Healing Addiction

Addiction is a loaded word.

When we talk about healing from addiction we sometimes too loosely use this term when dealing with food. It often times because a block to our healing rather than a tool to release and let go of patterns we have established in our relationship with food.

It is time to re-look at how we hear our patterns around food and how we use words like addiction. Unless we are dealing with alcohol or drug addiction lets try and not label any issues around food as addictions.

Instead lets go deeper lets see all issues or destructive patters as a revealing or a whispering for us to look more deeply at the issues and problems in our lives. How might we grow?

In today's culture we throw around terms like addiction like a loose sling and yet noose someone into a life sentence.

By this I mean that once you consider yourself an addict you often times trap your consciousness into believing you are broken. You can enslave your pattern and your behavior.

Releasing patterns and unhealthy relationships with food is a journey. If you are over-eating or feel intense cravings around certain substances this is an opportunity to go deeper into the situations of your life that are causing you to find a false-substitute for something you may long for.

The symptoms appearing in your relationship with food are gifts and guidance to draw you more deeply into self-discovery with your relationship with the world.

Often times these areas are around issues of control, desire, longing.

Healing from unhealthy relationships with food is a powerful step one can take in their lives.

My theory is that any issue or problem you face around food, eating, your body image is a problem that you can completely recover from. You do not have to have a single trace left of any trap or pain you are currently feeling around food. I remember when I was trying to quit smoking everyone told me that I would always want a cigarette. SO not true. I have not smoked in over 10 years and I do not long or crave for a cigarette at all.

Sometimes we bury ourselves so deep in thinking about food, obsessing around one issue on our body, or feeling fat, that we wonder if our minds will ever be free from such painful thoughts and patterns or the compulsive behaviors these thoughts throw us into.

I feel the same with all patterns around food. The freedom you will experience will not feel like deprivation, it will feel like the greatest joy you have ever experienced when you release an unhealthy pattern. Continue step by step on your journey and free yourself from any unhealthy thoughts, patterns, or issues around food.

You will be so surprised what you find on the other side: joy, freedom, new friends, productivity, vitality, simple grace, delicate moments, drama-free life and so much more!

Here are 16 Steps to assist you in your journey!!!

1. Set an intention in your mind and your heart that you will be free from all unhealthy patterns around food. Know that you can make a difference that you are empowered to be free. Affirm your ability to be free, to take charge of your life, to free yourself from being a victim. Take a stand that you have the power to not rely on other people or substances for your self-esteem or well-being.

The opposite of this is to affirm that you are out of control with your substance addiction and powerless over the addiction. This keeps you trapped in your addiction and takes away your power.

Affirm your power and your ability to take back control!

2. Find the power of God within. When you open your heart and your mind to divine presence, to divinity, the god or the goddess, spirit, heavenly powers, the universe, you will be opened to the grace of divinity. When we connect with that power that is within us we begin to be in touch with the healing powers that come with that.

3. Make a decision to become more aligned with your highest most evolved self. Allow yourself to trust in the healing power of divine truth. Surrender to a higher truth and higher love.

4. Study your thoughts, beliefs, patterns, obsessive thoughts and your dependent behavior by looking out at all areas of your friends, family, and life patterning. Look at your community to reflect your behavior. Surround yourself with a healing community.

5. Feel your shame and guilt around your past behaviors and actions and share them with a friend, counselor, or the Universe. Let go of the shame and guilt.

6. Affirm the positive qualities within. Express your creativity, your true expression, your joy, your talent, do not be afraid to let your light shine. Find areas to be creative and express yourself.

7. Feel how the shame and guilt keeps you from fully loving others. Begin the process to let this pain go. Open to loving to self and to others.

8. Take the time to look at all behavior that harmed another. Sit down, light a candle and list all those you have harmed. Share your apologies with them. Allow the negativity to clear from your life in a peaceful very loving and respectful way.

9. Take the time to see and be grateful for all that you have in your life. Be in gratitude appreciate the blessings of life.

10. Promptly acknowledge all the mistakes that might be made this is normal and natural. But do not take responsibility for the actions or others. Do not analyze, cover up, or take any responsibility for the actions of others.

11. We actively seek out people, jobs, locations, events, situations that affirm our value and our worth. We look for healthy people to be in relationships with. We actively avoid painful situations, people that drain our energy, and situations that are hurtful.

12. We actively move forward in life with a playful attitude seeking joy. We also move towards healing our physical body with exercise and nutrition. We organize our lives, reduce stress and seek peaceful environments.

13. We call upon our higher power or divine force to assist us in walking in our life's purpose and inward calling. We develop the inner intuitive wisdom to follow the small silent voice. We ask for guidance and for wisdom to move forward.

14. We see all of life's events as opportunities for greater learnings. The events that are good or bad are all seen as the natural flow of the universe and deemed as perfect in their learnings.

15. We seek to learn from all of the living beings around us. We walk in peace and harmony with the universal flow for it is divine. We contribute to the beauty, well being and peace on the planet. We seek to see the best in others and in ourselves.

16. We look inside for self-love. We honor our body as the beautiful, miraculous instrument that it is. Everyday we honor and acknowledge the gift of life.

Are you suffering from abnormal cravings or patterns around sugar? A lot of people develop extreme behaviors around sugar. Sugar cravings