You're Addicted to You: Why It's So Hard to Change - And What You Can Do about It (BK Life)

185 Pages·2007·1.22 MB·English

by  Noah Blumenthal

You’re Addicted to You
Praise for
“Through examples that will have you nodding your head as you
recognize yourself, You’re Addicted to You shines a light on common
self-addictions and helps you identify your own. Blumenthal’s
realistic, systems approach for tackling personal and professional
change can help you get started on a new quest or sustain changes
already underway.”
—Tammy J. Winnie, Director,
Global Organization Effectiveness, Kellogg Company
“My life’s work has been helping people overcome self-reinforcing
and self-defeating behaviors. Noah Blumenthal understands how
to do this and after reading this book you will too.”
—James O. Prochaska, PhD, author of Changing for Good
“In this engaging and informed guide to enhancing self-awareness
and personal growth, Noah Blumenthal helps us to find effective
pathways to change. You will recognize many people in his exam-
ples, most importantly, yourself. And you’ll start to apply what you
learn before day’s end. Blumenthal will get you going. Beyond that,
as he makes clear, anything is possible . . . it’s up to you.”
— Joseph G. Cunningham, PhD,
Professor of Psychology, Brandeis University
“With all the attention our culture invests in advice for every kind
of personal change—from weight loss to leadership style—it’s
striking how little genuine wisdom we have for how to change
once we’ve identified what to change. In You’re Addicted to You,
Noah Blumenthal offers concrete, effective strategies for finding
traction to change where change has eluded you before.”
— Keith Allred, Faculty Member, Kennedy School of
Government, Harvard University and
Founder, TheCommonInterest.org
“Noah Blumenthal has created a simple, yet powerful means for
effecting personal change. In an era where everything is supposed
to be quicker and more automated, it is refreshing to find an ap-
proach that both honors the struggle we all face and acknowledges
the time needed to make real, lasting changes to our behavior.”
— Ethan Schutz, President, Business Consultants Network
“Noah Blumenthal has crafted a book for self-improvement that
seems to have been personally written for each of its readers. It is
an excellent guide toward the achievement of a happy life and the
rediscovery of the divinity that resides in all of us. I am excited for
the life-affirming opportunities that this approach can bring to my
work and to my home.”
— Rabbi Mark Covitz, Congregation Beth Yam,
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
“Anyone who has tried to change knows how difficult it can be.
Noah Blumenthal provides not only a voice of encouragement and
optimism, but provides concrete tools we can use immediately to
transform the lead of present circumstances into future gold.”
— Karlin Sloan, CEO, Karlin Sloan & Company
“You’re Addicted to You addresses a problem familiar to the diverse
worlds of health psychology, organizational change, and individu-
al counseling: how does one facilitate real behavior change, change
which endures for more than a very brief time? Noah presents
the possibility of change using straightforward language, helpful
examples, assessment tools, and homework.”
— Kathleen M. Schiaffino, PhD,
Associate Professor of Psychology, Fordham University
You’re
A d
ddicte
to YOU
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You’re
Addi t d
TO YOU
Why It’s So
Hard to Change—and
What You Can
Do About It
Noah Blumenthal
BK
BERRETT -KOEHLER PUBLISHERS, INC.
San Francisco
a BK Life book
You’re Addicted to You
Copyright © 2007 by Noah Blumenthal
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or trans-
mitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other elec-
tronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other
noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the
publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, California 94104-2916
Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]
BK
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Cataloging-in-Publication Data are available from the Library of Congress.
First Edition
Paperback print edition ISBN 978-1-57675-427-6
PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-57675-525-9
2007-1
Text design by Detta Penna.
To my wife Beatrice,
who has supported me
and believed in me
and helped me find my laughter.
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Contents
Preface ix
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction:UnderstandingSelf-Addiction 1
PartI: RaisingAwareness 19
Step 1: Identify Your Self-Addictions 21
Step 2: Realize the Consequences 35
Step 3: Make Powerful Commitments 45
PartII: BuildingSupport 63
Step 4: Find Help 65
Step 5: Invite Support 81
Step 6: Maintain Effective Support 91
PartIII: TakingAction 103
Step 7: Prepare Yourself 105
Step 8: Act in the Moment 119
Step 9: Assess Your Progress 133
Conclusion: MovingOnward 145
RecommendedReading 153
ResourcesforTraditionalAddictions 155
Index 157
AbouttheAuthor 164