To create space...

self-dis·ci·pline

noun

noun: self-discipline

1. 1.

   the ability to control one's feelings and overcome one's weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it.
2. 
   

Yesterday I shared my decision to begin developing self-discipline by rising earlier. Why would I do such a thing, you ask? I've come to realize that, for me especially, how my day begins has a big impact on how the remainder of my day goes. When I awake with only enough time to shower and dress before rushing out the door for work, I arrive at the office feeling frumpy, disorganized, and mentally unprepared. This also usually means I have to stay at the office later to make up for my later arrival and I get home feeling exhausted, which only perpetuates a bad cycle throughout the week. 

My goal in rising earlier is to create more space for filling my head with good things before facing the outside world, time for cooking breakfast, and time for exercise. These things should have a good influence on several areas of my life at once. When my morning isn't rushed, it also allows me to take advantage of other opportunities that pop up later in the day. I know that when I have followed a good morning routine like this in the past, I feel much better prepared for whatever might cross my path each day.

I will be using the month of January to make rising early a life habit, by following the Early to Rise readings each day. Once this has become a habit, I will focus on another practical tool to develop self-discipline in a more specific area. If you have any tips or tools that have work well for you or if you are interested in doing the Early to Rise challenge with me, please let me know!

Also - I'm considering picking one thing I can do throughout the year that would be a small daily reminder of the discipline I'm trying to develop in myself. One of my friends did this one year by giving up chocolate (every time she ate something she had to think about what was in it). I'm not sure if I want to give up chocolate specifically, so I'd like to collect some other ideas as well. Comment below, on Facebook, or Tweet @afreshadventure.