Are you any good at resisting temptation? All of us succumb to a little temptation now and then, but some people are blessed with more self-control than others. Temptation is about wanting something that you really want, often something that isn't right or good for you.
Resisting temptation is difficult because the object or subject of our desire is often all the more desirable because it's forbidden, out-of-reach, or hard to obtain. Sometimes temptation can turn into obsession if it's not possible to obtain the desired thing or person; other times, being able to give in to temptation leaves us feeling dissatisfied, guilty, or upset because we've done something we shouldn't have. This article discusses ways of dealing with temptation.
Identify your own temptations.
In the first place, a temptation is something you believe you must resist because to give in to it would be wrong according to your religious beliefs or moral code, bad for your health or well-being, or will cause disruptions in your relationships with other people. In the second place, giving in to it will cause you to feel bad after the initial pleasure, when it dawns on you that there is a high price to pay for the behavior or action you've given in to. Some examples of typical temptations include:
-Wanting to buy things you really want even though you don't have the money, or you've already got enough things and you know you really don't need more.
Wanting to yell at someone because you're frustrated and you can't restrain the temptation to lash out. This could be targeted at anyone in your life, including your partner, your children, your boss.
-Wanting to have an affair with someone. Toying with infidelity is a commonplace temptation for everyone from celebrities, pop-stars, and politicians, to neighbors and co-workers.
-Wanting to indulge excessively in alcohol or take illicit drugs.
Wanting to give in to sexual urges which you feel are inappropriate according to your beliefs or social mores, such as viewing pornography, visiting prostitutes, sex before marriage, etc.
-Wanting to give in to procrastination and laziness. You'd rather not be bothered doing something even though you know you should.Plan for temptation. Accept that you'll be tempted sometimes. Once you know your temptations and the triggers, work to manage them. That way, you can overcome them before they take hold. This is a positive way of tackling them rather than avoiding them (although, avoidance is discussed in the next step as another possibility.)
Work out your guiding values.
For some people, faith provides a solid foundation of principles and morals to abide by; for others abiding by The Golden Rule, and seeking to actively be a constructive part of civil society forms a basis of values. Problems can often arise when you lack a firm foundation of values which can tempt you to live a life in which "anything goes", or leave you unable to discern what is right and wrong in any given situation. Ask yourself: Do I have a complete set of values I care enough about to abide by? Stemming from this you might ask such questions as:
What are my financial values? Do I care about budgeting or am I too busy or disinterested to bother? Does it worry me when I get into debt?
What are my workplace values? What do I think constitutes embezzlement, harassment, intimidation, or taking advantage of others in a workplace context?
What are my personal values? Do I care about my family before all else? Do I put my family before my personal desires?
Replace the temptation with distractions or pursuits of substance.
Distracting yourself by doing something active is a good way of resisting temptation. Find other things to do to compensate for the lack or boredom that is confronting you. Get out and exercise, go for a back country hike, distract yourself from food by looking at something visually stunning such as a coffee table book, take up a new hobby, write a book on resisting temptation, plan a budget, wash the dog or the car, etc. Whatever you choose to do to distract yourself, throw yourself into it wholeheartedly.
Seek help.
This is an often overlooked solution when bound up in thinking this is purely your own battle. Reaching out to other people to help you resist a temptation can be a very powerful solution, providing that they're understanding, caring, and prepared to help. People on whom you might be able to rely include parents, family members, friends, teachers, counselors, your doctor, your minister of faith, financial or budget experts, etc.
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