We all find ways to distract ourselves. I know I do. Work is a good way to do it, so is staying busy, or drinking, or sex. What is it that we’re trying to distract ourselves from? Is it ourselves, anxiety, mortality – what?
For me I think it is all of these and probably more. Anxiety, feelings of inadequacy or not accomplishing enough, not being good enough, a sense that at some point in the distant future everything now will exist only as a memory, or not exist at all.
It can be hard to tease out motivations. I give myself more to do than I can handle, partly because I’m interested in a lot of stuff, and partly because I can’t stand the fact that I won’t be able to do everything. Is that bad or good or neither? I don’t know.
We distract ourselves because it’s easier than accepting that things are what they are, and that we have problems and fears and doubts . . . that all of this is the price we pay for being alive.
Maybe we can drop the distractions, and let ourselves focus on what really matters, no matter how scary that might be.
Anyway that’s where I’m at. I hope you find it helpful.