Why Self Discipline is the Path to Freedom
Discipline is not about restriction. It’s not about limitations. Discipline is the doorway to freedom. It is about choosing what kind of person you want to be and then taking action to be that person. Discipline is what allows you to become exactly who you want to become.
Every day I take an hour long walk. I use that time to pray and meditate. (Aaaaand, let’s be honest, sometimes the time is spent worrying and stressing and dissecting particular conversations that did not go the way I had hoped). Recently, I was out walking and meditating on the concept of manifestation, a topic that is of particular fascination to me. I had been studying manifestation magic and felt compelled to ask the Divine Source for financial abundance with my new business. I even offered up a sacred why: to allow me to spend more time in service.
I got an immediate response:
“Show me first that you can be disciplined with the time you have now.”
Daaaaamn, Universe.
Was I trying to convince the source of all life in this great universe that I would use my extra free time volunteering when currently my few free moments were spent scrolling mindlessly on Facebook Marketplace and barely waking up in time to do a 5 minute meditation before coffee and email grabbed my attention?
That response was the wake up call that I needed. Since then, self discipline has become one of the core pillars in my spiritual path (which doesn’t, by any means, mean I’ve mastered the concept) and a key message in my coaching.
Why Discipline Matters
Why is discipline so important?
Every moment is an opportunity to practice the life we want. When we overfill our calendars and spend our days running from one obligation to the next, we are in the practice of rushing through life. When we spend hours scrolling mindlessly or numbing out to television at the end of the day, we are in the practice of checking out. How we spend our days is how we spend our life.
No choice is small. Every decision we make sends ripple throughout our life. Does that sound scary? Then let me offer you the other perspective. Every small act that aligns with the life you want has the same wide ripple effect.
If I say I want to be a healthy person, I need to act like a health person. A healthy person eats whole foods and moves their body every day. If I want to be loving kindness, then loving kindness tells me to stop taking in toxic media, stop gossiping, stop complaining, and put an end to the victimization stories that my ego loves to play on repeat. To be love, I must feed on love.
What “Self-Discipline” Means
Discipline is not about restriction. It’s not about limiting our freedom. Discipline is the doorway to our freedom. It’s about choosing what kind of person you want to be and then taking action to be that kind of person. Discipline is what allows you to become exactly who you want to become. Self discipline, therefore, becomes the highest form of self love.
The Self Discipline Assessment
I am not here to tell you who you who you want to be. Only you can answer that that. Take a moment to ask yourself how you want to show up for this wild and precious life. What would make you truly happy? What would make you feel most aligned with your highest self?
Once you have clarity, take a moment to ask yourself the following questions.
Discipline of Mind
Are you mindful of what media you consume? Are you staying away from media that is toxic, judgmental, or unnecessarily dark or violent? Are you carrying around stories of victimhood or unforgiveness? What stories are you repeating? (psssst….did you know that the average person has about 60,000 thoughts per day. As many as 98 percent of them are exactly the same as the day before and 80 percent of those repeated thoughts are negative.)
Our experience in the world is largely created through out minds and what we take in becomes our experience. Expecting anything different is like going to the store and buying a can of paint labeled blue and expecting it to be red.
Tips:
Practice mindfulness through meditation.
Turn off the news and pour that energy to taking action in your local government.
Stop following social media accounts that cause you to feel judgment, envy, or any other toxic emotions. If you’re going to be on social media, find accounts that feed your spirit.
Notice the fear-based thoughts you’re playing on loop and start rewiring those thoughts into affirmation statements (Old thought: I’m never going to find a partner, no one wants me. New thought: I am a loving being who is worthy of giving and accepting love)
Discipline of Body
What are you putting in your body? Is your diet made up of take-out and overly processed convenient meals? Are you honoring your body's desire to move, stretch, build muscle, and burn fat? Are you doing what you need to get plenty of restful sleep? Is your home cluttered? Do you feel connected to the physical world around you?
Our body is the vessel through which our spirit experiences life. Our homes represent safety and security for this physical existence. When our physical word is a mess, our root chakra will feel out of alignment, compromising our very foundation and creating volatility that shakes through our entire being.
Tips:
Make a commitment to drink your water
Add more whole foods into your diet
Move your body everyday
Declutter your home, getting rid of anything that is no longer useful to you
Create a bedtime routine that supports healthy sleep
Disciple of Spirit
Are you showing up with integrity? Do you engage in gossip? Do you set healthy boundaries that honor yourself? How do you talk self to yourself? Is it with loving kindness or judgment and resentment? Do you have spiritual practices that connect you to others? Do you feel connected to the earth? Source? Community?
When our actions align with our spirit, we are in flow. We are living our truth from our heart center. Our heart center is love and it longs to connect with others. To live a soulful life means connecting in love first with yourself and then extending that heart connection to those who orbit you and beyond.
Tips:
Set boundaries that honor yourself
Be impeccable with your words. Your words create your experience and your experience create your reality. Choose your words wisely.
Practice Loving Kindness meditation each day
Find community with people who inspire you.
Self Discipline is Self Love
Living a life of self discipline is a proclamation that you deserve to embody your highest self. It is about consuming high vibrational food for the mind, body, and spirit. It means cherishing yourself and saying you are worthy. Discipline is trusting yourself by doing what you say and living in alignment with your purpose.
I can think of no greater form of self love.
Discipline is one of the 4 pillars from which I coach. Want to learn more about working with me? Check out my coaching packages or send me a message!
