Change Your Life in 1 Second

Ok, so I know that may of you dear readers and skimming though this post looking for the scam part.   Sorry to disappoint, there is some power in this little idea.  But it has a bit to do with a perspective change and how we view impulses.  This week I read a tasty little tidbit and it changed my perspective, in a kinda powerful way.  

I read that most impulses run though our minds and are formed in less than half a second.   LESS THAN HALF A SECOND!   A second is practically nothing. This is where my perspective shifted. Why am I letting half a second, 0.5, not even a whole number derail my goals for myself?

If that impulse is such a little thing....a little 0.5 surly battling it with twice as much power, one full second, is totally doable.   So this week I set out to take the 1 second challange.  

The ONE  Second CHALLENGE: When an impulse hits be MINDFUL of the 0.5 it took to create and spend 1 second challenging that impulse.

Ok, so here is what this looks like in my week.  You decided like I did that you want to loose 10 pounds.  Then I get to work on Monday and they are handing out donuts.  YUM!   When asked if I would like one I spend 0.5 seconds to impulsively decide that I do want one.  That chocolate cake one, on the far left.  The one with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.  My favorite and no one else has taken it yet! It is destiny for me and this donut to have met!  The  fates have aligned to being me this donuts!   Ahhhhhhh……fate driven, destined bliss. WAIT!  

I take the one second challenge and CHALLENGE my donuty impulse.  Do I really want it?  Do I want it more that I want to feel good about myself or get back into all the clothing on the left side of my closet?  Do I want to feel like crap in two hours when yet again I have not stuck with your goal? 

You are increasing your awareness about the decisions that you make.  You are not relying on old habits and ruts, you are pushing yourself into new challenges.

There are lots of good old fashioned stalling techniques created to help people with this…..

                -Not keeping junk for in the house

                -Freezing the credit cards

                -Changing friends if you are a recovering addict.  

They are all designed to help you stall past the 0.5 second impulse and stick to goals.  

It’s a simple idea but a powerful one.  After reading this interesting little fact about how short impulses are and being mindful of it though out my day I am surprised how it has decreased the power of the impulse itself.  I am not saying no to donuts forever……. I am waiting for the impulse to eat this one to pass.   No big deal.  It only takes a second.  And while it has not been perfect 100% of the time, it is working for me 80% or so of the time.  The 1 second challenge, if getting be a B in my efforts to eat better.  A grade that I can totally live with.