Resistance is Futile #MFRWauthor

In order to answer the question whether temptation helps or hurts, both the personal and the temptation itself need to be considered. There are some people that are more prone, whether through their personalities or a physical response, to whom giving in even a little can put them on a downward spiral. Just one XXX (fill in the blank, food, drug, experience, drink, personal temptation) leads to more and more until the desire has become a driving need.

Give in, it helps.  Psychological studies have show that sometimes giving in to a small temptation can help reduce or control the desire. In this case that one bite of chocolate helps you control the cravings for that entire bag of candy. There is a corollary. That the longer something is desired, the harder it is to resist. I think this is something many romance authors know instinctively because of the way we make our characters wait for their HEA.


Hurt - physical, emotional
Maybe that one bite of forbidden food won't physically hurt you. A diabetic whose glucose levels are well controlled might be able to give in to temptation and eat an occasional cookie. It would not be wise to allow temptation to rule and have a large piece of apple pie a la mode washed down with non-diet soda and then have a piece of cake a few minutes later for a snack. And if you are allergic to something and that is your temptation, the hurt can be physical and quick. Even if the cheese is scraped off that cheeseburger it can still trigger a reaction. And if allergic to nuts, no how matter how strong the lure, a peanut-butter /marshmallow creme sandwich would definitely not be a good idea.

An additional hurt is if you allow the fact that you gave into temptation to psychologically set the tone for the rest of your days, temptation definitely hurts. It might take you several years to get that one-year coin, but you will never get it if you quit resisting temptation.

I personally wish I had more will power. Or that temptation wasn't so strong.

~till next time, be sure to visit the other authors in the challenge.