Licking the Razor's Edge (2015)

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TIP #07: DEFEND an ENEMY … One of the most common symptoms of a negativity addiction (and evidence that negativity addiction is incredibly common) is the tendency many people have to gossip about others. And because it is so commonplace and thereby so taken for granted, it becomes that much more powerful when we choose to consciously do the opposite. “Posigossip” is what I call it — when a person gently but firmly chooses to defend the person or persons being gossiped about. Mention something wonderful they did in the past … Find a reasonable explanation for their “poor behavior” … Simply note in passing that you happen to think they are basically a good person no matter what they might have done or not done. As “herd animals”, it is extremely difficult for us humans to have the courage to stand out in a crowd, no matter how small the crowd might be. And this is especially true when that crowd happens to be banding together to verbally attack a “common enemy” (which is what gossip essentially is). Well, it is precisely because it is so difficult that this Noble Deed becomes so potent – not only briefly awakening the gossipers to the injustice of their literal “trash talk”, but also completely shattering every bit of negativity and gloom that had resided within ourselves beforehand. In conclusion, even though there is more than enough evidence to support the ego’s claims that the world is “falling apart” and that life is painful & “unfair”, there is also more than enough evidence to adopt another point of view – the equally valid Truth that our world is still stunningly Beauty-full, and that our lives, regardless of any & all external circumstances, are always laden with opportunities filled with both Meaning & Wonder. While it is true that we cannot control what happens to us in our lifetime — and while it is equally true that some of those situations are extremely painful ones, we can always choose how we respond to them. We can – no matter what happens to us — always choose to see life as an honor and a privilege … we can choose to deeply revere the fact that we are alive at all … and we can always choose to act accordingly. “Negativity is an addiction to the bleak haze that always lingers nearby … And yet we can in any moment transform this shadow by turning it towards the Light in your Spirit.” ~ inspired by John O’Donohue “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It makes whatever we already have into more than enough … It transforms all suffering into peacefulness, mere meals into feasts, and feared strangers into friends.” ~ inspired by Melody Beattie There are the things that we can change: our own intentions, our own attitude, and our own actions. And there are the things that we cannot change: … everything else. 172
Addiction #26 – Freedom from CALLOUSNESS “The awakenings of remorse, virtuous shame and indignation, the glow of moral approbation if they do not lead to immediate fruits, grow less and less vivid every time they occur, till at length the mind grows morbidly callous.” ~ inspired by Anna L. Barbauld “We laugh at a man to avoid crying for him.” ~ Napoleon While closely related to the addiction to negativity, callousness is by far the greater and more insidious evil. Callousness, you see, is one’s addiction to not caring enough to even judge another unfairly … Indeed, callousness is one’s addiction to choosing to — at least in that moment — not Care at all. “But that doesn’t relate to me”, you exclaim. “I care deeply about many things.” No worries, my Friends, as I have no doubt whatsoever that the latter is true. And yet, callousness is not a black-or-white, either-or proposition. Like all other addictions, such an affliction is one of degree … Yes, we care for our friends when we are feeling strong or when it is convenient, and yet what of the times when we are “too tired” or “too busy” or “too sick”? Yes, we care for our neighborhood, and yet how often actively do something to bolster its Beauty? Yes, we know that is Right to be kind to the downtrodden, and yet how often do we reach out a caring hand to the poor and the homeless in our own communities? Again, this is not some either-or judgment. It’s not like we are either 100% callous or we are 100% not. Rather, the degree to which we reach out and openly Care for others (all others, in all situations) is the degree to which we are Compassionate Beings … and the degree to which we do not, we are not. Indeed, the degree to which we are not, we are suffering –- at least partially — from an addiction to callousness … RECOGNIZING your own ADDICTION to CALLOUSNESS Consider the following questions: *Do you slow down to stare numbly at traffic accidents as you drive by them? *Do you watch tragedies on the nightly news without feeling or showing any emotion? *Do you feel good when hearing of the downfall of a competitor? *Do you rejoice when a star player on a rival sports team gets injured or plays poorly? *Do you celebrate when a politician from a rival party is publicly humiliated? 173
Page 1 and 2:
LICKING the RAZOR’S EDGE Recogniz
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inspired by … & in honor of Todd
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Introduction Over the course of my
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“There are all kinds of addicts
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And yet, if you make sure your ego
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Addiction #01 - Freedom from ALCOHO
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Alcohol -- A Way OUT “I can’t c
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Addiction #02 - Freedom from SMOKIN
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And here is the point that is more
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That means that in only 3 weeks, th
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TIP #10 - TREAT YOURSELF Giving up
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Addiction #03 - Freedom from CAFFEI
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MYTH #05 - Caffeine (specifically c
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*And finally, and by far MOST IMPOR
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Addiction #04 - Freedom from SUGAR
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Sugar -- A Way OUT “Foods high in
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Addiction #05 - Freedom from MEAT
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In addition, even though we have ev
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In addition, these animals are sent
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Effect #05 - Most importantly of al
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*Many known cancer-causing ingredie
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*Also, a study in the Wall Street J
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Addiction #08 - Freedom from SALT
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Addiction #09 - Freedom from GMO’
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TIP #02 … READ your LABELS You mi
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Addiction #10 - Freedom from Glutto
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Maybe you are “walking on eggshel
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Gluttony -- A Way OUT “My doctor
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TIP #07 - REMEMBER THE WHY of your
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Of course, your own level of “hoa
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THE CONSEQUENCES of HOARDING Hoardi
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TIP #02 - PILING IT UP Designate an
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Finally, regardless of how you deal
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Most importantly of all, almost now
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*Casual sex creates a void between
