Many of you have asked how to succeed with something like the Neera Natural Plan when your willpower is so weak. It's no wonder--we are bombarded with temptations everywhere we turn in today's lifestyle. With computers, smartphones, the availability of entertainment and plentiful food, and the abundant lifestyle we see displayed in the lives of the rich and famous, no wonder it's hard not to be tempted in directions that aren't helpful to us!
But there is some evidence that resisting desire and the ability to learn to curb our temptations can be the key to success in life.
In the 1960s, an interesting study was done by a Stanford University psychologist, Dr. Walter Mischel. He tested a group a preschoolers on their ability to resist the temptation to eat marshmallows. Decades later, Dr. Mischel tracked down the same group, now grown adults. He found that those who had demonstrated self-control and had waited to eat their marshmallows grew into adults who earned higher salaries, had better relationships, higher self esteem, were less prone to be addicts, and were in better physical shape than their preschool classmates who couldn't wait to eat the treat.
Willpower isn't just denying pleasure; it's actually demonstrating the strength to keep going in the face of challenges. It's primarily about self-control--controlling emotions, doing the right thing, and resisting the temptations that come into our lives regularly.
Developing good habits is the key to this kind of willpower. Studies have shown that people who expend their "willpower reserves" by establishing positive habits don't have to use large amounts of willpower to control their day-to-day behavior. Once good habits are established, the habit itself will do the work for you.
How can you establish good habits and, therefore, good willpower?
1. Make the tasks you don't like easier to accomplish by breaking them up into smaller parts and making them part of your daily routine. Very few of us have to use willpower to brush our teeth, because it's a habit we've become used to including in our day. If you spend 15 minutes straightening up your house at the end of the day, you won't have to spend hours cleaning it later. Putting away the laundry right away keeps it from getting wrinkled and you won't have to iron as much. Spending a few minutes planning your menu for the week makes the grocery store a much smoother task, and keeps you from making emotional purchases. (It also saves money!)
2. Keep temptations out of sight and out of reach. You won't eat a whole package of cookies if you don't BUY a whole package of cookies! If you want to stop drinking, don't walk through the wine aisle at the supermarket or drive past your favorite bar on the way home from work, and it will be easier to resist.
3. Make precommitments. If you arrange for a portion of your paycheck to be automatically deposited in an investment account, you won't be tempted to spend that money. If you agree to a regular exercise program with a friend, you'll be less likely to make excuses. If you decide to go to bed at a reasonable hour each night, you'll feel better and your willpower will be stronger.
4. Make plans for how you'll handle temptations BEFORE they come up. If you're cutting back on sweets and going to a party, decide ahead of time that you will only eat vegetables at the party. Figure out a way to make temptations less tempting. I had a friend who kept a pepper shaker nearby whenever she was eating dessert. She took one or two bites, so that she could enjoy the flavor of the dessert, and then sprinkled it with enormous amounts of pepper to keep her from eating the REST of it. Examine why you're doing something that isn't good for you and deal with the problem rather than giving into temptation.
--Terri
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