7 Will Power Tips: Life Lessons from Rock Bottom

Guest Blogger: Angela Weber 

Just what does it take to turn your life around? I’m Angela Weber, and as a former addict, I can tell you. It takes hitting rock bottom. Today, I’m a licensed clinical social worker and substance abuse counselor who specializes in addiction recovery. I’m currently working on my first book called Life Lessons from Rock Bottom. In it, I’ll share some of the will power tips that help clients every day. Here’s a sneak peak of these will power tips:

Define will power – Everyone knows what will power is, right? Maybe not. I find it gets talked about most in conversations about diets, but that’s not all it applies to. In a nutshell, will power is your ability to put your carefully planned goals into action. This can be for anything, whether your goal is to quit smoking, cut down on alcohol, spend more time with your family, or simply live a healthier life.

First, strengthen your will power. Just like strengthening your muscles before a tough exercise program, you need to strengthen your will power before starting in on big goals. Achieve a small goal first, spend time congratulating yourself, and then move on to a larger goal. This will make achieving the big goals even sweeter.

Don’t strive toward too many goals. One of the biggest ways to lose motivation and will power is to take on too many goals. When setting your goals, aim for three at a time and make sure they’re realistic—without being too easy. As soon as you achieve one of them, add a new one to your list.

Don’t push too hard. Another reason many individuals don’t achieve their goals is because they push too hard and get burned out before they make any (or very little) progress. Make sure your weekly goals are achievable and you’ll find yourself much more motivated to take them on.

Sit up straight. This may sound silly, but research has shown that individuals who spent two weeks working on improving their posture scored better on self-control tests.

Distract yourself. If you often find yourself thinking about your goals or the struggles you’re having with them, take a break. Get away. Go for a long walk and away from the situation that’s making your mind think and think and think.

Surround yourself with a positive environment. Put yourself in an environment that is positive and helps your will power. If you’re on a diet, remove all the bad foods from your home. If you’re trying to stop drinking, get rid of any alcoholic beverages.

These are just a few of the many ways I’ve found increase my will power. You’ll find these tips and more in my upcoming book Life Lessons From Rock Bottom.

About the Author

Angela Weber is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in addiction recovery and writing her first book, Life Lessons from Rock Bottom, based on personal and professional observations from the past 20 years of her life.

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