When more is a good thing… and when it isn’t
Many of you will remember the story of Augustus Gloop.
He's just a side character in Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but he’s fascinating.
Who is Augustus Gloop?
What makes Augustus Gloop so intriguing is his insatiable hunger.
Augustus loves food.
Chronically overweight, Augustus loves food so much he gets busy stuffing his face in every possible moment. He's not happy unless there's something in his mouth, or on its way to his mouth.
Chocolate, sausages, pies… you name it, Augustus will gobble it up, leaving crumbs, sauce and stains in his wake.
It’s never enough. More. More. MORE!
The Cult of More
It’s fair to say that Augustus Gloop has platinum status with the Cult of More.
We all subscribe to the Cult of More, by the way. We may not have platinum status like Augustus, but we’re all members.
Because we all want more of something: more money, success, travel, food, alcohol, courses, growth, dresses, diamonds, Botox, gadgets. More adoration, more likes, more attention.
We all have that thing we believe will fill the emptiness if we just have more of it. We all have that thing we believe will get us ‘there’… wherever ‘there’ is.
We are human, and wanting is a natural part of being human.
The two types of want
As I was reminded recently, there are two very different energies of wanting.
There’s the energy of wanting in order to fill the seemingly bottomless void of pain, hurt, anger, sorrow, neglect. It’s the insatiable hunger for external validation. No amount of ‘more’ can ever fill that hole – except, that is, more love.
And then there’s the energy of yearning. It’s that feeling of longing that has probably been there a while. It’s like an underground river you can hear but not quite see.
This is the soul calling. It’s your inner wise one saying: I can hold more. I am capable of more. I deserve more.
How to tell the difference between wanting and yearning
There is a big difference between the grabbing energy of more and the yearning for more. But it can be hard to tell which one is which in the moment.
A simple way to discern is to stop before you reach for something. Pause for a moment. Close your eyes if it helps. Take a deep breath.
Ask yourself: Do I really want this?
Why do I want this?
The answer may not come in words. It may come in feelings. And often, what it wants is not complicated. It's actually ever so simple.
But it’s there. Can you hear it?