Obsessed
What does feeling Obsessed look like? To me, it looks like a busy, busy bee. The bee focuses on one thing – gathering pollen to make honey. The bee gathers pollen from one flower and immediately moves to the next one. It is a compulsive behavior backed by a powerful force. A preoccupation with something distracts you from other things.
When you feel Obsessed, where do you feel it in your body? I feel knots in my belly and my head fills with unreasonable chatter, telling me nothing else matters. It is an out-of-control feeling that prevents goodness from flowing in. It is one thing to feel focused (attentive), and quite another to feel obsessed (out of control).
Obsession is a tricky emotion that builds unnecessary walls around me. I hear my friend say “It’s okay” in my mind’s ear, and that keeps the walls at bay. The trick for me is to remember to hear it! It’s okay!
With all this dialogue about obsession, what on earth is its function? One function is producing a blinding focus. Sure, a blinding focus can support you if you’re rushing to reach a deadline. But when that focus turns into a compulsive focus, it is destructive. Being mindful of my obsession, granting it a name, and recognizing it makes it less powerful. When it feels heard and recognized, it can transform into something more useful for me. (I can also send my obsession to count all the seashells on all the seashores. It gives it something to do!)
When do you feel obsessed? Imagine what it looks like. How does it feel? What is its function? If obsession has a gift, what is its blessing?
Being alive means we have feelings…
If you would like to explore more feelings in the Stayin’ in Touch book, click here for more information.
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