I do share these same thoughts now...now that you brought them up! lol. I don't think of it too much, but every now and again I will. Like when I want to help my 16 year old daughter with her life. I'm actually starting to involve the 12 Steps when I try to teach her about life on life's terms.

Balance is a must in my life for sure...when I obsess over Anything, good or bad, it still throws me off balance. Like the scales are tipped. (I'm a Libra, so I'm picturing those scales) (o;

Good thread. Though provoking. Something that is Really helping me today...finding the balance.

So we shouldn't
make goals and
cultivate and enhance
the natural talents and gifts
that we each individually have
to further
better the world
and ourselves?
and if we do this is
an unhealthy
culture-killing
spiritually nullifying
obsession?

Yeah Heep, exactly what I said! Good pick up , I'm a culture killer!!
Good grief!
Goals and talents are great but not to the exclusion of a life, especially for us.

before I found sobriety I never gave balance a thought. I thought I was Superwoman and just keep going (fuelled by alcohol) i continually tried to prove myself. What a relief when I found out that I didnt have to do that any more. balance in my sober life is a MUST. I can honestly say I have learnt to say no, if I feel that I am pushing myself to the limit. Good topic and so important.

Good point about saying no. I recently turned down a time consuming office in a local organization I'm part of because I felt it would spread me too thin and none of what I was involved with would get the attention it deserved. But it was still tough to do.

I am not a big beliver in balance in life. Every successful person I have read about was obsessed with reaching a goal. Edison said he had documented over 1,000 ways to make a light bulb that did not work. The Wright brothers obsessed about making something heavier than air fly under its own power. Henry David Thoreau obsessed about living a simple life.

I obsessed about finding ways to keep drinking. In order to get sober, I needed to obsess about soberiety. In my list of things to do, soberiety the AA was is still at the top, even though I have not had a drink for 23 years.

I cannot think of anyone who led a well balanced life who did anything worthwhile for humankind.

I have to disagree Crusty. I think many balanced people of today have a huge influence on peoples lives without obsessing. Just because you don't get coka cola in the bubblers or win a million bucks in your chosen sport dosn't mean you do not do anything worthwhile for humankind.

I've had people here influence my life beyond what words could describe. And I see Mums and Dads volunteering their time down the local sports clubs, and that makes a difference not just in their own kids lives, but selflessly to other kids as well.

When I read this post, I thought of how much my life races, and how much I try to shove in everything I can. Almost going from one addiction to another in obsessing. I also need to understand it's okay to say no sometimes. Make more time for myself to pray, meditate and rest. If not, my physical, spiritual and mental will suffer. Like Karen said, it is a must in my life too. Coogee xxx

Crusty , you never hear about those that obsessed and lost, the Edison's who's light bulb never came.
But everyday in middle America and other countries too, people go to work, participate in their hobbies, help their neighbors and communities all while paying the countries bills and raising the next generation. Kinda worthwhile for human kind, no?

To me obsess means to be preoccupied. One of the issues Bill W. claimed many of us have is our natural instincts run wild. Obsession can be abnormally high.

Many people do some very good things without needing to obsess about them.

I think Bill W. and Dr. Bob could have been classified as obsessing about making AA work. I am thankful they did not lead a balanced life.

Sometimes many of us are torn between two high priority items. For instance, do I go to an AA meeting to be with a sponsee who needs help, or do I choose to forget about the sponsee and go to my son's little league game?

Do I go to a meeting or do I stay home because my husband does not want me to go to my meeting?

Faced with those kinds of questions those who are somewhat obsessive about staying sober may prevail over those who want to get sober while keeping their life in balance.

I believe I have an addictive personality, and if I do not maintain a level of spiritual fitness and emotional well-being, I will act out compulsively. Any kind of compulsivity/addictive acting out is a form of emotional relapse and I have to take it seriously because it can affect my mental and physical health...and if not checked, can lead to physical relapse.

I have passions in my life that I pursue with gusto, but I don't consider that to be unhealthy. I listen to my inner voice now and try to do the things I think I was put on this planet to fulfil...like writing my novel. I don't want to regret anything as I lie on my death bed, hopefully many years down the road. I've done with regrets and shame. My addiction robbed me of so much...but no more. Today, I am free of it.