Recent blog posts by sociologist and Huffpost blogger Christine Carter inspired me to think about willpower and its role in trying to conceive.

For those who have struggled with infertility, including miscarriages and multiple failed IVF treatments, willpower is often the key ingredient that helps those striving to become parents achieve their dreams.  It is a fact that without willpower, many of the success stories from women who had to try IVF or other fertility treatments more than once simply would not exist.  Instead, however, a common bond these women and couples share is their strength to push through IVF failure and either try again or explore other options until they find the best treatment for them, which includes surrogacy, donor egg programs and adoption.

There are many ways we can increase our willpower through daily techniques and habit-changing exercises. Whether you're trying to lose weight in an effort to alter your fertility-status or train your hand to reach for the carrots instead of the cookies, the following tips can help achieve your goals.

1. Write down your goals.  For many, writing can be an effective tool for making your objectives real, since you're putting them somewhere else other than just your mind.

2. Seek solitude.  Many people run for help when they're feeling sad or discouraged, but looking into oneself and giving at least 10 minutes to breathe and re-evaulate can do wonders for building inner strength.

3. Live in the present.  Spending too much time on past events or putting too much pressure on what you want your future to look like can actually bring us further from reality.  Taking it one day at a time helps to obtain the goals we set for ourselves as we take the necessary steps to achieve the end result we want.

4. Try something new.  This can especially be helpful with those struggling with multiple failed IVF treatments.  The options don't end there, and as we know, doing the same thing and expecting a different result can be crazy making and not healthy for the mind or body.

5. Don't give up! You deserve to want what you want, have your needs met, and achieve your dreams.  When you're feeling low, think of ways to lift your spirits -- take a bath, chat with an old friend, do something nice for someone else.

    

Image: childswork.com