Compulsive thoughts can bother you today, causing you to think and behave in ways that are inconsistent with your value system. Though the impulses you entertain will likely distress you, the strength of these desires can convince you that you are powerless to resist them. However, regaining control can be as easy as giving yourself the gift of time. If you wait for just a few moments before giving in to the compulsions that haunt you today, curative self-examination becomes possible. You will likely begin to see why you are so drawn to certain activities or possessions, and the understanding you gain can provide you with the willpower you need to overcome your baser impulses.

We are better equipped to determine which of our many desires will fulfill us and contribute to our continuing well-being when we allow ourselves time to analyze our impulses effectively. While our whims can be intensely strong, our rational minds can overcome the compulsions that might otherwise drive us to behave unreasonably. Once we have identified a compulsion, our willingness to wait before indulging it provides us with everything we need to consider the relative value of the desire at hand. We cannot control the fancies that come into our minds as we move through our days, but we can choose how we will respond to them and thereby regain control over our individual destinies. The impulses hounding you today will grow less intense over time as you think carefully about the impact each will have on your experience in the present and future.