The Lack of Theory
Nadja Ravens is a Swedish author and director known for Blacksmith of Happiness. She is an expert when it comes to mental health issues, especially addiction and eating disorders. She is the founder of Unlocked Artist, an empowering program for female artists, dreamers, and visionaries to fulfill their dreams and unlock their potential.
Addiction is often born from the illusion of "lack." A lack of love, safety, control, or worth leads people to desperately fill the void with substances, distractions, or anything that promises to ease the emptiness. But the real shift happens when we move from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance. It’s a challenging journey, especially when life feels like it’s falling apart. Yet, it’s in this very shift that true healing begins by surrendering, trusting, and letting go of control.
Every addict is living in the illusion of a 'lack of'
Lack of love.
Lack of safety.
Lack of control.
Lack of worth.
And so they desperately try to fill the void with substances and distractions. And when the drugs stop working, they move on to food, relationships, the pursuit of fame, or anything else that promises to make the emptiness go away.
But when you shift into a mindset of abundance, the illusion of lack begins to fade. It might feel like a twisted mind game, especially when your bank account is screaming empty or your life feels like it’s falling apart.
But it works. And why does it work?
Because it calms the nervous system, and when your nervous system is calm, you begin to make healthier, more aligned choices in work, in love, in family, and in life.
But when you live in a state of lack, you chase.
You grasp. You look for quick fixes.
And those fixes only leave you more exhausted, more drained, more disconnected.
The chase needs to stop
In every recovery program, you hear the phrase:
"Let go and let God."
It’s another way of saying: Surrender. Trust.
Hand it over to something greater than the ego, the part of you that keeps trying to fix everything on its own.
You can’t heal a broken mind with the same broken mindset. You have to replace it with something else. Something rooted in trust. In stillness. In truth.
Living in abundance, joy, and peace can feel terrifying if you’ve lived your whole life in scarcity. If all you’ve ever known is lack of, then having might feel unsafe.
But the truth is, it works.
It works when you choose to surrender. It works when you let go.
As I write this, I’m in the final stages of shaping my book, 'The Lack of Theory.' What began as a deeply personal project is now evolving into something I hope will speak to others, too. I’ve changed my mind about self-publishing. Instead, I’ve decided to send it to an editor, trusting that this story, this truth, might reach more homes, more hearts, and more people who need it. It’s scary to let go of control. But it’s also a form of abundance. A quiet trust in something greater.
Read more from Nadja Ravens
Nadja Ravens, Director, Author, Actress & Business Coach
Nadja Ravens is an expert and a voice for any female artist, dreamer, and visionary who wants to unlock their potential and grow a business from their dreams. She overcame addiction and now wants to help others find their own power within. As her film production company, Black Ravens Studio's slogan goes, she lives by the motto "Rage more. Dare more. Create more." The sky is the limit!
