Read Tuning in to Inner Peace: The Surprisingly Fun Way to Transform Your Life for Free Online Page B

office at 6:30 am, as another colleague was arriving to start the day, I realized, “Wow, that’s crazy! I have a problem.”
     
    I found a book called, “Confessions of a Workaholic” and checked it out of the library. Within a few pages, I found wisdom and insights that seemed to be directly written for me. I was blown away that a condition I’d barely acknowledged could be so easily explained and dissected by someone I’d never met.
     
    That book and others I’ve read name every feeling and rationale I’d used to spend my time at work, and the common time management problems that compound the addiction:
              perfectionist tendencies that increased the scope of work beyond what I’d been asked to do,
              assuming I had to work longer to cover up how slow or inexperienced I actually was,
              wasting time during regular work hours so I’d be ‘forced’ to work late, thus appearing more diligent,
              difficulty making progress on projects because I was hesitant to ask for clarification,
              procrastinating making important phone calls due to fear or embarrassment for having to ‘bother’ someone again,
              the natural tendency of projects to expand to fit the time given,
    and on and on.
     
    The shame and confusion evaporated as I learned what was happening. It was like learning about the digestive system. It changed an emotional, confusing embarrassing situation into a natural process. (Yep, a lot like the digestive system!)
     
    Feeling that your relationship with your boss or new lov e is unhealthy? Need some ideas? Start by “Googling it!” Counselors who’ve spent their lives developing healthy skills for the area you’re struggling with are available at your fingertips. Give up the idea that you are unique and that you must hide in secret and in shame. It will give you some quick tips, as well as ideas of books to read and where to go for more in-depth support.
     
    Believing that a compulsive or addictive behavior is a life-sentence will ensure that you are right. Get to a point where you can say, “Yep. This is an area of weakness for me. I am willing to let this pattern go. I’m probably going to need some help to do it.”
     
    In many areas, a single book has been enough to turn the course of my life. For me, finding a weekly or more often support group, has been the most powerful key to change. But any change always starts with the recognition of the problem and the willingness to get help.
     
    Let’s Pass Down the Best of our Family Values
    Have you ever listened to a radio call in show? I used to listen to “Adam and Dr. Drew”. It was on late on weeknights, and teens and adults called in for help with sexual problems.
     
    The first couple of times I listened, I was amazed. It was like listening to a fortuneteller, except that they could see the past rather than the future. The caller would hesitantly explain their current problem, then Dr. Drew would ask a few questions. “By any chance, did you have a parent that was extremely strict? Strongly religious perhaps? Controlling?” “By any chance, did you have brothers that teased you about your looks?” “By any chance, were you forced to have sex at an early age?” “By any chance, was one of your parents an alcoholic or drug addict?” “Do you remember being left alone much as a very small child?”
     
    The callers and I were surprised when he hit the nail on the head, guessing exactly what had happened to them as young children. After listening to the program for awhile, I saw that he was less of a psychic and more of a data- based analyst.
     
    You’d be hard-pressed to find research that shows that addiction is not somehow related to our early childhood. Body composition, life experiences and many other complicating factors may dictate the details of how they play out, but addictions and compulsive behaviors are