Reply #5: FL, I think IHAD has it right. [View All]

[Kind of Blue]

I hope you get a chance to listen to this very interesting study on willpower called "Resistance Training For Your 'Willpower' Muscles" at http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=140516974&m=140573219

Basically, the studies suggests that willpower is mental energy that we only have a certain amount of throughout the day and gets depleted because just about everything we do takes mental effort, and we should be careful how it's used.

The author says, "Exhausting your mental energy is a process that researchers call 'ego depletion.' Decision-making taps into the same energy reserves as self-control."

It just makes sense that the more we constantly have to do, we do get worn down mentally and he says, "Basically, it's that everything feels more intensely to you. Good things and bad things. You suddenly feel everything a little bit more intensely because your brain has lost some ability to regulate emotions, and so you therefore respond more strongly to everything."

Not only is what you're feeling very real and is studied, there are techniques that we know that can build up our reserves. I just hope that this helps to make you feel better when ego depletion strikes again. I know I'm taking this and running with it and not be too hard on myself :) :hug: :hug: :hug:

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/18/140516974/resistance-training-for-your-willpower-muscles