By Maria Manazza
This article shares Maria Manazza’s personal experience and perspective through Natural Hygiene. It is not medical advice.
I’ve been thinking about willpower for the past few days. The further we are along this journey, the easier it becomes to resist foods or substances that do not serve the body; however, we must be willing to go through the trials and errors first. It can take time to experience the symptom relief that we desire and want so badly, but once we do experience certain symptoms heal or improve, that alone can help to strengthen our willpower.
It seems that the further we go along the path of incorporating our Natural diet in our lives, the more aware we become of all the aspects involved to make it work. It is not always easy. There are plenty of reasons that people find within their minds to go back to their old ways.
In the past, most of us would just eat without much thought about the potential consequences or effects of that food on the body. For most of us, it was the pain and discomfort that caused us to question our diet and to dig deeper. Cause and effect.
I read that the theory is that “willpower” is connected to a limited reserve of mental energy, and once we run out of that energy, we’re more likely to make poor choices. This is why it is so important to pay attention to our energy levels and be able to recognize when we are tired and more likely to make decisions that are not in line with our goals.
I’ve noticed this in my own life. When I am tired or stressed, I am more likely to make poor choices. This is why it is so important to pay attention to all the pillars of health, such as going to bed early, getting plenty of fresh air and sunlight, and doing our best to minimize stress, to name a few.
Most people tend to make less than ideal dietary choices in the evening for a few reasons that are important to recognize so that we can get ahead of them in order to achieve our healthy goals. In the evening, the sun goes down, and for most of us, it’s been a long day. Typically, our willpower is strong in the morning and often during the day, but when the evening rolls in, this is often when we are winding down and allowing ourselves to finally relax.
The thoughts and stresses of the day sit with us, and the people that surround us are happily enjoying their evening meals of the foods that you’re no longer choosing to eat. Yet those foods are still there, and it seems like the choice should be so simple to follow through with, but suddenly your mind is now convincing you that it’s just food and it’s really not such a big deal to eat some of it.
It is in this moment where your willpower is tested, and if you do not remember your whys above all else, you may find yourself reaching for that potato instead of leaving the kitchen because you’re not actually hungry. You’re just looking for that comfort, belonging, acceptance and stimulation.
I got to thinking today: what is willpower? Here are a few explanations.
Willpower is the ability to resist short-term gratification in pursuit of long-term goals or objectives. Willpower is correlated with positive life outcomes.
Willpower is the tool you need to achieve your goals and stay focused on what you want to accomplish. This improves your life satisfaction.
Willpower is a person’s ability to consciously control their behavior.
The meaning of willpower is the ability to control one’s own actions, emotions or urges.
Willpower is defined as the ability to exert self-control and ignore negative impulses.
Self-control: training and control of oneself and one’s conduct, usually for personal improvement.
If we want to succeed in this lifestyle, we must be okay with doing things differently than others. We must be willing to stand out and be okay with that. My willpower comes from the memories of pain and from keeping my “why” in the forefront of my mind. I wrote down why I am choosing to live differently than most people.
I know exactly why I am doing this, and I am okay with what many others would perceive as consequences to this lifestyle, such as not drinking or eating out or enjoying the same foods as everyone else. I speak with so many people who are torn. They want to live in both worlds at the same time, not realizing that the key to success is that they must do what is right for them, and then everything around them will arrange itself accordingly.
When our “why” is strong, this strengthens our willpower. I thought I would share some of my whys to give you an idea of what goes through my mind when my willpower feels low.
- Less reliance on hospitals, dentists and doctors because, although there may be a time and place for these services in certain situations, their treatment-based mindset does not help us to solve our problems. I try to make healthier choices to solve my own issues.
- I know what foods serve my body. I want to eat the foods that serve my body.
- I desire quality of life and a long life. Is taste worth the pain?
- I do not want to experience the long list of symptoms again that once ruled my daily life.
There are many other reasons that I could list, but those are the main reasons that keep me motivated and on track. None of us are perfect. We all have our moments, which seem to come out of nowhere. If you do make a less than ideal choice, do not beat yourself up over it. Just realize that it was not ideal and strive to do better moving forward because it is worth it in the long run to not give in to short-term gratification.
I hope this post has helped you to strengthen your willpower and to arrange your whys in your mind, why you’re doing this, so that the next time you’re tested, it may seem much easier to resist the temptations until that day comes where you no longer view the foods that do not serve your body as temptations at all!
Mariah
