attention, and it is the work, not the trappings that are important.” - Christopher Meloni, American actor

“I love making people laugh. It's an addiction and it's probably dysfunctional, but I am addicted to it and there's no greater pleasure for me than sitting in a theater and feeling a lot of people losing control of themselves.” - Jay Roach, American director

You are probably wondering why I ever chose addiction as this week’s theme. It started yesterday as I was driving home from two fitness training sessions. I heard a discussion on the radio about a boy who has become so addicted to computer games that his grades have gone from all A’s to all F’s. Physically, his health is deteriorating because he stays up all night many nights. And, he has lost interest in everything except these computer games.

The program started by telling about centers and camps that have sprung up to work with youngsters and even adults to help them overcome their addictions to computers.

I think that when we hear the word, “addiction” we immediately think of drugs, and yet there are many other addictions like TV watching, food and eating, chocolate and other candy and sweets. Are most addictions bad for us, or how about Meloni’s and Roach’s addictions to their work?

Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, thinks so. He said, “Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol or morphine or idealism.”

I feel that most of us have addictions, even mild ones. Some are good and others are bad. But I also feel that we can overcome the bad ones, even though it might take a lot of hard work and bring on an addiction to breaking addictions or accomplishing goals.

The quotations I found – and not the usual plethora – were all quite varied and interesting. They should make you think as they did for me:

• “We may think there is willpower involved, but more likely... change is due to want power. Wanting the new addiction more than the old one. Wanting the new me in preference to the person I am now.” - George A. Sheehan, American writer
• “For decades the American people have had an addiction to oil and gas.” - Lee H. Hamilton, American politician
• “I admire anyone who rids himself of an addiction.” - Gene Tierney, American actress
• “I have a bit of a traveling addiction, and, ah, yeah. I went to, ah, Bali this summer.” - Fisher Stevens, American actor
• “The book can produce an addiction as fierce as heroin or nicotine, forcing us to spend much of our lives, like junkies, in book shops and libraries, those literary counterparts to the opium den.” - Phillip Adams, Australian writer
• “We are taught to consume. And that's what we do. But if we realized that there really is no reason to consume, that it's just a mind set, that it's just an addiction, then we wouldn't be out there stepping on people's hands climbing the corporate ladder of success.” - River Phoenix, American actor

I submit to you that we all have some addictions. I love working out, so spend a good bit of time teaching group fitness classes – actually 12 a week so that some would feel it is an addiction. I am also addicted to books and reading, the Internet, and my Portfolio Career – many careers at the same time. As long as I can remember, I have worked at staying slim – is food control an addiction?

Two more to think about:

“People who have never had an addiction don't understand how hard it can be.” – Payne Stewart, American athlete

“She goes from one addiction to another. All are ways for her to not feel her feelings.” - Ellen Burstyn, American actress

What are your good addictions? I would love to hear from you.

Curious about Journals: Do You or Have You Kept a Journal? What Are the Benefits?

I receive the “Early to Rise” e-newsletter Monday through Saturday. It is so good that even though I am often pressed for time, I read it word for word. Yesterday, my hero Michael Masterson wrote the article (I think of his articles as life’s lessons), “Tracking Your Success: Why You Should Keep a Daily Journal.”

Masterson wrote, “It may seem a self-centered pastime, but keeping a journal is actually an excellent career-building tool. It can help you figure out new directions for your life and then guide you as you go. . . . I've been keeping journals for more than 30 years now, and the pleasure of writing them has only increased over the years. In my earlier years, I kept journals sporadically.”

I have just returned to keeping a daily journal and find that it is like having someone keeping you accountable. Several years ago, I religiously, wrote “Morning Pages” (three pages written every morning, by hand, in a journal) and the results were fabulous. If I had worries, gripes or problems, once they were down on paper, they disappeared. And the good events and successes were always fun and enlightening to write about.

However, as I became more time strapped, I became a sporadic journaler. I am thrilled that I am back to it and the guidance and clarity I am enjoying. For today’s quotations, I am only including those that relate to the kind of journal Masterson and I refer to. Not the Journal of Medicine or the Wall Street Journal.

