Self-discipline equals self-love ~ So how do we stay disciplined in these unprecedented times? To say 2020 was one of the most unexpected years of many of our lives is putting it lightly. It’s crazy how fast this year has gone by, and to be entering a new calendar year with the state of the world remaining in a very unknown state can make us feel unmotivated. I’m here to tell you that this is OKAY! We are all feeling it. If this year has taught me (& I’m sure many of you!) one thing, it is how important SELF-DISCIPLINE is. So lets get into it!
We know that every new year brings about new goals for ourselves and everyone around us. Whether that is to get into the best shape of our lives, or maybe it’s learning to let go of toxic relationships you may be holding onto. Whatever the goal is – without self-discipline, your goal is just going to stare you back on the piece of paper you wrote it down on, or add unnecessary stress by replaying in your head constantly. Self-discipline is the key ingredient to executing the life we want. This past year I made a promise to myself to learn boundaries and finally put me first – in EVERYTHING. From my career (which is how this blog was born), to my health, and to my relationships with everyone in my life. Learning when to let go of things I was holding onto that were not serving me, and to trust my intuition is how I began to get clear on what I wanted, and ultimately take action. Theres a quote I love that goes, “how you do one thing, is how you do all things.” If we change the way we look at things, and change the thoughts we tell ourselves, we can indeed change our habits.
I am still on this journey of self-discipline/self-love, so I don’t have all the answers, but I wanted to share what has helped me get through one of the most challenging years of my life and I’m sure a lot of yours.
WRITE YOUR GOALS DOWN: Sit down, meditate, and get clear about what exactly you want to achieve. Think about what makes you truly happy, ask yourself how you feel when you are around the people you currently have in your life – really have a conversation with yourself. The most important conversations we can have our within ourselves, as these create our reality. Once you have a clear picture in your head, write it down! Writing it down is the first step to taking action. This will be you reference to go back to on a daily basis and see if your choices are in fact helping you get closer to your goal.
CREATE A PERSONAL SCHEDULE: How often do we hear those around us say they are “too busy” to do something they said they would do? All the freakin time right?! I used to be that person that would say no to things or cancel plans because I was just “too busy.” Reality is, the person who is too busy is actually just inefficient with their time. Creating a schedule for your day, the night before, or even a week in advance, is a game changer. Not only will it help you become more efficient, but it will also help you show up and be fully present in whatever your day entails.
TAKE ACTION: Once you have decided what you want, it’s time to get rid of the things that will not help you get there immediately. Do you want to cook more at home? Then you need to make time to go to the grocery store. Do you want to read more? Then you need to pick up a book that interests you and start. When it comes to changing habits, it’s important that we do so with a positive conversation. We can’t look at it as a restriction or you will be putting a constraint on yourself through that negative conversation. Remember – you are not losing anything here, you are gaining exactly what you said you want.
CHECK IN WITH YOURSELF, HONESTLY: I say honestly, because our mind will play tricks on us. Creating new habits is hard, but it is so possible! Our minds like to come up with excuses though, so if you notice this happening, be mindful and become present. Each week I like to return back to my goals I wrote down, and go through each of them and journal about what helped me get closer to them, or what may have set me back. Building the life you want, physically and mentally, really is as simple as just making choice by choice every single day.
Well, I hope this helps you on your journey to self-love. I would love to know in the comments any good tips that have worked for you!
Living Intuitively 