Self Control Post #2

 Self-Control 

 

            “Self-control—or the ability to manage one's impulses, emotions, and behaviors to achieve long-term goals—is what separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. Self-control is primarily rooted in the prefrontal cortex—the planning, problem-solving, and decision making center of the brain—which is significantly larger in humans than in other mammals” (Psychology Today). 

 

            Self-control is a really interesting topic that refers to different energies and specific impulses. Certain questions to ask with self-control include, does this make me stressed? Does this certain thing effect my relationships? Am I obsessed? Am I abusing this? Self-control can primarily be used with drugs and alcohol and having the control to either limit your use or say no. “Self-control can prevent us from engaging in motivated behaviors. People have natural motivations to survive by eating, but they use self-control to resist their temptation to eat unhealthy foods (or not to eat at all). Natural motivations to reproduce through sexual intercourse must be overridden through the use of self-control in order to follow standards for appropriate sexual behavior. And motivations to harm transgressors are overridden through self-control because forgiving others fosters individual, social and cultural well-being” (DeWall, 2014). 

 

            There are a ton of different ways to improve self-control. Taking one specific goal at a time can improve this approach. This will help you manage your efforts when you feel stressed over not being able to control your impulses or energy towards a specific thing or person. “Meditation is a great way to strengthen your self-control muscle. If you're new to meditation, mindfulness meditation is a great place to start learning how to be more self-aware so you can better resist temptations. This technique can also help you learn to slow your thoughts, which can help you control any gut impulses getting in the way of your self-control” (Cherry,2021). Another important act is to remind yourself of the specific consequences that can happen when you break these goals, think about the way the negative effects and how it affects your education, relationships and career. 

 

 

References: 

https://www.verywellmind.com/psychology-of-self-control-4177125

https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/ptn/2014/12/self-control