How often you went for that extra cup of coffee that you did not need at all? Or for that extra chocolate bar or even that extra gadget that you may not use after a month?
Yes, it gives us a kick, a good feeling for a short while which we need not always deny ourselves. But once in a while, skipping that extra cup or that extra something else can start us on a track that is worth exploring. If about one a week/more, you practiceskipping something which is merely an urge/temptation, what do you think might happen?You will be developing self-regulation. Now like that icing on the cake, there is another advantage of doing this. What if you drop in a piggy box the same amount of money you save by skipping that cup (or something else)? You can use all the savings later, may be the end of three /six months for a social cause (e.g. getting some notebooks for an underprivileged child you see in your locality/ buying something for yourself from a store that supports products of NGOS (e.g. shop for a cause in Bangalore) / donating it for a cause that you wish to (e.g. through the give India website). Remember, we are not saying that you deny yourself things that you need as well as things that you want/ be excessively harsh or strict with yourself. We are merely talking about skipping an urge some of the times. What is the kind of urge/temptation that you decide to focus on is your choice.
Bigger challenge: What about making a team and practicing /implementing this idea together?
So, try out this exercise for about 1-3 months alone or with a group of friends and share your experiences with us through the experiences column on this website. Send your experiences in 250-500 words to positivepsychology.nimhans@gmail.com