Love your post.
Not sure I see doing my HPs will (I.e.staying sober) as being stubborn (will-full) but perhaps more as being 'committed' to my recovery and willing to sit with that temptation, having faith that my HP won't let me down as it is stronger than my AV / the compulsion to drink.
But whichever way you look at it, that pause is powerful. Its like being a puppet that has somehow managed to snip the strings that used to jerk it around. Beautiful. Recovery is amazing.
BB