Here goes:

• “I write journals and would recommend journal writing to anyone who wishes to pursue a writing career. You learn a lot. You also remember a lot... and memory is important.” - Judy Collins, American musician
• “American Splendor is just an ongoing journal. It's an ongoing autobiography. I started it when I was in my early 30s, and I just keep going.” - Harvey Pekar, American writer
• “Keep a journal, and learn how to see how you as an individual sees information so you can learn your own sign language. Meditate and practice psychic self defense and surrounding yourself with prayer.” - John Edward, American entertainer
• “My job in space will be to observe and write a journal. I am also going to be teaching a class for students on earth about life in space and on the space shuttle and conducting experiments.” -Christa McAuliffe, American astronaut
• “When we saw our plane on TV as breaking news, it was the most surreal experience. A lot of the women were crying. There was a gentleman who was writing in his journal and crying. Seeing that isn't easy.” - Taryn Manning, American actress
• “After the writer's death, reading his journal is like receiving a long letter.” - Jean Cocteau, French director

And one more for fun:

“A page of my journal is like a cake of portable soup. A little may be diffused into a considerable portion.” - James Boswell, Scottish lawyer

Do you keep a journal? How about daily? It doesn’t have to be a fancy, leather bound version. It can be a straight forward spiral notebook. I suggest hand writing it. I feel that there is a better connection between the hand and mind. And, let me know how it goes for you.

Curious about Status: What Is Yours? Do You Have a Status Quo?

“Status quo, you know, is Latin for 'the mess we're in'.” - Ronald Reagan, American President

“For years my wedding ring has done its job. It has led me not into temptation. It has reminded my husband numerous times at parties that it's time to go home. It has been a source of relief to a dinner companion. It has been a status symbol in the maternity ward.” - Erma Bombeck, American journalist

I chose “status” for this week’s theme because in the past week I have heard it used as status quo, status symbol and our status statement on Facebook. Thinking about it, I realize that our status in a company, on the Internet, in a group to which we belong, our location and/or in our profession helps define us to others and ourselves.

When I first joined Facebook, the marketing leader with whom I was working suggested that I work on creating a large group of friends for both credibility and status. If we also work on becoming an expert in our chosen career or careers (as I have), we will establish a status that will bring readers, subscribers, and buyers to us. In addition, it will help us to find joint venture partners both on and off line.

The ultimate advantage will happen once you and I achieve status in a field of our choice. For example, I am a professional storyteller. I want other storytellers and listeners to suggest me for events, gigs and for information about storytelling, both on my Storytelling Power website and through my e-mail address.

Let me share some of the variety covered by quotations I found on status:

• “In a way, the sense of quality has improved, the status symbol of the small things is gone, and it is acceptable to use stainless steel, even if the neighbor uses silver.” - Arne Jacobsen, Danish architect
• “I find celebrity status difficult to bear when I am in the company of my mother.” – Phil Donahue, American TV personality
• “I have no nationality - the best possible status for an intellectual.” - Emile M. Cioran, Romanian philosopher
• “I'm not interested in preserving the status quo; I want to overthrow it.” - Niccolo Machiavelli, Italian writer
• “The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.” - Warren G. Bennis, American psychologist
• “The bicycle is a former child's toy that has now been elevated to icon status because, presumably, it can move the human form from pillar to post without damage to the environment.” - Brock Yates, American editor
• “I'd like to believe that the women who wear my clothes are not dressing for other people, that they're wearing what they like and what suits them. It's not a status thing.” - Marc Jacobs, American designer

And three more to think about and chew upon:

• “Any woman who chooses to behave like a full human being should be warned that the armies of the status quo will treat her as something of a dirty joke. That's their natural and first weapon. She will need her sisterhood.” - Gloria Steinem, American activist
• “I think I've matured to a great extent. I think that I want different things now. That it's not about the celebrity status that you receive because you're doing the next hot movie. It's about doing good work.” - Emilio Estevez, American actor
• “I think the sexiest thing on anybody is intelligence. I respect somebody who has a brain and wants to use it more than a pretty face and status.” - Sophia Bush, American actress

I can relate to all three of the above quotations. How about you? What are your feelings and aspirations concerning status? I would love to hear from you.

Curious about Control: Happiness or Pain? (a reprint from 2005)

Today, while I was driving home from the gym coupled with running a few errands, I heard snippets of a National Public Radio (NPR) show about happiness. The parts that I heard were not only interesting, but also affirming.

It was stated that discoveries are being made that whether or not we are disposed to happiness, depression or anxiety is being traced to our genetic makeup. And also, that even if we feel there is something - like achieving great material wealth - that would make us happy, once we accomplish it, we find that it just becomes a common and accepted part of our lives.

The part of the discussion that held the most meaning and affirming quality for me was when the panel was asked what produced the most happiness. The answer was “control.” They were not referring to someone else controlling us - I have worked for several “control freaks” which only produces pain and frustration. They were talking about us being in control of our lives and our destiny.

