People who have impulsive personalities know how difficult it is to fight the urge to behave impulsively. Impulsive behavior means that you don’t think about what you do before you do it. That could mean dire consequences when you make the wrong choices. There is nothing wrong with being impulsive every now and then. When you take impulsive actions all the time, it leads to very bad choices that could get you into very hot water.
Here is how impulsive people can control their impulsive behavior:
Stop and Think- Since you are impulsive, it is not likely that you stop to think about what you are doing before you do it. It seems like the right thing to do at the time, but as you well know, it can turn into disaster. Train yourself to stop and think about what you are doing. It can take a lot of practice, but making yourself conscious of what you are doing will help you make it a habit.
Shop with a Friend- When you go shopping, don’t shop alone. Tell your friend to remind you about impulse buying. Impulsive buying is one of the biggest ways in which you can regret your impulsive behavior. It can cost you a fortune and you are even prone to spending money that you don’t really have to spend. Your friend can help bring you back to reality when impulsive buying is a habit.
Retaliation- Impulsive people are often given to retaliating against someone they feel has wronged them. They don’t take the time to look at the possible consequences of those actions and can even end up spending a little time in jail for it. This is the worst possible trap for impulsive people. When they get angry, they have a tendency to “shoot off” at the mouth among other things. This is when you have to learn to control your impulses more than ever. Make a habit of counting to ten before you act. Give yourself time to think the situation through. Think of other ways that you can vent your feelings. Raging out of control isn’t an attractive feature. It may well make your look like a nutcase to boot. If necessary, call someone who will help you get past your feelings of anger and revenge. Revenge is not the answer. Keeping yourself under control is the best mode of action because that will be the sweetest revenge of all.
Impulsive behavior can get you into big trouble if you let it go too far. If you have a serious problem with it, you may need to seek counseling to help you identify where the biggest problem lies. A counselor can help you come up with specific ways in which you can learn to control your behavior in a more effective manner.
