Impulse Control

Long before Thanksgiving, long before any particular feasting, I've known that I consistently give my body exactly what it wants, exactly when I want it..  My advice for today, particularly for myself since no one really reads this yet, is to observe what I am calling "Impulse Control."  Often times, I hear other people talk about something called self-control, but to me, words like that seem kind of vague.  Like, you can try to be self-controlled, but if you don't know why or what it truly means to be self-controlled, then you aren't doing it efficiently.

So my definition has been formed based on my newly discovered habit of stress-eating.  Or in the Biblical sense, what my understanding of gluttony is.  I am far away from home, struggling to find a decent job, or even the desire to find one.  I have a considerable amount of money in the bank and a whole lot of free time.  My greatest enjoyment right now is eating, but at a very heavy cost to my health.  I am gifted with a high metabolism, which is super easy to take advantage of.  But after being on a vegetarian diet, then switching to one of processed foods and protein, I have immediately felt the effects.  Moodiness, bloating, gassy, depressed, and overall much more insecure and nervous.  Such is a common problem with me (except for the gas and bloating) so I know there is more to my problem than just who I am naturally.

Through my life, I've come to find that my idea of self-control is incomplete, that's where the concept of impulse control has been helpful.  It's more like a subcategory, but it is definitely what I have found to be missing.  I'm probably missing a lot more too, it's just helpful now to have a concept to work on and practice to help me move closer to my goal.  These impulses that need controlling are basically just primitive desires that I have gotten into the habit of satisfying instantaneously, the second I see a bagel, I want it, I eat it... I regret it. Mostly because I had three bowls of cereal beforehand.  Impulses are just that, an unnecessary desire that pops into your brain because you think it can satisfy you, how often does it though?  For me, it's usually the first time- like a tease, I enjoy it very much, and then no other time compares to the same satisfaction.

So controlling a few factors have been on my wish list for this month.  My goal is to not have junkie stuff around, to plan my entire meal at least the day before, and even when one of these impulses come up, I just have to recognize what it is, an unnecessary desire, aimed to satisfy my weak heart rather than tend to it's needs.  So those are a few things that came naturally to me when I saw what I needed to do.  Thanks for reading! I hope this thought helps :)