How does one resist tempation?

I find it hard to resist the urge of going on my phone at night and checking email, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Fluther and all otther kinds of trivial shit nonsense. I’ve know better now though, I’m too tired to function if I don’t just go to sleep at a reasonable time.

I can resist physical things, food, candy etc easily. I just have trouble with other desires.

Word “resist” does not exist in my vocabulary!

Food is hard for me to resist. I love the way foods taste. Making good tasting food is one of the greatest pleasures in life, for me. I am sad to say that I do not resist temptation, and as a result, am about fifty pounds overweight.

Love has also been hard to resist. But that was when I didn’t feel loved. When I felt lonely and ugly and unlovable and unworthy of living, I sought out love all over the place. I would not say no to it, except somehow, it always seemed to dissipate after a month, so I think I was probably destroying it as soon as I found it.

When I feel loved, then I don’t seek out new love. A lot of feeling loved has to do with me, and my ability, or lack of ability to see I am loved. Sometimes, I just can’t accept that I am lovable. Sometimes, it just seems that it is impossible that I am lovable. I feel like a sick and horrible, hurtful person who doesn’t deserve to live. That’s the essence of depression. Meds help with that, as well as therapy.

So resisting the temptation of love is hard, because it feels like it can save my life. Succumbing to a new love makes me feel good, but it also makes me beat myself up for doing something bad. It’s a double-edged sword. Meds and therapy take years to have an effect, and meanwhile, I could be getting into lots of trouble. But I’ve decided not to beat myself up for the things I did. That’ll only bring back the depression. I did what I did out of desperation. Hopefully, there won’t be a next time, because I prevent myself from getting depressed again. And if there is…. well… I can’t make any promises. If I lose control, then beating myself up for losing control only makes it worse. It’s kind of counterintuitive.

Dude, I wish I knew. My worst temptations are food and cigarettes.

Food is relatively easy, because I have grown up knowing that the wrong kind of food, or the wrong kind of food at the wrong time more specifically, can fuck up not only my immediate health/mental state but also my long term health. I’m a very good diabete, but I’ll still have some chocolate or a pastry sometimes when it isn’t the wisest decision, or binge on junk food when I’m stressed out.

Cigarettes are harder for me. If I’m not stressed, I regard them as a stimulant and just have one when I need a boost. But if I’m either super stressed, or socializing with people, I chain smoke like you wouldn’t believe.

Hm, I guess another temptation I have to fight constantly is the temptation to slip back into depression. I was severely depressed for much of the past ten years and I have only recently pulled out of it, so it’s a pretty strong habit! And sometimes “I miss the comfort of being sad.”

I consider the consequences.
Sure, you can enjoy the chocolate but that fat will make a difference down the road unless you do something about it.
Sure, you can have that cigarette but you are increasing your chance of lung cancer 40 fold.
Sure, you can buy that widget but you’ll have to pay for it later.
Everything has a cost as well as a price.

I’m good at resisting the temptation to try directly dangerous, new things. I’ve never smoked a cigarette or done non-pharmaceutical drugs so that is easy to resist. The same could be said for sex with new people or new foods.

I’m fairly good at resisting the temptation of substances. Sometimes I choose to indulge myself, but I don’t crave alcohol or pharmaceuticals, although I do sometimes crave the liberation alcohol brings. But I don’t have an addictive personality, so this is easy.

I’m terrible at resisting the urge to laze about all day doing nothing. Of the seven deadly sins, sloth and pride are my twin devils.

I am incapable of resisting acts of pride. I have cut important people out of my life permanently after one slight to it and I will again. I have given up on romantic partners because they didn’t respect that. It is the only thing that can combat my desire to just let life happen to me. I wouldn’t resist it even if I could.

So short answer, the only way to resist one temptation is to give in to another.

After partaking in so many, it’s so easy now to resist most of them minus wrath related ones.