LoTaturu wrote on 15 Aug 2017 14:59:
bb0212 wrote on 15 Aug 2017 03:44:
You wrote that it's getting more difficult for you. What's the biggest struggle for you? How effective is your chart?
The chart is actually what saved me a couple of nights ago. I printed it out and hung it up by my computer and my mind started to wander, I was having the strongest urges since I started really trying to go clean, but I saw my chart and realized how bad I would feel if I gave up my streak of 7 days just for the desire in the moment.
I think what's challenging for me is that I don't feel like I am accomplishing. I'm now clean for Shmiras Einayim and Shmiras Habrit for longer than any time in the past few years, but it doesn't give me some esoteric elevated feeling...It doesn't feel like I'm winning any wars, it just feels like I'm barely fending off the enemy. I feel neutral, not elevated. Does that make sense? Even a couple of nights ago when I was really desiring it and fought the urge, it didn't feel like a victory so much as a compromise.
You're writing great stuff there! Perhaps the longer you're clean, the better you'll feel, perhaps not. Do you want to be clean so that you feel good about yourself, or is there another reason?
What you wrote about not getting an esoteric elevated feeling, the thing is, the feeling of success might be somewhat intangible, as opposed to when one falls, there's a physical sensation in his body that he can associate with failure. Did that make sense?
For me, I haven't been mz"l for 1/2 year, I don't necessarily connect to any elevated feelings, but when I look back, I remember how I felt disconnected from God when I was mz"l and I don't have that feeling now.