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?
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.
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.
The default mode of our brains to generate thoughts that seem more interesting than the present moment robs us from the present moment. This can happen due to lack of sleep or energy, or just out of habit. Everything has a fix, while the first two can be addressed through lifestyle choices (exercising, diet, sleep), habit creation requires more effort.
Benefits of listening
The reality is as diverse as the number of minds and heart populating it. Listening to languages we understanding and beyond that will give us more and more information about the world. Listening is much more valuable than talking. Listening allows strategies to form, while talking gifts information to others.
We all want to feel valued. Making others feel important is more likely to bring us friends than building ourselves up by belittling people. Since we all have something to offer, there is great value focusing on what a person does well rather than the points that are not aligned with our own stance.
Respect is earned, but is it? If respect is earned, wouldn’t it mean that we always have to prove ourselves to other people? And in that search, aren’t we moving further and further away from our true nature?
Balancing truthfulness with appreciation is not easy, but reprogramming the mind can happen through practice. Our thinking patterns are thoughts that became habits. Habits can change. We can change as a result of that. And we can start by acknowledging that we don’t need validation, but if other people do, that’s fine – we have plenty to offer.
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