How to Cultivate Self- Discipline in 4 Powerful Ways

Self-discipline is one of the most, (if not THE most) important aspect of your self care journey. I can see the eye rolling through the screen. TRUST me, I used to roll my eyes at that type of talk too, I get it. But seriously, you're never going to achieve your goals if you don't get up and start mastering your days. Mastering your days takes diligence. Diligence is something that takes time and practice. I'm on year three of my self-care journey and STILL am teaching myself and learning more everyday about self-discipline. It helps you stay focused, motivated, and on track towards your goals, as we all know. The cultivation of self-discipline, however, is much more difficult than it seems. The process requires consistent effort, dedication, and a willingness to push forward despite discomfort. So, how do you start? In this blog post, I want to talk about four effective ways to cultivate self-discipline: using the 5-second rule, starting things you're uncomfortable with, journaling, and creating a routine.

1. Using the 5-Second Rule

With the 5-second rule, you can overcome procrastination and take action in order to reach your goals. The concept is straightforward: whenever you feel the urge to procrastinate or hesitate, give yourself up to 5 seconds, and just get up. Using this technique, you can stop overthinking and stop letting your thoughts talk you out of getting up. This 5 second rule creates a sense of urgency to take action.

For example, if you're struggling to get out of bed in the morning, use the 5-second rule to motivate yourself to get up. Count down from 5 to 1 and then force yourself to get out of bed and start your day. Practicing this will help build up your self-discipline skills.

2. Starting Things You're Uncomfortable With

Self-discipline mainly requires you to do things that are uncomfortable or challenging. Whether it's starting a new gym, taking a pottery class alone, or having difficult conversations, the key is to embrace discomfort and take action anyway. Remember, you'll never get the life you want if you stay where you are in your comfort zone. Putting yourself out there and taking action is the only way to get the life you want. The best way to start new things is by setting small, doable goals that push you out of your comfort zone, but aren't too overwhelming to be accomplished at first. For example, if you're trying to develop the habit of exercising, start with a short, 10-15-minute workout each day and gradually increase the duration over periods of time. Starting small and gradually working up to your goal allows you to challenge yourself without feeling burnt out. By practicing this, you can build the self-discipline and confidence to take on more significant challenges.

3. Journaling

Through journaling, you can cultivate self-discipline by becoming more aware of yourself and enhancing your motivation. As you write down your goals, track your progress, and reflect on your experiences, you will gain a deeper understanding of your habits, strengths, and weaknesses. Start your journal by setting aside a few minutes each day. A journal is your own personal diary of your thoughts, fears and aspirations. Take time to reflect on your goals and identify specific actions you can take to achieve them. You should also take a few minutes each day to reflect on your progress, express gratitude and identify areas where you can improve. By doing so, you'll always be aware of how you're doing mentally, what progress you've made and areas that need more work. By looking at journaling as a tool for mapping out what you want in life and figuring out how to get there, it won't feel like a chore.

4. Creating a Routine

Lastly, establishing a routine can help you develop the self-discipline you need to succeed. By establishing a consistent schedule for your day, you can reduce decision fatigue and create a sense of structure and lessen procrastination. To create a routine, start by identifying your most important goals of the day and the actions needed to achieve them. Then, map out a schedule that includes specific times for work, exercise, relaxation, time for anything you want to do, and other activities. When you keep to a routine, you can build the self-discipline necessary to make progress towards your goals, even when you don't feel motivated.

As you incorporate each of these steps into your life, you'll see that your outlook on yourself and on life begin to drastically change. You are now stepping into your power and taking action to achieve the life you want. Remember, self-discipline is not something that comes naturally to everyone. However, with consistent effort, dedication, and diligence, it can be strengthened overtime. It's time to start working towards your dream life!