“We must give up many things to which we are addicted, considering them to be good. Otherwise, courage will vanish, which should continually test itself. Greatness of soul will be lost, which can’t stand out unless it disdains as petty what the mob regards as most desirable. —SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 74.12b–13
What we consider to be harmless indulgences can easily become full-blown addictions. We start with coffee in the morning, and soon enough we can’t start the day without it. We check our email because it’s part of our job, and soon enough we feel the phantom buzz of the phone in our pocket every few seconds. Soon enough, these harmless habits are running our lives. The little compulsions and drives we have not only chip away at our freedom and sovereignty, they cloud our clarity. We think we’re in control—but are we really? As one addict put it, addiction is when we’ve “lost the freedom to abstain.” Let us reclaim that freedom. What that addiction is for you can vary: Soda? Drugs? Complaining? Gossip? The Internet? Biting your nails? But you must reclaim the ability to abstain because within it is your clarity and self-control.
Day 4 checking in. Not too bad as I have been PMO for 22 days as of yesterday, but I only joined this challenge 1/7/2022. I decided I wanted to have another crack at improving my mind while persuing NoFAP / no PMO, so I am having another crack at learning Mandarin. I have failed so many times at trying to learn Mandarin, just like PMO, but hey 999999999th time lucky! Seriously though I have set myself Mandarin daily learning targets to keep me busy and away from PMO and YouTube. I want to review / learn 6 language tution videos a day, review 3 from previous day and 3 new videos. This should keep me busy. Oh yes, showers seem to help as well, but not yet ready for the cold type !
Day 3. On mainly carnivore diet as well. Urges have gone way down, but still there. Happy 4th, be well, glad to be a part of this.
First time it was from 24th to 27th then 35th to 40th and 70th to 88th then it became more of a period in a certain day not a long period taking days .... I knew when i woke up on a day and found everything again interesting especially walking . And it isnot always a clean straight line sometimes it fades gradually . [
Thats great man! keep on improving. Good going man. Dont drop your guard around them urges. Keep fighting! Hey you are back, have you calmed down now? I hope you took notes from last time. Good luck. Hey, um didnt you reset the counter? Thanks a lot man, I dont really see these periods, everything seems like, "Meh they are just hear i guess". Lets see what else happens. not letting urges get the upper hand.
Day 3 checking in. Today has been quite difficult and I have been using 110% of my willpower. Habit fights to take back control, so i'll have to show him who's the boss now. I don't want to give up. I'm not going to give up!
Thank you. That’s usually when I fell back in. How long does this phase about take? If you overcome it does it come again like a repeated thing that must be overcome?
Day 4. Doing ok. No obstacles except the aftermath of my last episode. I noticed that for about 5-7 days I am more dull and irritable and feel as if I have a damp cloth hanging on my head. After a few days this usually starts to becoming less and less and more sparkly fresher views keep coming through again and the obstruction becomes less
I m still in flatline friend so i can't say how to move forward, when i do i will share details with you
I think many newcomers have forgotten that you have to start from day 0 in this challenge. Thank you.