What is
Self-Discipline?
The ability to control one's feelings and overcome one's weaknesses; the
ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it.
During any change in life you might be finding yourself having trouble
staying disciplined. Whether it be having one to many sweets, slacking on your workouts, or having a lack of motivation in your daily routine. Trust me when I say you're not
alone!
Thankfully, it's always a good time to practice self-discipline and start
creating positive new habits!
Here are 5 ways to cultivate self-discipline
1. Know your weaknesses
Acknowledge your shortcomings, whatever they may be. It might be that pack of
cookies you probably shouldn't have bought, spending too much time in front of a screen, procrastinating even though you know it'll cause you more stress, or constantly feeding into a negative
mindset.
The biggest thing to remember is we all have weaknesses. Talking about them
can actually help you find a tribe of supporters to help keep you accountable.
So, open up and own your flaws!
2. Set clear goals with execution plans
One of the biggest problems when we set goals is our lack of vision. In order
to adhere to your goals you need to know what success means to you, have a clear vision of your goal, understand your Why?, and write out every aspect of you goal from start to
finish.
Something that could help you set / keep goals is keeping a journal where you
mind dump everything at least once a week in order to adapt your actions for the next week. Another tool are daily mantras. Having a mantra to start your day can drastically keep you focused on
your path!
3. Remove temptation and excuses
This can be as simple as having a grocery list prepared and not going into
the grocery store hungry to avoid buying snacks or excess food. Time blocking your days to make sure you have time to accomplish every task! Then make your schedule known to those in your
household so they know not to disrupt what you've set in place.
Can't find time or motivation to get to the gym? Find a gym on your daily
commute route, pre-pack your gear / clothes, already have a workout planned, and always be working toward a goal or reward!
You know your life and you know your tribe; ask for help where you need
it!
4. Change your perception about willpower
Your willpower is only as strong as your beliefs. If you believe you have
limits; you won't ever surpass those limits. This same thought process can be said for self-discipline. If you believe you have limited self-discipline then you're going to make little to no
progress.
Believe that you are in control of your life. You can control what you eat,
if you workout, if you complete a project, if you spend meaningful time with the ones you love, if your mindset is negative or positive; the list goes on and on. You are in control of more than
your realize!
Wake up everyday and say out loud, "I am in charge of my life. I can
control....." Insert what you're struggling with at the time.
5. Reward Yourself
Practicing self-discipline can be exhausting. It's a mentally, emotionally,
and spiritually stressful skill to build. You will be breaking deep rooted habits and shifting your mindset to meet your goals. Make sure you reward yourself in a way that will positively
reinforce your work without risk of self-sabotage progress.
Through difficult times or times of change you can still be growing
mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Anytime can be the start of something new!
