What is self-discipline? This frequently asked question can be answered simply with the statement that it’s the ability to control emotions and overcome weaknesses. But the meaning goes much deeper than this – self-control is a sign of inner strength – and self-discipline provides you with the power to stick to your decisions and follow them through in order to achieve set goals. To control emotions is nothing to do with repressing emotions. Controlling our emotions is to be aware of our emotions, to feel but not allow the emotions to control us.
Self-discipline assures lasting success in all aspects of life as you ultimately take control of your habits and your choices. It takes practise as putting off immediate comfort for long-term success can be difficult. Self-discipline overcomes the emotional mind by moving forward with physical action.
See how to develop self-discipline here…
Understanding Self-Control
Self-control is a valuable asset as it enables changing inner responses and stops acting on impulse response – a discipline in the face of pressure from an immediate urge. Emotions and desires controlled in difficult situations provide the ability to regulate and alter reactions and can be important for health and well-being.
Discipline reduces inner battles and temptations are reduced increasing enjoyment with life generally. The struggle of self-control is the conflict between intellectual knowing and emotional desiring.
Self-Discipline Expression
Self-discipline is a pattern of behaviour where you choose to enjoy doing what will be good for you. At the beginning it looks too much effort but paying attention to what we are saying to ourselves is the key. Our inner dialogue is the one who will convince us to enjoy it or hate it. This inner willpower and assertion is a controlled performance and essential to accomplishing goals and leading a healthy and happy lifestyle.
Improved self-discipline will help establish good habits and develop your control, and proven methods can do this. See how to improve self-discipline below:
- Eat a balanced diet, we need to discover what is the best type of diet to keep our metabolism working properly.
- Remove temptations – this can be done by taking away distractions such as getting rid of junk food if you’re taking control of your eating habits, or turning off your mobile phone to improve work focus.
- Change your normal routine. A routine is when our behaviour becomes habit decision-making skills are stopped and functions rely on auto-pilot. Breaking a routine and building a new one will initially feel wrong and uncomfortable, but if we persevere breaking routines we will obtain extra energy, because we will have available all the energy we were using before. This extra energy is what we need to achieve new goals.
- Move forward – if you have a setback simply acknowledge what caused it and move on. Don’t get wrapped up in guilt and frustration as these emotions won’t help with how to build self-discipline. Learn how to forgive yourself and use these downs as learning experiences for the future. Allow yourself to make mistakes, these mistakes are proof you are moving.
Self-Discipline Importance
The importance of self-discipline is that it helps improve life in many ways. Benefits come from:
- Decreasing stress and anxiety because we move out of the powerless victim rol, promoting independent decisions and taking the full responsibility of our lives.
- Increasing physical health – enabling resistance to addiction and lessening the risks of obesity.
- Having better relationships with people because we don’t need to be other than we really are, enjoying the adventure to know ourselves and to develop our potentials without expecting approval.
- Becoming more resilient – a resilient person has a belief in their own abilities to manage challenges and situations effectively, and gives better control over impulses and delayed gratification.
- Feeling more content – the power of self-discipline will ensure a more creative and happier being as the feeling of control in the origin of behaviour is recognised and understood.
Self-Discipline Training
Self-discipline training begins with acknowledging areas in your life where you struggle. This identification phase will show where you need to pay attention. In Spirit Vine retreat Center we request all participants to make lists with their intentions and priorities, in our workshops we go deep to discover the causes of blockages and how to start applying our skills to achieve our goals. Sometimes the blockage can be to have other people’s goals thinking are ours.
Writing down what you do will help identify your strengths and weaknesses and understand your abilities. Reflecting on your values will also help determine what aspects of your life need to be addressed.
Examining the responses you have for themes and patterns will show the core values you have which may include ambition, ingenuity, community, or making a difference. Living a life aligned with your values can lead to greater feelings of success and satisfaction.
The Neuropsychology of Self Discipline
The neuropsychology of self-discipline is a seven-step process to build your power of self-discipline and motivation. These steps are defined below:
1. Create a purpose – define what you want to accomplish giving you a cause to make the effort
2. Find role models – these provide you with the belief that your goal can be achieved and a plan to follow
3. Sensory vision – see yourself getting rewards for achieving your goal and make the vision come alive
4. Emotion – when your vision becomes atomic in nature, you’re now motivated to complete the following action steps
5. Planning – determine exactly what you need to do to achieve your goal and the time it will take, turning the vision into a solid plan
6. Knowledge and skills – mastering skills and developing confidence will provide the ability to get you closer to your goal and increase your motivation energy
7. Persistence and Perseverance – staying with your vision no matter how hard it is and how long it takes, and persevering through emotional setbacks and pain to bring you closer to your vision of belief and change your life
Connect with Your Vision
Visiting Spirit Vine Ayahuasca retreats in Brazil will provide you with an opportunity to connect with your essence at a deeper level. Participants realize that it is not always comfortable to re experience painful memories or to realize how much we failed but is the only way to accept our human part, but a human with an immense potential. Learning to feel without feeling a victim is a key to gaining discipline and enjoying the process.
