Defined as: 1. Control of one’s impulses and actions; self-control.

In my opinion one of the most difficult things to master in life. Without will power and self-control, what are you? A walking zombie? Sometimes that is exactly how I feel. In my own life I have discovered that the only thing stopping me from my success was my inability to submit to the very strong resistance that is will power.

Now I have never been addicted to anything, thankfully (i.e. drugs, smoking, etc.) and I can only imagine how difficult it must be to kick an addiction habit. I imagine it takes an extreme amount of will power and commitment. Now as I said I have never been addicted to anything like smoking or drugs but I believe I did have an addiction to food. As I am sure you know, food is comforting, it is fulfilling and why wouldn’t it be, it is our life-source. My addiction lies in the inability to refrain from stuffing my mouth with the foods that ultimately make you fat and extremely un-healthy. I have always led a pretty holistic and healthy life, but it was not by any means a whole-hearted lifestyle…I lived a yo-yo holistic life. I ate mostly good foods, (fruits and veggies) I avoided dairy, (most of the time! But come on, Ranch is AWESOME and cheese?? Hello!? Amazing!) I tried to cook as often as possible, but I still LOVED Goldfish and Cool Ranch Doritos so much. Recently I turned 27 and besides becoming a complete emotional basket-case I began to re-evaluate my life and the way I chose to live. On February 5, 2012, I decided I wasn’t going to take it anymore. I was tired of feeling bloated and chubby, I was tired of feeling groggy after every meal I ate, I was just plain tired of being tired.  I have been studying living a Vegan lifestyle for almost a year and I decided this is going to be my year. So I woke up that beautiful Sunday morning and I said to myself, ‘I am not going to eat anything that was not a whole food, including meat.’ And let me tell you I have never felt better, I have energy, tons of energy, I have been shedding excess pounds like crazy, I feel so good after I eat a whole foods meal, I love waking up in the morning(most days), and most importantly I am happy. I know that it has only been 12 days but I have kept that promise I made to myself and I have never felt better. I know I am still at the beginning of this long path, but I am confident in its success.

All this blabbing has a point and it is this, the only thing that has kept me going for the measly 12 days that I have put no poison in my mouth is, yes in fact, WILL POWER. I have so badly and so many times in the past 12 days wanted to stuff my face with all that processed food and meat that seem so fulfilling at the moment, but every time I resist I feel that much stronger. They say it takes 21 days to kick a habit and hey, I am over halfway there! Now I realize that food does not compare at all to, let’s say a meth habit, but I truly believe that will power and a little help from Above is all it takes.

If you are struggling with anything from food, to shopping too much, to smoking too many cigarettes, just try to say, ‘No! Do it slowly and place the thought in your mind that YOU are stronger than that measly cigarette or that mouth-watering handful of Cheetos! Start with that and before you know it you will be done, done with that nasty habit, done with being a slave to your addiction.