Instant gratification is like that tempting pizza right in front of you, begging to be devoured, while the idea of waiting another hour for a big, juicy prime rib seems as absurd as wearing socks with sandals!

We humans possess ego-minds that have evolved to seek pleasure while avoiding pain, and this tendency has grown ever more intense, to the point that, nowadays, we mostly try to reduce the gap between having a desire and achieving satisfaction. But really, if you think about it for a bit, who can blame us? In the days of our ancestors, our very survival depended on seizing the moment rather than pondering long-term gains and benefits.

But what about delayed gratification—the responsible sibling who urges us to resist the allure of instant satisfaction and wait for a more profound reward in the future. Easier said than done, right? In our modern world of instant-everything, resisting the siren call of immediate desires is like trying to resist the temptation of hitting the snooze button on a Monday morning.

In this episode of Soul Empowerment, we take a detailed look at this issue and come up with some ways to rise above the habitual needs of our ego-minds. We are going to explore the question of what happens if we turn this around, and instead of seeking instant gratification, we choose Instant Gratitude? Here are some of the talking points we address:

Satisfaction vs Gratification

There may be temporary enjoyment, but when you are in the middle of your second bowl of ice cream, the satisfaction quickly wears off. You have taken care of your immediate desire, overindulged because it felt good in the moment, and now must deal with the heavy feeling of too much.

Self-Control

Sometimes it can seem that setting goals of self-control would make even a marathon runner break a sweat, but using our innate creativity, we can come up with tantalizing incentives for delaying rewards and rise above our impulsive nature to make choices that align with our long-term interests.

Patience

Patience is a gift that supports us to value and be grateful for what we already have while we work towards the opportunities, experiences and more that we choose to invite into our life. Everyone can relate to the disappointment of hearing a NO, only to realize that something far better turned up in its place.

Presence

“The Power of Now” by Ekhart Tolle teaches us about living in the moment, and allowing the ego-mind to fade into the background so that the Soul becomes more prominent in our lives. Being present in the here and now implies staying connected to what is, rather than focusing on what might be in the future.

Instant Gratitude

What if we become more aware of everything we have in the world and develop a habit of appreciating and valuing that—instead of trying to accumulate more stuff from outside of ourselves that might give us only a temporary buzz? How can we bring ourselves back to a state of gratitude and appreciation for all that we are and all that we have right now?

Instant gratification means to experience pleasure without delay. But sometimes the real satisfaction resides in the delay rather than the immediate pleasure. You can choose whichever path you want to take, but if you adopt some of the ideas we share in this conversation, you’ll come to value the idea of Instant Gratitude over Instant Gratification every time. Check out the recording and please remember to leave a comment in the Discussion Section below!

About the Team

Sara Jane: Vocal Reiki Master Teacher & Practitioner. Having worked on herself and healed her own early years trauma and hurt, Sara now supports clients, from her own experiences, to heal their own trauma and live a more fulfilling and happy life. www.VocalReiki.com

Gayle Nowak: Visibility Coach who shifts world-changing healers, lightworkers and New Earth leaders from outdated patterns into new possibilities. She weaves multiple modalities to guide clients and audiences into their truest expression so they can honor and carry out their soul mission. www.GayleNowak.com

Scott Holmes: Reiki Master, Polarity Therapist, RYSE Practitioner, Theta Healer Practitioner, and Author who empowers clients to transform and grow through multiple modalities of light, deep touch, sound, intention and crystals. www.RScottHolmes.com