Most of us have some type of emotional hole inside of us. Let’s call it your Gremlin. Your Gremlin could be loneliness, fear, lack of direction, regret, anger, jealousy or many others. The Gremlin cries out a lot. So what do we do? We feed it. And what do we feed it? That depends, but usually things like food, alcohol, drugs, nicotine, caffeine, T.V., uncontrolled emotional outbursts, and all other manner of pleasurable avoidance activities.
The Problem
Feeding your Gremlin is more like sweeping dust under a rug than like filling up a hole. The Gremlin can eat and eat, but it manifests in you as a dust pile under a rug that gets bigger and bigger until suddenly you have a bulging belly, an unhealthy addiction, or a wasteland of unrealized dreams. We think that by soothing ourselves with pleasure that we’ll feel better. But too much of a good thing is not good, and so we find ourselves drowning ourselves in things that used to be pleasurable. The only way that you can appreciate pleasurable things is when they are balanced out with good constructive hard work. So what’s the answer? What should you do instead of feeding your Gremlin?
The Solution
Get to know your Gremlin. Instead of feeding your Gremlin non-stop, take some time to be with and understand your Gremlin. Tame him and you won’t have to feed him anymore. This difficult time will be time well-spent. You’ll be better able to enjoy the healthy pleasures of life afterwards. Ask these questions:
- When do I feed my Gremlin?
- What do I feed it?
- Why do I feed it that?
- What is it that my Gremlin (I) really need instead?
- What is it that I want?
- How can I make that happen?
- What small steps can I take today?
- Who can I call upon to help me?
- What can I eliminate or cut back on that will free up some time?
Put together a plan and take action on it. Get busy doing some work that will bring you true contentment. Read this article to get more energy for tackling your plan. Once you’ve begun and put in some good work, then you can then celebrate and actually enjoy some pleasurable time.
Additional Resources:
Taming Your Gremlin (Revised Edition): A Surprisingly Simple Method for Getting Out of Your Own Way
– Great book on this topic! I highly recommend it. It will open your eyes to seeing your life like never before!
Please Share!
What is your Gremlin? What do you feed it? And how do you plan to tame him/her? All comments big and small are very welcomed!
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