WORKAHOLISM

     I'm not sure exactly what drives workaholics, but I have some of it in me. It's a bit of an ego rush and a bit of a frenzy- a sense of being indispensible, and a sense of economic fear. It's one part overwhelm and one part excitement and one part passion and one part foolishness. But being a workaholic is not healthy, not for anyone. It's not balanced and not intelligent. It's extreme behavior that cannot help but collapse us in burnout and injury. And when it does, we lick our wounds and superficially heal our exhaustion and then throw ourselves right back in the fray.
     Perhaps, fundamentally, workaholism is the result of an inability to set boundaries. We have not learned to say no without guilt, so we say yes instead, with reservations perhaps, but yes nonetheless. We take on more and more until we are sunken beneath our load.
     This is our wake-up call. This is our moment. Let's learn how to do less and still be secure in our self-worth. Let's learn to say no when it's too much. If we don't, our lack of boundaries will cause us unlimited suffering on a daily basis, and hardship beyond our wildest dreams.

I do not need to take on more than my share to prove my worth. I can learn to say no with a clear conscience.