Do you play the blame game?

We have all played the BLAME GAME but have you ever won?  You know, the game where we transfer our faults to someone else so we can avoid responsibility for our own actions.  If we can just make someone else look bad or get them to accept fault, it will make us feel better and excuse any bad behaviour on our part.  The only problem with this is that it doesn’t solve anything and can actually make things worse.

Why do we play the Blame Game?  It isn’t really much fun and people usually get hurt, including ourselves.   It is because we lack confidence and we are afraid that if we do something wrong, people won’t like us.  If we can point the blame in another direction, we think it makes us look better.

How many of us have said:

• You ruined my life
• I’m late because of the kids, husband, traffic….
• You are the problem in this relationship
• I’m overweight because you give me too much food
• My boss is holding me back from getting a better position
• Your overspending got us into debt

Do you take any responsibility for what happens in your life?  Blaming others is a negative action that eventually makes us feel worse and causes a lot of stress for everyone.  Nobody is perfect and others can cause problems for us, but many of our problems are the result of our own poor choices and how we respond to others.  We need to take responsibility for our part and choose how we respond in difficult situations.

 

Do you have an addiction?

The truth is we are all addicted to something.  Most of us believe that an addiction is being addicted to drugs, alcohol or cigarettes.  However, the dictionary defines ADDICTION as 1) the quality or state of being addicted 2) a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance known by the user to be harmful;  characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal.

In simple terms, anything our body craves on a regular basis and we can’t do without, is an addiction.  Besides substances, we can also be addicted to behaviours, emotions, activities and stuff.  Behavioural addictions can include gambling, exercise, sex and eating.   Emotional addictions can include anger, depression and sadness.  Addictions to activities can include watching TV, playing video games and playing sports.   Addictions to stuff can include excessive buying of things you don’t really need (hoarding) and often go into debt to pay for them.

What are you addicted to?  Do you overindulge in any activity that is causing serious problems for you, your family, friends and anyone else in your life?  If so, try to take steps to take charge of your life and make some positive changes.  You can be addicted to positive things like reading, walking, singing, playing solitaire, eating healthy foods and doing good deeds.  Take charge of your life and work on building some positive addictions.  Don’t let your life control you.  Talk to a trusted family member or friend and ask them to help you eliminate those negative addictions.  Seek professional help for the ones you can’t seem to control and start enjoying your life.