I’m not sure that anyone lives in this world without addiction. I think the key is finding an addiction that suits your life rather than damages it. For instance, ever noticed those Jesus freaks that have tales of being drug addict’s yadda, yadda, yadda but have found the Lord and now are living clean. Right, might I point out that they’ve simply swapped addictions. Now, instead of cocaine or booze or whatever, they’re addicted to Jesus. Hey, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. If that’s the swap you make to improve you’re life than go with it. Not my style but everybody’s different.
I left booze behind in my life long ago. It was great in the university years but I must confess that when I started waking up in the morning with hangovers, the love affair was over. Also a product of my younger days, I thankfully never grew addicted to smoking. I’ve never been a gambler and although I have a fondness for video games but I get bored easily with them easily enough that I don’t spend hours a day playing (not even with Guitar Hero).
I do tend to eat crap when I’m feeling stressed or down, however, this (contrary to what pop psychology says) is not an addiction. My body produces less serotonin than is normal. To compensate, I will eat huge amounts of carbs to produce more serotonin. The problem is, the more serotonin I produce, the more I need. Technically, I’m addicted to a drug that my body is producing. If I eat the right kind of diet I can control the serotonin my body needs without drugs. On a side note, I discovered this on my own. I read medical journals, researched many programs and diets and finally found out what my problems were. As I said in the entry before this, things in my life have seldom come easy. I have to work hard to keep weight off and that’s just the way it is.
So what have I found in my life to be addicted to? Well, I think skiing is definitely getting to that point. Lake Louise closed last week and I’ve already started saving money for my season’s pass next year. The beauty of a sport like skiing is all the gear that goes along with it. I started the season reasonably enough. My skis weren’t cheap but I decided to use old poles and my boots didn’t cost a fortune either. I got my initial clothes at the Helly Hansen outlet so I couldn’t be blamed for over-spending there. However, at the end of a short season for me, I have amassed the following:
1 helmet
1 ski bag (to protect the Mustang just in case the KIA couldn’t be repaired)
1 boot bag (it was really cool and I found it when I bought the ski bag)
1 pair snow blades (hey, they looked like fun, they’re cheap and they fit on my boots)
1 pair Oakley Stockholm pink iridium goggles (go hard or go home and I’m already eyeing another pair for different conditions next winter)
2 Helly Tech jackets
2 pairs Helly Tech pants
2 Helly fleeces (to match each of the above, of course)
4 Helly shirts (I can, after all, wear all this stuff to work so it’s not like I only use it for skiing)
Several toques, mitts, scarves and socks.
I don’t foresee that list getting any smaller next year. Good thing I saved all that money on the poles.
So, now that summer is on its way, I’m looking for a more seasonal addiction. I have big plans for my bike and as I said before, I’m hoping that KIA will soon be sporting a rack for the kayak. Lucky for me, Helly and Oakley have whole lines of stuff for biking and paddling too. I’ve already secured my first bike shirt…
So is the above affecting my major life areas? You bet. I’ve been getting to the gym more because I keep my workouts focused on becoming a better, stronger skier. I spend less money on eating out and stupid stuff on eBay because I want to save for my season pass (and more Helly).
It’s not about being addiction free. It’s about finding the addiction that works for you.