It is easy to get addicted to the things in your surroundings. It can happen so fast that you didn’t even realize that you are already addicted to something. There’s a higher chance that what the majority in your surrounding is doing, you’ll also be doing what they are doing. It can also be the other way around, what you do can be what the majority of your surrounding are doing too.
Addiction is common to us humans. You can be addicted to eating chocolates despite gaining weight, or it can be playing video games that are over the hours limit. It can be anything. The thing is, it is normal for us to get addicted to something we desire. But the problem is, sometimes these things that we get addicted into are crushing our personal goals. We may not realize it on a short period of time but when life hits you up, you’ll see that you’re out of the course already. That you are in the wrong direction for your goals.
Small Changes Accumulate
Months ago, I started playing video games after working hours with my friends. It started with a simple 30 mins per day of playing. It was our time to relief and relax after long hours of mental grinding in the work. It was really helpful to be off track with the stress from work after a period of time. My friends and I kept on playing every single day with the same reason and excuse we had set since day 1. Which is to be on the state of stress-free or relaxation.
Over the course of time, the simple 30 mins per day of playing video games goes beyond exceeding the limits. There were days where we play hours and hours of video games and not thinking about the time. We will be just be surprised that it was already late at night. We were happy to be like a child again, not thinking about anything but play. Our mantra was work hard but play harder. And yeah, we embodied it since day 1! We started competing with each other who’s the best player. We were born competitive and so of course, we can’t afford to lose to each other! We will never stop until we beat each other and feel tired. Imagine after 8 hours of work, you will play for hours with your competitors to prove who’s got the best moves and techniques. We were really addicted.
One day we realized that it was already taking too much of our life. Being addicted to playing video games crush our personal goals and other priorities. After competing for hours of showing moves and techniques it drained us physically and mentally. Some of us prioritized playing instead of working on our personal goals, some got underperformed at work and some can’t stop thinking about playing despite working hours.
How come the simple 30 mins per day became hours of competing to each other leading us to be addicted? Who would have thought it would come to this?
Your Environment Should Change
We already realized that we were already addicted to playing video games. Each of us tried avoiding it, personally. Like, we told ourselves that we will not play today and will keep on going with our personal goals for the day. We didn’t say it to each other with commitment and conviction. But since we can’t do it and we were addicted, we pull and invite each other to play again for hours of competing. It kept on going that way. How should we stop it? One more round!
Until one day, we stop and talk to each other that nothing is happening and our addiction is getting out of hand. It kept on pulling ourselves away from our personal goals and priorities. This was the first time we talked seriously and raise our commitment to stop and focus on what’s important. The only time we’ve talked as a team with commitment and conviction.
It was a changing moment.
Bringing It All Together
Having some addiction is hard to stop. It is really hard knowing that majority in your surrounding is also addicted. How can you stop it when you are surrounded by it? No matter how much you want to change or remove an addiction and your environment is not changing. It will be difficult to remove something.
My friends and I are happy to say that we are already free from addiction to playing video games. We can already say “no” to playing and do what needs to be done.
I am not giving some bad reputation on playing video games. I want you to be aware that being addicted to anything that is pulling you away from your personal goals and priorities are destructive. We went over the limit and got our bad results. Like the saying, everything that is over the limit is bad for our health.
It was a learning experience for us.
It is not enough that you want to stop your addiction especially when you are surrounded by addicts. You, as part of the community or a group, is solely responsible for being the positive change that your community or group needs. We have proven to ourselves that for things to change, our surrounding should also change. Change still starts with you. It will always begin from you. Continue on influencing the people in your surrounding for a positive change. One day, you will all embody the positivities that you needed.
May you reach your dreams.
