It may seem like a challenging ask wanting to give the best out you every single moment of every single day. But it’s not as supernatural as it may seem. Building the habit of doing what’s right can be achieved through daily practices and commitment to stick to the plan regardless of slight derails that might come your way. After a few days you’ll surprise yourself realizing that what seemed impossible is the new normal and you’ll have the freedom of wondering: what’s next?
Let’s be blunt – no one can. Self-worth is the result of decisions and actions that lift us up and allow us to be more than we used to be. If we didn’t exercise at all and we started doing 5-10-15 push-ups a day, that will contribute to our feeling of self-worth.
Self-worth is not a one time type of purchase, it’s more like getting an item that gets out of fashion the next day. We need to reinvest time every single day to be able to experience self-worth every single day. The good news is that the activities that make us feel worthy, also help us grow. And given that we have a set of values that encourages kindness, compassion and positivity, our own growth will reinforce our values and with that, build a stronger sense of self.
There are times when we are fearful to even start a process. This can be because we are setting unrealistic expectations. We mistake perfection with a perfectly newborn baby, forgetting the effort and care that the mother has put in not just during the nine months of pregnancy, but in the time before also.
Doing constant exercise, changing our eating and sleeping habits, introducing reading, journaling, meditation, affirmations and gratitude in our routine will change our life in tiny chunks, so much so that over a 12 months period we will be able to recognise massive improvement.
We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.
– Jim Rohn
It’s okay to strive for perfection as long as we understand that it is our effort that will get us as close to the highest expression of ourselves as possible.
Do you get a sense that you are waking up and living every day as if it’s the same? Wash your face, prepare breakfast or a protein shake, do mindless activities that might include work, watching tv, scrolling through news feeds, get groggy in the morning and grumpy in the evening etc. Well, a day is only as good as you make it.
Waking up with a smile on your face is not an old wives (or husbands) tale. It takes as little as practicing gratitude before going to sleep – the last thought in the evening will be your first thought in the morning. Add a 10-15 minutes meditation practice and you’ll be able to make smarter decisions by removing some of the stress buildup.
You don’t have to go fancy with learning how to meditate. If you’re new to the practice, an app as simple as Oak can get you a long way. Ultimately is about the intention of doing better choices and building yourself up for success. A happy is a life built through discipline, trials and errors and an ongoing competition with ourselves. You can get the life you want without waiting on that lottery win. Build yourself up.
We assume that discipline, just like self-respect, is something that we either have or not. But sticking to a schedule that matters to us and taking away as much of the decision factor from the day helps us stick to a routine. If you brush your teeth even once a day, you’ve built discipline around dental care.
It’s just a matter of thinking – what matters to me? What is the one thing that I want to own up to? The interest that I want to accumulate into experience and proficient skill? What are the actions that I need to take to get me started so I can settle into a habit of learning and growth?
Discipline is linked to accountability. Find out what you care enough about that you would want to keep yourself accountable for.
It’s easy to lose track of time and forget even what day of the week it is without a structure in place. A pleasant way of marking the uniqueness of each day while making it feel somewhat familiar is to create traditions.
When takeaway Fridays are no longer an option, traditions around home cooked meals and exercise can go a long way. Most of us are living life on a loop determined by external factors. Gaining independence through exploring our home environment can offer liberties we weren’t aware we can claim, such as finding time for loving words and old interests.
Getting back on track means readjusting to the current reality. Is us with the world, trying to stay well and help others keep well.
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