Have you ever considered yourself ‘addicted' to anything? Maybe chocolate? Facebook? Most of us wouldn't call ourselves an addict though, right? I know I never considered myself an addict.

Recently I was listening to a live recording of three of the world's thought leaders and I was stopped in my tracks by something Deepak Chopra said. He said "We incarnate because we are addicted, so we can learn".

I was so enthralled that I had to stop and write it down.

Most of us think of ‘addicts‘ as people who can't kick the habit of alcohol, cigarettes or food, or sex. They are the big ones. But Deepak was inferring that we are all addicted, because if we weren't we would not be human.

So it got me to thinking, "What am I addicted to?" My first thought was "I'm not an addict - it's just not possible". But there must be something in it because I found the statement so profound, which means that in some way I was attracted to it. So again ... "What am I addicted to?"

I have always been driven toward achievement. I like that I am driven and seek challenges that stretch me as a person. But do I accept that part of myself whole-heartedly? Well no. A little while ago I decided that I was too competitive. Additionally, a small part of me views my desire to achieve as ‘selfish'. In my quest to achieve greater things for myself there are some things I want to do, like leave my family from time to time to develop myself or my skills. Because of that, I judge myself.

My desire to achieve fuels my competitive nature, and it means I sometimes take time out from my family to pursue career goals, which causes my inner critic to call me selfish. So whenever I do something that challenges me as a human being I still question myself, and beat myself up about it to an extent, because I am judging myself harshly. I am ‘addicted' to finding a reason why I am not worthy of being the best person I can be.

And there it is. At the heart of all addictions, the attachment is to a substance or behaviour that the person needs. A feeling that without it they are not whole. Every time they use the substance, or exhibit the behaviour, the person has an excuse to continue to question their worthiness as a human being. Because if they were worthy, they wouldn't need this to feel whole, would they?

So how do I deal with that? By not accepting, and constantly questioning my competitive nature, it means I am not accepting my whole self, perfect as I am.
Seeing this behaviour as an addiction means that I can make the choice to change it. It's a work in progress, but having that awareness is a powerful step. After all, it is my desire to achieve that allows me to have the drive to create what I want.

Addicts don't recover by denying they have a problem. They recover by admitting they are addicted and then learning to love themselves regardless. Then they take consistent action.

Ask yourself, "What am I addicted to?" How do you find ways to make yourself feel unworthy as a human being? It may be subtle, but I can bet you that you will find something!

It is usually that which you most resist that offers you the greatest insight. What personality traits to do you judge to be ‘bad' or ‘wrong' in others? Do you have a relative you consider to be ‘selfish'? What aspects of yourself do you believe are selfish, and when did you decide that about yourself?

If you are in a situation where you are feeling stuck right now, asking yourself these questions may help you discover what got you there in the first place. That means that you can then move yourself out of it!

Kirsty Greenshields founded Create Perfect Health after years of working to strike a balance between her career and important relationships. If you know you want your business to reflect exactly who you are - vibrant, healthy, loving and passionate, find out more at www.createperfecthealthnow.com