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In everything we do, it is the “w
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TIP #07 - LIMIT YOUR FREQUENCY The
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While the existence of such a dysfu
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THE CONSEQUENCES OF BEING ADDICTED
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*Do you provoke arguments? Do you r
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LOVE ADDICTION: A POWER-FULL SOLUTI
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*According to another study of wome
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While the pages that follow will go
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Start by taking a long and deep loo
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Practical TIP #03 - SEEING THE SELF
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As long as you are attempting to ma
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Practical TIP #06 - The TRUE BEAUTY
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Practical TIP #07 — CHOOSING REVE
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And yet, despite the evidence that
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Comfort -- A Way OUT “It is not t
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Well, my Friends, there is no guara
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And so we log on again … and agai
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In the pages that follow I will des
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*When you feel the urge to log-on
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*Do you analyze, criticize or other
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*TRUTH #03: Vacant TALKING MEANS NO
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The pains of our past are our most
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Addiction #18 - Freedom from TV “
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And yet there are other negative co
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*Watching Television causes a LOSS
Page 121 and 122: *Do you use your TV as a baby-sitte
Page 123 and 124: TIP #03: LIMIT YOUR VIEWING … Onl
Page 125 and 126: Addiction #19 - Freedom from VIDEO
Page 127 and 128: *VIDEO GAMES are SOCIALLY ADDICTIVE
Page 129 and 130: RECOGNIZING YOUR OWN GAMING ADDICTI
Page 131 and 132: Addiction #20 - Freedom from SLOTH
Page 133 and 134: *We are EMOTIONALLY CONDITIONED to
Page 135 and 136: The Power-full Alternative: BUILDIN
Page 137 and 138: TIP #18: BE A “GOOD NEIGHBOR”
Page 139 and 140: The CONSEQUENCES of “PRODUCTIVITY
Page 141 and 142: *Do you regularly feel like you nee
Page 143 and 144: Productivity -- A Way OUT “The qu
Page 145 and 146: Essentially, when we follow this gu
Page 147 and 148: Addiction #22 - Freedom from THINKI
Page 149 and 150: *Do you replay recent conversations
Page 151 and 152: Avoiding COMMON TRAPS & “Fake Sol
Page 153 and 154: Please note that this chapter in no
Page 155 and 156: So, erring on the side of seeing th
Page 157 and 158: We have tried “change from the to
Page 159 and 160: We are told over & over again that
Page 161 and 162: The CONSEQUENCES of SERIOUSNESS The
Page 163 and 164: Saddened by the news? Shrug, sigh a
Page 165 and 166: Addiction #25 - Freedom from NEGATI
Page 167 and 168: *Negativity intensifies what psycho
Page 169 and 170: Because we are more than our “rep
Page 171: *TIP #02: REMAIN in the MOMENT …
Page 175 and 176: The SOURCE of the ADDICTION Almost
Page 177 and 178: *CALLOUSNESS INFLICTS “KARMIC SPL
Page 179 and 180: Tip #02: FORGIVE, FORGIVE, FORGIVE
Page 181 and 182: Addiction #27 - Freedom from ARROGA
Page 183 and 184: *Do you believe that you have a rig
Page 185 and 186: We are arrogant in relation to our
Page 187 and 188: “We can never accurately judge th
Page 189 and 190: TIP #02: DEFEND THE DEFENSELESS …
Page 191 and 192: TIP #04: BE KIND to your CRITICS
Page 193 and 194: TIP #06: LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN …
Page 195 and 196: TIP #08: OPEN the MIND = OPEN the H
Page 197 and 198: BENEFIT #01: ENHANCED AWARENESS OF
Page 199 and 200: Addiction #28 - Freedom from CONFLI
Page 201 and 202: *Do you think that you can alter ot
Page 203 and 204: The CONSEQUENCES of our CONFLICT AD
Page 205 and 206: Conflict -- A Way OUT “Peace is n
Page 207 and 208: Peace-full Way #03: FORGIVENESS CAR
Page 209 and 210: RECOGNIZING YOUR OWN ADDICTION to I
Page 211 and 212: What is especially interesting, at
Page 213 and 214: HARM #02: INFORMATION ADDICTION INS
Page 215 and 216: TIP #01 (& tip “only”): TURN OF
Page 217 and 218: Addiction #30 - Freedom from NORMAL
Page 219 and 220: *Do you get your hair done at a sal
Page 221 and 222: It is only one example among many,
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There are quite a few preachers and
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Addiction #31 - Freedom from RELIGI
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*Do you preach Kindness and moralit
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In essence, the questions that you
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TIP #02: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES … It i
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Addiction #32 - Freedom from ENVY
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*Do you tease others about their ad
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#02) ENVY SOLIDIFIES SADNESS … De
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I don’t have any specific advice
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*After discovering that you have ac
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The CONSEQUENCES of REGRET When lef
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TIP #01: ANONYMOUSLY ATONE … Mere
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In conclusion, then, dealing with r
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And then when things are going well
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RECOGNIZING our ADDICTION to SADNES
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“You can’t keep the birds of sa
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PRACTICAL TIPS for BRINGING the BLI
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And yet, as with every other addict
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*Do you pry into the affairs of oth
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Fear -- A Way OUT Step 01: RELEASE
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Note here that I am not intending t
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Step 03: FORGIVE (the verb) “Hold
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I realize that to judge another per
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Step 05: PROTEST INJUSTICE “For t
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*Instead of marching on the White H
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Consider: It is our fear that gives
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That being said, this thin fog of f
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Even so, many of you are probably q
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Consider the following oft-forgotte
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*So don’t get angry at your ego f
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Indeed, it is time for us to rememb
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It is important to remember - espec
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FREEDOM from addiction IS INSTANTAN
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Step 02) CONSOLE your Ego … Have
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The more often you do so - the more
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Licking the Razor's Edge (2015)

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