3 Great Ways To Stay Motivated At Work

4 Steps to Teaching Your Family to Treat You Better

Various Speed Reading Techniques

The Top 10 Time Termites and How to Exterminate Them

How to Motivate Yourself by Contacting a Long Lost Friend

I bet you are wondering about the thread here, huh? Quite frankly, now that I have written it, I am feeling a bit stretched to connect the dots in this title, but here I go...

I have a theory about Life: We are all born as donuts. Our purpose in life is to find our donut hole. The space of the donut hole is symbolic of our own personal and unique life purpose...our Calling. When we find this purpose and live it, we feel whole and complete.

However, there are also the deceptive dynamics of addiction that also can fill the donut hole. There are the more obvious addictive behaviors such as alcohol and drugs, but also the more subtle (and often socially encouraged) addictions such as compulsive spending, relationships, work, sex, food and exercise.

At first, these addictive activities do not seem to be addictive at all. In fact, they often seem to be quite fulfilling and enjoyable. However, addiction always grows bigger and bigger, and begins to eat away at the "donut"...your life! If it goes on untreated, then in the end there nothing but a huge donut hole left...total loss and despair.

However, there is hope. The first step is to be aware, and then you can set-up an "anti-addiction self intervention" program. The three steps that are necessary for such a program are to uncover, recover, and discover:

Uncover - Addiction is like mold in that grows and festers in the dark. However, its power is diminished when it is brought into "the light". Create a powerful support network for yourself that you can check-in with on a regular basis. Ask them to help you stay accountable with any addictive tendencies. Always uncover those dynamic that the addictive force wants to deny and minimize. In other words, commit to "tell on yourself" on a regular basis.

Recover - Reclaim what has been lost or displaced. Define, or re-define, your values, your purpose, your vision, and your goals. Get clear about the boundaries you need to keep away from addictive triggers. Know your addiction early-warning signs and indicators.

Discover - Design and live your life from the present to the future. Create an exciting life plan that stretches you into new, unknown territory. Discover the "Land of Possibility"; those totally new and different people, places, and activities. Create an extensive list of "top-line" indicators; those positive influences that are furthest away from addictive energy. Okay, there you have it: Donuts, Addiction, and The Meaning of Life. Let me know what you think. In the meantime...

Ken Donaldson

Ken Donaldson, the REALationship Coach, has been based in Tampa Bay, Florida offering counseling, coaching, and educational programs since 1987. He is a licensed mental health counselor; board certified as an addictions professional and clinical hypnotherapist; and certified as a master relationship coach. Ken is a graduate of the University of South Florida, the Institute for Life Coach Training and the Relationship Coaching Institute. He has been exclusively in private practice since 1993.

Ken is the author of the new breakthrough life and relationship success book Marry YourSelf First! Saying ?I Do? to a Life of Passion, Power and Purpose. The material in this book is a result of Donaldson?s 15+ years of clinical counseling and coaching with thousands of individuals and couples. In this book, he reveals what he has discovered as the 20 core Principles of Passion, Power and Purpose. When these principles are applied to your life you can overcome self-limiting patterns and create abundant happiness, fulfillment and success in your life and relationships.

Donaldson?s primary message from this book is to ?Master Your Life and Your Relationships!? Purchasers of this book are eligible for free coaching and educational programs to support and promote optimal growth and success.

Ken founded the REALationship Coaching programs empower people to have more successful lives, businesses and relationships by building a powerful relationship with themselves first.

Included are the monthly Saturday Series workshops and the REAL Talk Forums. These programs are for couples and individuals alike, and help the participants live the most passionate and balanced lives possible.

He also facilitates the Marry YourSelf First program that assists singles to have more successful relationships and more satisfying lives. The graduates of this program leave with a clear vision of who they are, what they want, and how to get it.

In addition, he offers the Partners for Life programs for both pre-committed and committed couples that provide the tools and resources to help couples create relationships that are both lasting and fulfilling. Couples report that they have deeper intimacy and more fun as a result of utilizing the tools from these programs.

Ken also offers education and training programs for businesses and community organizations on a variety of personal growth and business improvement topics.