30 days hard mode

I’m going hard mode, so far so good. Abstaining from any kind of intentional sexual release. Not counting wet dreams.

For the time being, I’m avoiding shows and movies that have extensive nudity/sexuality.

I meditate every day. I work out. I stay sober from drugs and alcohol. I try to help others and be of service. I try to be a good friend, son, brother, uncle, and employee. I try to do the next right thing. I try to not harm and I try to be helpful and kind. I also try to practice patience and good humor. I can’t do this alone and so it’s good to have support and encouragement on this path.

I try to take it one day, one moment at a time. It truly helps to think of it that way.

The biggest benefit is the self-respect that comes from abstaining from pmo.

Good luck everyone

 

Compared to binging on porn and feeling like shit, and then swearing it off and then doing it again and feeling like shit again, and then swearing it off again and then doing it again and feeling like worse shit and being pulled around by and being a slave to my lust and losing self respect and losing self confidence?....yep, it’s worth it

 

Thanks

 

Thanks my friend!

 

Hey thanks man! I’ve had other streaks that are longer and so I know the benefits that come if I go about things in the right way. The biggest are self respect, self confidence, lack of remorse, increased energy, enhanced ability to deal with difficult situations, greater equanimity, better meditation, more interest in taking care of myself, greater ability to be helpful to others....I have to be careful, though, and watch out for complacency, and to keep in mind that intense urges can come up at any time. And to try to be kind and open minded and tolerant, because sometime I can get judgmental. So, hope that helps a bit and good luck!

 

Hey there my friend. I went a little over two years hard mode from 2014 to 2016. For a year and a half it was really solid, and then at some point I started occasionally waking up, and half asleep, I’d edge a bit. It was always brief and I didn’t consider it a reset or relapse, or break of celibacy, since it was always while half asleep and I would catch myself. But complacency started to creep in, the determination started to weaken a bit. Eventually I mo’d again, and then eventually started to look at a non nude site that had sexy pictures, and it’s been mostly that, but I’ve gotten into some porn videos and that’s where the addiction and feeling like shit has manifested. Years ago I watched quite a bit of porn, but gradually grew away from it after getting sober and starting to practice meditation, and off and on would practice total celibacy. But pmo it has a way of creeping back in. That experience showed me that this habit of acting on sexual energy is very strong, extremely strong and patient. It will wait! Ive heard of someone who was a monk for over forty years and at age 61 decided to disrobe, I’m pretty sure mainly because of sexual desire. Shocking in many ways, but I totally get it. I’m trying to get back to that point of getting happiness from meditation, exercise, and other positive habits, and to let go of seeking happiness through pmo. Might eventually get in relationship, but I’m planning to test the waters of being a Buddhist monk first, likey within a few years. If I decide being a monk is not for me, I might get married or in relationship, but we’ll see. Anyway, I think it’s all about staying vigilant and being honest with ourselves about what is good for us, and what causes stress and difficulty and avoiding that. Easier said than done though!