I know that this is why I am so happy - even though I sometimes feel guilty that I am not striving to become a millionaire. I control how I spend my days and nights. I am also in control of my health, my living conditions, my work, my social life, my entertainment, my involvement in activities, and the list goes on and on.

As you know, I love to find out what other people think and have said about a topic, so here are a few of the wonderful “control” quotations that I found:

• Barbara De Angelis expressed my thoughts completely, “No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change.”
• Albert Bandura mirrored what I tell my fitness classes, “By exercising control over a few healthy habits, people can live longer, healthier lives and slow the process of aging.”
• And even Buddha expressed, “To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.”

I would be remiss if I didn’t also include some of my favorite self-improvement gurus.

• Yes, I know this is a bit repetitious, but as Jane Fonda wrote, “We cannot always control our thoughts, but we can control our words, and repetition impresses the subconscious, and we are then master of the situation.”
• My life-changer, Tony Robbins, said, “The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you're in control of your life. If you don't, life controls you.”
• Another influencer, Brian Tracy, said, “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.”
• And, finally, Mark Victor Hansen suggests, “You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own.”

That’s enough for now, but before I close and because I have you, I hope, in a happy state, let me direct you to a website that was mentioned on the NPR program today. You know how the news is generally “bad.” Well, there is now a website called Happy News that puts a positive spin on the news. I think you will enjoy it.

And, take control! You will be happy you did.

Curious about The Zone: What Does It Mean to You? What Is the Impact of Your Zone?

Definition of Zone: A life zone; as, Littoral zone, Austral zone, etc. A series of planes having mutually parallel intersections. Circuit; circumference. To girdle; to encircle.

“That's the best thing about writing, when you're in that zone, you're porous, ready to absorb the solution.” - Michael Chabon, American author

When I picked “zone” for this week’s blog, I was thinking about the zone that Michael Chabon is writing about. When we are so involved and passionate about what we are doing we lose complete track of time and anything else that is happening around us. It has also been referred to as “being in the state of flow.”

However, when I started investigating zone quotations, I was reminded of comfort zones – which can be both helpful and detrimental – and other types of zones. I will not use the quotations about war zones, and, thankfully, there weren’t many. I do want to question the good and the bad of comfort zones.

Yes, we can rely upon our comfort zones too much and therefore lose the benefits that results from taking risks. And yet, I submit to you that maintaining and using certain comfort zones can establish rewarding routines. For example, I was watching a “productivity” video presented by one of my favorite gurus, Eben Pagen. He extolled the virtues of establishing healthy routines – especially the first hour of the morning. I teach fitness classes five days a week and even though I am working hard physically, I am in one of my comfort zones. Nothing wrong with that - considering the great payoff!

I know that you will be prompted to thinking in different ways about zones, after reading some of the following quotations:

• “Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” - Brian Tracy, American author and motivator
• “I'm at a point where I don't have to wait for the income from the record to survive, so I'm in a comfortable zone, but I'll make rap records as long as I feel I have something to rap about.” - Ice T, American musician
• “Working out is my biggest hobby. It's my Zen hour. I just zone out.” - Zac Efron, American actor
• “To the degree we're not living our dreams, our comfort zone has more control of us than we have over ourselves.” - Peter McWilliams, American writer
• “I was deep in the zone of practicing almost constantly.” - Pat Metheny, American musician
• “You lose your habitual behavior, which allowed you to sort of zone out. You have to be here, you have to be now, you have to be present.” - Sally Field, American actress
• “So I had to just kind of go back to the hotel, take a shower, sit quiet, dig down deep, warm up, and allow myself to move into some kind of zone. And then I remembered that a lot of my favorite musical moments are not about perfection.” - Kathy Mattea, American musician

And three more to chew on:

• “So you have to force yourself out of a comfort zone and really try to figure out what are the key ingredients, the key skill sets, the key perspectives that are necessary, and then figure out a way to attract the very best people to fill those particular roles.” - Steve Case, American businessman
• “Light is meaningful only in relation to darkness, and truth presupposes error. It is these mingled opposites which people our life, which make it pungent, intoxicating. We only exist in terms of this conflict, in the zone where black and white clash.” - Louis Aragon, French poet
• “If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness.” - Les Brown, American presenter and motivator

So, what are your zones? Do you have some comfort zones that help you, or some that are holding you back? Are there types of zones that I have failed to mention? Share them with us.