________________
cunning effort and time till such new response becomes second nature.
Emotional maturity is something that one must develop in one's life by knowing how to respond to situations in a mature and responsible manner. It means, in essence, controlling urges rather than allowing urges to control one. That does not mean one should hide or repress one's urges, though one can use muscle relaxation, guided imagery and other relaxation tools to reduce their intensity. Inner strength is attained by overcoming inner resistance. The ability to resist urges is commonly described as self-control or willpower. Willpower is the ability to control or reject unnecessary or harmful urges.
Self-control is the measuring stick of the human. To know one's power is self-control. The selfcontrol is essentially a mental muscle. Certain physical and mental forces can weaken or strengthen self-control. These forces are normally dissipated by inner conflicts, or confusion, or by various external demands and responsibilities of life. Strength comes from indomitable will. The will power is psychic nourishment. It is the ability to arrive at a decision and follow it with perseverance until its successful accomplishment.
Self-discipline is the companion of will power. It is the inner power that overcomes the desire to indulge in unnecessary and useless habits, and the inner strength that overcomes inner emotional and mental resistance for taking action. It is one of the corner stones of success, both spiritual and material. A person who is awake to the practice of discipline and self-restraint can only know what is
67
