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Resist Temptation

Techniques > Willpower > Resist Temptation

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

There are many things we are tempted to do or have fallen into a habit of doing. Here are some exercises that could benefit you greatly if you want to resist temptation:

• Refuse cigarettes or drinks when you are offered them by friends. Still refuse when they say 'go on!' (this is because if you say yes they will feel less guilty about partaking).
• Walk around a supermarket and look at the things you really like but which are not good for you, but do not buy them. Pick them up and put them down then walk away feeling righteous.
• Decide the maximum time you will spend each day watching TV, browsing online or playing games. Then stick to this. Do not 'carry over' from the day before and never 'borrow time from tomorrow'.
• Walk by hamburger stands or ice-cream stalls. Smell the smells and keep walking. Just think about saving money and how much healthier you will be.

Example

A parent easily gets angry with their children and knows it is wrong. They deliberately bite their tongue or walk away when they feel they are getting angry. After a while of doing this, they feel more in control.

The internet is such an easy place to buy things and a buyer keeps acquiring things that are not needed. They then deliberately start looking at things on the web but with a promise to tell their partner how much they actually spend. This helps them look at a lot and spend much less.

Discussion

There are so many things to tempt us in the world today. Not only are their natural urges, there are also retailers all around us, advertising and pressuring us into buying.

Resisting temptation is an easy and available method by which we can learn to increase our willpower, just by saying 'no' and not giving in to that tingling feeling we get just as we reach for the credit card. Remember to start small with this -- you do not want to become tempted and then give in to the temptation.

If you want more help in resisting temptation, another way is to get rid of the credit cards and live on cash only. This is difficult in the modern day, but at least it will reduce temptation!

See also

Addiction, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality

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