Habits (a.k.a., Addictions)

(January 23, 1999)

Habit has its beginning in thought. What becomes second nature to us has first caught on in our thinking - only to operate, in time, without thinking at all.

Breaking with deeply ingrained addictions is something else again. Since we were old enough to understand, we have been bent to a certain thought, molded to act and to react until we follow through habitually. If what we did gave us comfort or made us feel good, we did it again.

We have to fight habit with habit, deliberately changing one thought, one action, for another. If we simply try to remove a habit without filling the vacuum, we are opening the door for more and worse to come in. It's harder when we let thought drift back to remember how we were comforted.

There is more than one comfort, more than one joy in forming a new habit.

Peace,
Tawanka