Impulsivity Almost Ruined My Life

(*Disclaimer* While being impulsive may not be an issue for some, it is an issue for many. I just hope by me sharing my testimony publically, that it reaches someone who struggles with this privately. 😌 Though my particular situation may not be an issue you’ve had to face, the act of being impulsive can apply to other instances in your life.)

Like, Seriously!!! 👀 I can't count the amount of times I've acted off of pure impulse, either to avoid the pain of my reality, or to quench an unfulfilled desire. 🤦🏾‍♀️

Whether it was OVER indulging in my favorite savory foods😋🎂😋, drinking wine until I fell asleep 🍷, or entertaining inappropriate company 👩🏾‍❤️‍👨🏾(refer to the quote above, and YES, i suffered the consequences). I ran to those things out of pure impulse because I didn't have the tools to effectively manage my emotions.

I gave into the feeling of being powerless 😞, and in turn, it led to doing something that made me feel great in the moment, but super shitty once the consequences of my actions began to set in.

For example…Where my impulsivity took a turn for the worst is when I betrayed the trust of my partner and entertained inappropriate male attention. Infidelity was something that I frowned upon for the majority of our relationship, but because at the time I lacked the emotional intelligence required in order to communicate my true and raw emotions with the love of my life... I chose the easiest most selfish route and satisfied an immediate need to not feel lonely and underappreciated. The consequence of doing so was far worse than it would've been, had I just knew how to effectively communicate what I was going through internally, to my husband.

I literally dug myself a deeper & deeper hole, every time I chose to work off of impulse. I have a feeling that I'm not the only one who has gone through this. Seeing as though I've experienced success with turning the tables on what became a bad habit, into my greatest "Ah-Ha!' moment, I'm going to share how reframing your mindset can help you do a complete 180 in your life.

First thing's first...

Think...does the problem pose a greater threat than the solution?

Second,

What do you have to gain by giving into your impulses, and what do you have to lose?

Third,

Does a temporary emotion outweigh the love you have for yourself, your family, your reputation etc...? If you have true love for self, you'd WANT to make better decisions in the moment because you’d understand the adverse effect it could have on not just you, but everyone and everything in your life. The last thing you'd want to do is create a domino effect of fuckery, based on bad choices.

Remember...impulsivity has been your go to in not so favorable situations, so you already know what the turnout will be POST making impulsive decisions. What you haven't mastered yet is thinking before you act. THIS IS THE GOAL!!! Hop out of your feelings and…

LITERALLY!!! Think of every possible outcome before acting on a temporary emotion, and the ripple effect it could have on everything and everyone you care about.

In short...Mentally place yourself in the best possible outcome, in any situation, and you'll be more inclined to make wiser, beneficial decisions.

Sounds simple right!? Like...a child could grasp this concept, huh!? Yeah...That's what I told myself on multiple occasions, but actually putting this into practice while IN the thick of an unfavorable situation is one of the hardest things I've ever done. You're literally forcing yourself out of something that has become a norm in your problem solving skills, while interrupting behavioral patterns. So what reads as something simple to follow, when putting it into practice, it’s actually challenging because you're not doing whats familiar to YOUR normal way of being.

I'm here to tell you…your happiness, your peace, your sanity and completeness is worth the challenge. The reward is far greater than the risk. 😉

Change Your Habits = Change Your Life

~DollyTheeCoach~