It is not enough to have great qualities;
We should also have the management of them.
One of the most valuable gifts you can give yourself is learning to master your self-discipline. Learning how to tell yourself, “No” is an important skill to master to become a stronger, wiser and more mature person. Don’t be fooled. Self-discipline is not easy or sometimes simple. But there are clear benefits to mastering the important art of self-control.
Yesterday we talked about the benefits of self-discipline. Today we will continue with how to respect yourself more.
Respect all parts of yourself:
1. Body. Respect your body. Pay attention to the signals that your body sends you. You are wondrously, wonderfully and masterfully created, and your body will tell you when something is out of balance. Listen to the signals and address the issues accordingly. This will help you continue to work at your peak levels of performance.
2. Mind. Nurture your mind by filling it with positive and engaging information. How?
- Read books for the sheer joy of learning.
- Engage in meaningful conversations and discussions with people of different backgrounds and philosophies.
- Avoid negative people and conversations.
- Listen to uplifting music rather than allowing the television to bombard your mind with commercialism and negativity.
3. Spirit. Respect the spiritual part of yourself. It is important to feel connected to something larger than yourself. This connection can be made by meditating, praying or spending time in nature.
- Allow the spiritual side of yourself to become stronger and more important to you.
- Learn to base more of your decisions on the greater good rather than simply what feels good at the moment.
4. Health. Respect your physical health. Taking good care of your health requires self-discipline. Your body will help you accomplish amazing things if you treat it properly!
- Start eating a healthier diet.
- Get adequate rest.
- Exercise.
- Try to maintain a healthy weight.
- If you smoke, stop!
- If you are over-indulging in caffeine or alcohol, use your discipline to consume less.
5. Time. Respect your time. This includes your work time, family time, playtime and personal time. Make space in your life for every area of your life. Schedule family time as well as alone time, in the same way you do your work time and all of your other obligations.
By training yourself to put everything on your written (by hand, computer, smart phone), you can begin to create a priority within yourself and your growing self-discipline will help you stick to your priorities.
If you want to live your life to the fullest and achieve your goals, self-discipline is a must. Learning how to control your impulses and make strong decisions is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Self-discipline can bring you the life you always wanted.
Thoughts?
Photo Credit: Kris Krug via Compfight cc
Related articles
[…] Mastering your self-discipline pt. 2 […]