"Will Power"has been on my mind lately. What are the "will power struggles"we face each day? Why are some days hard to have a strong will power and other days its much easier? People tell me I have a strong will power but what does that mean, really?
I have done a little personal study about "will power" and this is what I have come to understand on my own. I believe in the importance of learning a principle, putting it into action and sharing it with others and that is what my blog is for.
6:00 a.m. Alarm goes off.
One side of my mind says, "Time to get up"
The other side says, "Oh man!! It is so cold, I can lay here a little longer.... I've still got time"
The battle continues inside my mind for a while longer.
DING, DING, DING!! First Will Power struggle of the day! Which of my 2 minds will win? The mind that knows I have many things to do and I will feel better to get an early start or the mind that can only see the present moment and would rather stay in bed?
I started paying attention to the struggles I faced throughout the day. There are constant battles going on in my 2 minds. I have one side that is mindful about what I "should be" doing and what will have better long-term effects and I have the other side that lives in the present and is motivated by what I want now.
I think it comes down to this: being true to our inner self and doing what we know we should be doing!!1 I have more peace, happiness and fulfillment in life when I am true to the side of my mind that knows what I "should do" to become the person I know Heavenly Father wants me to be.
There are some things that I do to increase my "will power" daily:
1. Get at least 7 hours of sleep at night.
2. Daily quiet time to connect with my spiritual being. I read the scriptures, pray, ponder, listen/read talks from the living prophets, set goals or listen to peaceful music. I try to listen to the message from Heavenly Father that is whispered in my mind or heart that day- this becomes my "to do list" for the day.
3. Exercise my body and rejoice that I am strong, healthy and my body can MOVE!! This is my way of expressing gratitude for my physical body I am blessed with.
4. Eat healthy food that keeps a balance of nutrition and blood sugar levels. Following our inner mind that we eat what we know we should and avoid what we know is bad, can bring great happiness and health. When our body is fueled right, our spirit also feels right.
When I look back at myself 25 years ago, I had some hopes and aspirations I hoped to reach when I hit the 40's. I wanted to feel happy, be healthy, serve my community and church and enjoy life. These are things that I can control, no matter the circumstances and today I am reaping those REWARDS!! My life-long choices of eating healthy, having an active lifestyle, serving in positions that have come my way, all contribute to the person I am and who I am becoming.
Who do you want to be in 25 years from now? Join me in the "I Will Power" to strive for your best self. Nephi in the Book of Mormon has always been my hero.., "I Will Go and Do".
Hi Becky. I'm wondering if you could give some examples (like the three you gave in your previous post) of some snacks you like to eat every 2-3 hours during the day. I'm almost to my goal weight (hooray!), and I'm scared to death to transition over to "normal" food. I know I should keep them to 100 calories, but am just curious what your favorite combinations are that are low-glycemic, yet high protein. Any suggestions will be so helpful. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes Amy, I have some ideas for healthy snacks or fuelings throughout the day. There is also a list on pg 120-121 of Habits of Health book. Here are some ideas from a list I created: 1/2 cup berries with 1/2 cottage cheese (fruit/protein), 1tbsp tuna mixed with hummus served on lettuce leaf or in a pepper (protein/veggie), 1 slice while grain bread with turkey (grain/protein).
DeleteIf you notice, for snacks, I focus on 2 food groups that balance each other to keep level blood sugar. The important thing is controlling portions for snacks. For meals, I choose 3 food group combinations like 1/2 cup low sugar granola, 1/2 cup blueberries, and 6-8 oz Greek yogurt (grain/fruit/protein). This is a formula that I hope is easy for people to follow. I can email you my lists and meal plan that I put together following the maintainance plan. I hope this helps:))