“Aargh!.......that chocolate cake looks really tempting....it’s got to be about a bazillion calories though.....resist! resist!”
Sally was in training for a race coming up next month. She was usually pretty good in watching what she ate, but today she was sitting at a new coffee shop and the cakes there were so good...and so big....She was wrestling with whether to order a piece or not although she knew that she shouldn’t.....she also felt that it was becoming increasingly difficult to resist the call of the chocolate...
We often think that we have to rely on heroic acts of willpower to stop us from doing what we shouldn’t and to get ourselves to do what we should.
As you will have found out for yourself, willpower doesn’t always work and when it fails we usually beat ourselves up - regarding ourselves as a failure and vow to double our efforts the next time....even though the next time is often more of the same time.
This pattern repeats itself in all sorts of situations, whether it’s choosing the right thing to eat, making a financial decision, or whether choosing to procrastinate or not.
Facing a difficult choice?
Help your will power with pen and paper
What if there was a different way to help us to make the correct decision?
And what if that way was something simple that you could try out for yourself right now?
All you need is a piece of paper and a pen. You could use a phone or a tablet, but it’s more powerful if you physically write it down.
List Choices
Whenever you are in the situation where you have to make a willpower decision, whether it’s to eat the chocolate cake or not, or to finish your assignment rather than watch cat videos, write down your choices.
Circle your choice
Circle the choice that you make, then do it.
This simple practice activates your conscious decision-making ability, which when activated will help you to override your unwanted urges.
Simply seeing the two opposing choices in writing will make it easier for you to make the best decision for you in the long-term.
This exercise will help you to accept your thoughts and to control your actions.
Summary
Part of cultivating mindfulness is learning to watch our own thoughts without trying to control or banish them.
So grab a pen and a piece of paper, and try it out now on something that’s on your mind.
