In the same flavor as “happiness”, we are constantly seeking comfort and joy in our life. Everything we do or don’t do is an ego version of comfort and joy.
In analyzing why I tend to binge eat I learnt that I simply want to “feel something”, to be comforted and feel joy/motivation/passion. I have conditioned myself to believe food and eating to be comforting. So anytime I am uncomfortable- lonely- bored-impatient, I eat. Even if my stomach is full, I eat until I feel physically uncomfortable, just so I may be comforted.
We each have this version of comforting/soothing ourselves, it may be food such as my binge eating, shopping, alcohol, drugs, exercise, anything that we use as a comfort factor to turn away from that which is causing us discomfort or from the discomfort itself.
What if we turned toward the discomfort and sat with it, or found other ways to be comforted? what if we accepted that we use that thing which we are addicted to as a self-soothing mechanism, then asked the questions, which part of me needs soothing and how can i truly soothe myself, without resorting to unhealthy choices?
Can we extend this same acceptance to others? knowing that they too are being guided by their inner ego compass to gravitate toward their own comfort, joy, happiness. Will this allow us to drop our grudge toward them and lean into the love, to bring love to be the glue between us?