We all have our own, unique difficulties with willpower and self-control, especially after going through the recovery process. What you may find enticing, another individual might find off putting. Regardless of the differences, the difficulties tend to follow a similar trajectory for every one of us. Understanding the power of self-control and your willpower after treatment helps you to avoid relapse and stay focused on what is important in your life.
There is no secret behind willpower and self-control, but it makes all the difference. Willpower and self-control allow for the creation of new habits and the reaching of loftier goals. They both gear you towards battling the differences between your emotions and your logic.
When thinking of something that requires self-control or willpower, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? In most cases, the answer is resisting temptation. However, that is just one aspect of self-control and willpower. When you want to unmask willpower and self-control, you need to remember that saying no is not the only factor to consider. When you face temptation, remembering what you want helps exert your willpower and self-control.
As humans, we are fortunate that our brains can learn different mental skills and develop the ability to implement them into our daily lives. With the right guidance and exercise, the power of will and self-control can strengthen over time.
Our relationship between willpower and self-control distinguishes us from others. Some people may use their heightened sense of self-control and willpower more than others. However, we all have the capacity for self-control and willpower. That being said, not everyone uses it to its full potential.
Those that implement a stronger sense of willpower and self-control tend to be more purpose-driven throughout their lives. In addition, those who have a hold on their self-control can deal with conflict and manage stress better than those who don't. If you want to improve your life, willpower is a good place to start, and adapting your self-control is a fantastic tool while going through recovery.
Willpower and self-control require you to do something difficult, whether it is resisting the temptation or not. We can all do the more difficult thing, but we also need to desire to pursue the more difficult path.
When your willpower and self-control evolve, you gain new skills and see new perspectives. Using these skills helps your mind to enhance your instincts. As a result, you’ll become wiser and stronger in your decision-making process. Evolving your willpower is a powerful tool to address during and after treatment because it helps avoid relapse and teaches you how to believe in yourself.
Boosting up your self-control and willpower is not always about pushing yourself harder. You may have the intention of strengthening your mind, but it’s like a muscle. You need a chance to restore your willpower and self-control from time to time. When you adopt different habits in your life, you can gain stronger willpower and strengthen your self-control. This will make you happier and healthier when pursuing long-term and short-term goals after treatment.
To enhance your willpower and self-control, try utilizing different actionable steps. Below is a list of some you can take.
1. Meditating and Self Recognition: Progressing your self-awareness develops your self-understanding. You can recognize your desires and avoid temptations if you can predict what you are likely to do before a situation occurs. Using the meditation techniques learned in treatment boosts your self-awareness and is an actionable step to preoccupy your mind and your impulses.
2. Exercising Daily and Eating Healthier: Self-control and willpower are closely related to intentions. When you appeal to your self-control and willpower, you fight the logical and emotional parts of your brain. You can choose if you want to have instant gratification or achieve a goal at a later date. Your commitment to exercising daily and eating a healthier diet delivers compounds to improve your overall health.
A smart step to take is to plan your weekly goals so you can avoid impulsive stops. When you schedule your daily exercise in your diet plan for the week, you are more inclined to keep your commitments. Exercising daily and eating healthy improves your self-control and willpower because it works for you on a personal level.
3. Create a Reward System: As you go through the recovery process, you will reach different milestones that deserve a celebration. Your life through recovery was already a hard path, but keeping your commitment day-after-day and month-after-month is a milestone that deserves recognition.
Since your brain favors instant gratification like celebrating small achievements, your willpower and self-control improve and strengthen over time. You could set up a small celebration reward for every milestone you achieve. Celebrating the milestones with others from your support groups will boost your overall self-control and willpower.
Self-control and willpower provide powerful rewards that lead you in the right direction of staying sober. As you go through actionable steps to increase your self-control and willpower, you’re working to decrease the number of harmful decisions.
The actionable steps guarantee you have a way to boost your self-control and willpower for the short-term and long-term goals of healthier living. As your brain develops, the stronger connections of heightened self-control and willpower will react more quickly.
Remember that your focus may not be perfect all the time, but you need to keep practicing. The rewards of self-control and willpower will become a natural part of your life.
At NorthStar Transitions, we incorporate the power of willpower and self-control into our program because we know it’s more effective when the entire person is treated. Maintaining and strengthening your willpower and self-control is an aspect of our overall approach to your health and wellness. As an alumni member, creating a life that is purposeful and connected is crucial. Your willpower and self-control improve with every decision. Taking the time to remember why you chose this path allows your mind to make better decisions and think more clearly. Strengthening your willpower and self-control builds like a muscle and requires endurance and restoration. You can take actionable steps to help boost your willpower and self-control, like exercising, rewarding yourself, and remembering your meditation techniques. Your journey of healing and bettering yourself continues with NorthStar Transitions. If you are struggling or need additional assistance, reach out to us at (303) 558-6400.
