“The Hardest Climbs Require The Strongest Will And Courage.”Welcome back to my blog, friends. So, it’s been a few days since my last blog about my epiphany, and honestly, my mind has been stressed and worried. Too much on my plate. I’m sure you do too. You’re probably thinking a lot. Worrying about things that seem out of your control and feeling helpless. Not sure where you’re going to go from here. Sounds repetitive, but what should you do? Well, for the most part, if there is one thing we can focus on, work on, and control, it would be handling our emotions and mental state. This leads me to the word Discipline. I understand your mind travels a thousand miles per minute, and you wish you could get all the answers to your worries immediately. Yet, that’s not how life works. See, the answers to your questions need time before they can manifest themselves. Now let’s define discipline, which is the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience. (Yikes! You’re probably thinking, why should you punish yourself?) Not necessarily. Look at it this way; discipline allows us to believe in our capabilities and toughen our mind, body, and soul so that we can handle the world. It teaches us not to blame anyone else for our faults or play the victim’s mentality while building us up to take ownership of our own lives. See, if we don’t have our emotions and mental state under control, it can leave us overwhelmed, acting out poor decisions, and feeling weak as we watch everything fall apart.
This is where self-development comes into play. From my experience, these are the top 6 beneficial ways to improve discipline to help us control our pot of emotions and recorrect our mindset.
- Exercise: Simply put, set a time within the day (Considering there are 24 hours within a day, invest at least 1 hour or 30 minutes into yourself) rather it be during the morning, afternoon, or evening. For me, mornings are usually better because no one is awake yet, and the thought of being up before others (especially when waking up early can be quite difficult) sets the tone for my day, knowing that I am getting a head start. (Choose what best fits your schedule) Once you have decided, then stay committed. It will be difficult; some days will be harder than others but continue to be resilient. Get up and exercise, lift weights, or go for a jog, even when you don’t feel like it or lack motivation. Train your mind to work under stressful situations because this will allow you to develop a persevering mindset through tough times. I know, I know. It’s easier said than done, but what choice do you have? Would you prefer (like I said in the last blog) to wallow in the abyss of your own creation? Or would you rather be the warrior of your destiny? Which sounds better? Only you know the answer to that question.
- Read A Book: I know that in today’s world, it’s hard to really find time to sit down and dive into a book. Considering your mind is probably occupied with stress, or it’s just easier to pick up your phone, scroll through social media and find something to distract your mind. Yet, once you put down the phone, your thoughts come flooding back, and there you go. Overthinking everything again. So, instead, find a positive way to develop your concentration, think of reading as a way of refurbishing your mind to allow it to expand in ways you’ve been lacking. When we have many thoughts clouding our perception, it’s hard to think clearly. You are what you feed our mind, and why not use that to focus on positive things to help improve your mental health? Rather it is a digital, paperback, or audiobook (yes, “listening to an audiobook is the same as reading because you still have to listen word-for-word to make up the narrative,” says Louisa Smith, editor and founder at Epic Book Society.) Whatever genre you’re into, challenge yourself to go for it. Reading is good because it trains your mind to be focused, relieves stress, and helps you develop better communication skills. Some examples of books I have read that have been helpful with my journey to self-discovery and self-development are: Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty, The Angry Therapist by John Kim, Breath-The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor, and love Yourself as Your Life Depends on it by Kamal Ravikant. (Find a book that floats your boat)
- Learn a New Skillset: Like me, you’ve probably been too comfortable with a certain routine in your life, rather it was from your job or what you do daily, but challenge yourself to learn a new skill set. Get out of your comfort zone and find something you’ve always been interested in or wanted to know but never had the time for. Well, today’s the day, friend. Bring out your creativity and re-educate yourself to embrace this goal. Not only will it feel good once you’ve digested this ability or knowledge, but it will also spark up something you never thought you could achieve. Even if, along the way, the skill doesn’t pique your interest, at least you now have an idea of how to go about it, should you need to resort back and then move on to a new skill. (The options are limitless, don’t give up!) This will also heighten your brain to be excited about new opportunities; who knows? You might discover a hidden talent you never knew you had.
- Find Your Passion: Have you become subjugated by today’s society, especially in the workforce or with life at home, where you feel like you don’t know your purpose anymore? You’ve lost your endgame, and everything feels like you live in an unescapable system, working a 9 to 5 job, coming home, sleeping, rinsing, and repeating, to watch another day go by as another year passes. Just so you pay the bills and provide, wishing you can chase your dreams like others. One of the greatest things to self-development and discovery is finding what drives you. What is your passion? What do you want to do? Who do you want to become? Think deeply, and reflect on this subject. What would the world be missing out on if you didn’t chase this passion if you didn’t become who you were meant to be? What is something you know without doubt ignites the fire inside of you? (For me, it was always writing, but I didn’t start until going through some trials and tribulations in 2019) Perhaps, it’s time for you to pursue your dreams. Invest in your goals if you have a financial foundation that can help you. Even if you don’t have the money now, don’t give up and keep at it. Finding a job is never easy (Trust me, I know), but once you find a source of income, don’t forget to continue the investment in yourself. Passion allows us to find our true purpose in life and gives us the golden ticket to seek a life outside the box.
- Dieting and Nutrition: Besides the last four topics I mentioned, this one comes into play because what you put inside your body system affects how you operate in your daily life. Now I’m not a health guru but what has helped me is sticking to low-carb intake and eating food high in protein and fiber: Meat, fruits, and vegetables. (Tried to avoid processed food, ex: Fast food, junk food, etc.) Everyone has their nutrition and dieting plans. Find one that works for you. Some days, you might feel like jumping off the wagon, and it’s okay, but don’t stray too far away from your commitment to yourself. Eating healthy and watching what we feed our body will improve our mood and how we feel good about ourselves. (Boosting our optimism!) Not feeling bloated or exhausted from eating will aid your discipline in self-development. (You got this!)
- Sleep: Last but not least is sleep. This one should be pretty simple, right? Well, it’s easy to say but sometimes hard to get. Especially for many of us, who may have so much on our minds that it causes us to stay up late (Insomnia from overthinking) or from stress, wondering what’s going to happen next. (Worrying about certain outcomes of the future) Even though I am guilty of this, there is one thing that does help me to relax my body for a good night’s sleep by listening to relaxing melodies. Also, while practicing my breathing exercise (Like I described in my first blog) to ease my mind. Your body deserves love, and the best way to love and care for yourself is to want what’s best for you. (Sleep!) It’s hard to catch a full rest, but allowing your body to recharge is necessary. A night of good sleep will enable you not to feel drained the next day and helps your mind to become clearer to make better decisions. That way, you are ready to tackle any obstacle without feeling like you are running on low battery. Plus, it also helps with maintaining a healthy weight and reduces stress. (Who doesn’t want to reduce stress?)
Overall, I hope these six ways to improve your discipline can be useful for your journey as you continue to find your way in life. We got this! So, don’t give up. Take life one step at a time, even if it feels like baby steps. No matter what happens, keep pushing forward. Stay resilient! Thank you, and I’ll see you guys on the next blog. Take care of yourselves.