"It is a dare: find your passion, find your energy, ignite your being, and, in the process, risk mania." ~Eric Maisel, Coaching the Artist Within
I'm reading the book, Coaching the Artist Within by Eric Maisel. Today I read a chapter about positive obsessions. We tend to think of obsessions as negative things - things we need to overcome, forget, let go of or heal from. But obsessions can be positive and healthy, as well. Positive obsessions are things that nurture us, inspire us, motivate us, keep us thriving and dreaming, creating and living. A positive obsession is when you love something (or someone) passionately, think about it constantly, let other obligations or tasks slip away because of your intense interest in it. You work at this obsession tirelessly, letting it interfere with daily life. You give it the power to elevate your mood, raise your heart rate, alter your eating and sleeping patterns and consume your dreams.
I have had many positive obsessions in my life. When I am in these obsessive phases, these things have consumed my mind from morning til night. They have altered my typical patterns, made me push other things aside, kept me focused on a single train of thought and motivated me to work hard toward a specific goal.
When I decided to lose weight a few years ago, I became obsessed with diet, exercise, clothing sizes, body image and health. Though I may have been annoying to others (as some of you have told me) I needed this obsession to keep me motivated, to fuel me and power me through the weight loss. It was hard work (it still is!) and I know I couldn't have done it if I had gone at it half-heartedly. I needed to focus on the goal of weight loss and let other interests and obligations slip away for a little while. During this time I only read books about diet, weight loss, and health. I focused all of my energy on planning healthy meals, getting to the gym and finding other ways to exercise. I talked non-stop about health, diet and exercise plans. And I became obsessed with the scale, clothing sizes and the way my shrinking body looked in the mirror. I needed to do this. And I am glad I did. I lost over 80 pounds with diet and exercise alone. I shrunk 6 clothing sizes. My self-esteem sky-rocketed. I got healthy. And it changed my life. Without this positive obsession, I don't think I would have accomplished this incredible feat.
Another positive obsession is my passion for writing. I have been obsessed with writing my whole life. There are times when the writing fire burns me up inside and it is all I can think about, talk about, read about and do. Then there are times when I find an interest in other things and I let the writing lay in wait for a little while, resting peacefully. But through all of this, the passion for writing is always there. Always. I want to write. I want to surround myself with writing tools and books and other writers. I want to live the writing life. This consumes me. I am obsessed. But I love it.
Some other positive obsessive phases I have gone through involve travel, education, nature, relationship, cooking, family, friendship, celebration and love. Each one is something that has taught me, nurtured me, enriched my life and inspired my dreams. I benefit immensely from these positive obsessions. I wouldn't be who I am without them.
But there are times when there's just too much and I crave that one, important, all-consuming obsession. Right now I am obsessed with a few things all at once and I can feel my mind and my heart being pulled in too many different directions. I find that I cannot give enough to each obsession, even though I try, and so it feels like I am neglecting some things that are important to me. I am obsessed with school, writing, my relationship, finding my way in a new town, health and weight loss, maintaining friendships and relationships with family, planning my future, discovering who I am, doing what I want........this is how I am risking mania. I am spreading myself thin trying to give my full energy and attention to all the things I want and love and need - and it's feeding me, nurturing me and keeping me going. But it's also making me a little crazy. Like Eric Maisel's dare above: I am finding my passion, finding my energy, igniting my being and, in the process, I am risking mania!
What are your positive obsessions? How do you risk mania in your life?
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Mania....I understand where you are coming from, because, I also can become obsessive about something I care about. Years ago it was raising my children...and not just mine, but everyone else's kids too. I took in family members in need...I babysat not only one little family, but 4 or 5 little families of children...I joined the fire department auxiliary, where my husband was a fireman...and had to jump into that role and pushed myself to be involved in everything...and eventually became president of the auxiliary...then my little girls joined brownies...and of course, I was the cookie mom. I had, not one case of cookies, but hundreds of cases of cookies delivered to my house to distribute to the little girls. It was like walking through a tunnel...and then there was the PTO....not only did I start up an organization, but became the president of the PTO, involved in every fundraising activity, etc., etc.....then there was the Board of Education...I was elected to the board and chaired every committee at one time or another...and became president of the Board...ran the negotiations for the board and attended seminars and conventions regularly...to a point of obsession...When I went back to work after my husband left me with 4 little children at home, I did not just work 1 job...but I worked 3 jobs...making ends meet the best I could...I did everything I could to take care of my kids - the most important things in my life....and they still are. Obsession can be a good thing...but you have to be careful that you are taking care of yourself while obsessing. At my last job I worked overtime every single day. I would arrive at 7:30 in the morning and work until 7:30 at night. Everyone could count on me for everything at any time. And then there was the wine collection...I didn't have 6 or 12 bottles of wine in the closet....but I had 48 bottles of wine in the wine rack...do you see what I mean...Obsession can be a good thing. My question is...how can I direct my obsession to where I want it to be.....where it would be the best for me?
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