Do you stay up late every night and then start every day at a hectic pace, running around making lunches for you and your kids, ironing your clothes, or looking for your car keys?Try to imagine the difference it would it would make if you lived a disciplined life and everything was in order.
\nYour clothes are pressed the night before; your lunches are packed in the fridge, ready to go. You know where you kids shoes are (and you know their homework is finished). Your keys are where you always leave them, because everything in your home has a place.A disciplined life extends beyond the material. You plan for the \u201cwhat if\u2019s\u201d of life.\u00a0 You leave yourself plenty of time to get where you\u2019re going so you\u2019re not one of those folks speeding down the highway yelling \u201cget out of my way\u201d or worse, putting on your mascara at 65 miles an hour! You don\u2019t wait until the last minute to start on projects. You have clear, defined goals and a purpose for each day.<\/p>\n
A disciplined life starts with self-discipline. Webster\u2019s defines self-discipline as \u201ccorrection or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement\u201d.\u00a0 I prefer \u201cthe ability to get yourself to take action regardless of your emotional state\u201d. Why?\u00a0 Because I believe chaos and clutter in your home can make it difficult to accomplish even the simplest tasks and can even lead to depression. The messier your physical surroundings are, the more difficultly you\u2019ll have with everyday tasks, and the more difficult it will be to motivate yourself to be your best each day.<\/p>\n
A woman I knew would say \u201cI wish my house was clean\u201d every time she visited. My response?\u00a0 Well, clean it!\u00a0 (Did she really think my house cleaned itself every day?) She wanted her home to look like mine but didn\u2019t have the self-discipline to accomplish any of her \u2018wishes\u2019.\u00a0 “Don’t have a wishbone where your backbone should be!” <\/em>is one my new favorite sayings. Wishing things were different won\u2019t change things. Another favorite quote is Thomas Jefferson\u2019s “Never put off \u2018till tomorrow what you can do today.”<\/em><\/p>\n If you have to search through endless stacks of paper to find your checkbook so you can pay your bills, you\u2019re going to resent the task of bill paying.\u00a0 If you\u2019re trying to lose weight or make healthy meals for your family but you never have the right ingredients on hand, it\u2019s going to be easier to just order a pizza for dinner. If you were planning to wear your favorite slacks only to discover they\u2019re in the laundry, your day is already off to a bad start.<\/p>\n A disciplined life has its own rewards. You will experience less stress and increase your peace, joy, and confidence. Setting and achieving goals will give you a sense of accomplishment and improve your self-esteem. A well-planned day will result in increased productivity. You\u2019ll enjoy better health by eating right and getting proper rest. You can<\/em> learn to be more self-disciplined?<\/p>\n