27-09-2023
Ep. 81 - Overcoming Addiction, How We All Seek Pleasure and Avoid Pain, and The Road to Self-Mastery with Mike Diamond
Have you ever found yourself stuck in a cycle of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain? Let's be honest, we all have our vices and, in a sense, we're all addicts. This week, we sit down with Mike Diamond, an interventionist and author who shook things up by challenging us to reframe our perception of addiction. From the search for new highs to the aversion of lows, we uncovered the universal human struggle, reflecting on Buddha's principle of balance as a potential path to love and enlightenment. Mike joins Ruben to crack open the concept of mastery, taking a hard look at how sitting in silence, acknowledging our weaknesses and committing to daily progress are key to achieving it. We challenged the notion of 'average' and explored the power of unconscious competence - the point when your skill becomes a deeply ingrained habit. Lastly, we turned our hearts to empathy, compassion, and the art of meeting people where they are - labels, definitions and all. Drawing inspiration from Robert Downey Jr's transformative journey, we dove into the importance of reframing our past experiences to better our present relationships. We even dissected the dangers of toxic positivity, the power of micro-wins, and the impact of our past experiences on our current relationships. So, if you're ready for a conversation full of love, vulnerability, and enlightenment, tune in. How does Mike live through love? “You can't give love if you don't love yourself. So I always work on myself, first take responsibility for how I choose to think, how I choose to feel and how I choose to act, and then I make sure I come in a critic and I'm kind to myself. And by being kind to myself, and you know being being a good person, then I can put love out into the world.” "The purpose of this experience is to find out your purpose, to be of value to people that helps them reach their potential… To find peace, love and be better to people." - Mike Diamond ----- In this episode, you will learn… The concept of addiction extends beyond substances: This episode explores how we are all addicts in our pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain, understanding this perspective helps to break the stigma around addiction and allows us to understand it as a universal human experience.The importance of self-reflection and mastery: The episode discusses the need to embrace our weaknesses, face discomfort, and invest in self-improvement continuously.Reframing trauma can be transformative: The episode explores how we can change our perspective on traumatic experiences, allowing us to heal and move forward.Empathy and kindness are vital in overcoming challenges: This episode underscores the significance of empathy and kindness in helping ourselves and others overcome struggles.The dangers of toxic positivity: The episode discusses the concept of toxic positivity and how it can impede personal growth and development. ----- "I believe we're all addicts because we're all searching for pleasure and avoiding pain.” - Mike Diamond About the guest: Mike Diamond is a TV personality, director, life coach, and author of the book “A Dose of Positivity”. Follow Mike @themike_diamond ----- Follow Ruben on Instagram Watch and subscribe to Live Through Love on YouTube An Operation Podcast original in collaboration with Live Through Love Media