How do you stop the "Cravings" ?

Everyone gets cravings.  And it is not just food or drink that we crave.  It can be time with people or a break from work and day-to-day life.  You can crave the opportunity to read books or attend sporting events.  Everyone has some "itch" that they just have to scratch every so often.  And just like fasting can make you crave that food even more than usual, any craving can begin to make a person unravel if left unsatisfied for too long.

Cravings don't have to be bad.  You might crave an afternoon run or the "free time" you will have to watch a favorite show or read a book.  Those are not likely to do any harm to anyone, especially not you personally.  But if the "itch" starts calling you, life as you know it can come to a complete stall until you scratch it.

I have LOTS of cravings, some healthy and others ... not so much.  But one in particular just seems to take over my life if too much time passes between "scratching" that itch.  Don't get all weird and start trying to guess or making up cravings that you think fit the description I'll be providing.  I'm not going to share it with anyone (even though that probably makes it sound weird or inappropriate).  Just live in suspense for a while okay?!

I first experienced this particular craving probably over 20 years ago. (Save yourself the lame math related to my age which puts me in my teenage years at this point ... and keep your minds out of the gutter please!)  And since my first introduction to it, I've been more or less hooked.  I've decided numerous times that succumbing to the craving wasn't "like me" and so I have vowed numerous times to stop partaking in it.  But that "itch" just gets stronger and stronger.  I've gone for extended periods of time without giving in to the urge.  I think maybe the longest was close to six months, which may not seem like much but believe me it was in some ways pure torture.  I have convinced myself that there are other "substitutes" that can take the place of it, but they never seem to fully satisfy the craving.  They might buy me another week or two, but that "craving" voice inside my head just keeps calling me back.

I just can't stop my need for this particular craving.  And that disappoints me greatly.  I am not the strongest person alive (physically, mentally, etc. take your pick).  But I don't think I am so weak that I cannot win the battle against this craving.  It's a matter of personal pride now to prove to myself that I can beat it!  Whether or not it has any bearing on anything related to the grand scheme of things, I simply don't like losing!  I don't like thinking that some primitive craving can have that kind of control over me.  Ever!

So we'll see ... we'll see if I can continue to eliminate this craving.  We'll see if an alternative can be found that eliminates the uncontrollable desire for it.  We'll see what kind of weird ideas you readers come up with as to what "my craving" is (although I can guarantee that no one would ever guess it).  If I was a betting man ... I'd bet on me to beat this thing!

But I'll keep you posted ... :)

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