Balance comes from the ability

To use our deliberate brain system in a “pause and plan” movement. Some behaviors strengthen the part of our brain responsible for more deliberate action and can be cultivated: slow breathing that leads to a slowing of the heart rate, performing physical exercises and sleeping. But it is worth saying that even excessive self-control can be negative, as the amount of energy needed to put it into action can lead to a decrease in the energy available for the functioning of the immune system, leading to the appearance of diseases and other undesirable effects. . Finally, it is essential to understand that stress is the antithesis of willpower and the wear and tear and energy consumption of this phenomenon greatly reduces the ability to use “pause and plan”. Chapter 3: too tired to resist, because self-control is like a muscle studies have shown that willpower works like a muscle.



When we use it a lot, we tire it and it loses power. And just like a muscle, the part of the brain responsible for willpower needs energy (which comes from quality food) to function effectively. So, when we are hungry, we lack energy to boost the part Jamaica Email List of the brain where willpower comes from and we tend to give in to temptations. In addition, the brain enters a mode of functioning in which it opens itself to greater risks, in every way. It is interesting to note that the metaphor goes further, as the findings show that, just like a muscle, willpower can be trained to become stronger. This happens whenever we put ourselves in a situation of controlling things that we are not used to controlling. Not to mention that there are techniques to rest and recover the power of this “muscle” when it reaches exhaustion.







And it's worth understanding that both muscle and willpower exhaustion do not mean the body's limit, but an early warning that we are on our way to the limit. So, when we think we can't take it anymore, there is still plenty of room to continue. Whether in the physical or mental dimension. Chapter 4: license to sin, because being good gives us permission to be bad not every lapse in self-control reflects a loss of control. We often make a conscious decision to give in to temptation. This happens when we act in a way that we consider correct and, precisely because of this, we give ourselves the right to “spend” part of our credit, doing something that we consider wrong. Avoiding this trap involves not moralizing your choices and, rather, understanding that the right things we do are benefits that we are bringing to ourselves and not a morally positive action, which would give us the right to be morally negative in the next opportunity.