Thoughtful Tuesdays: Discipline

It's taking every ounce of 'discipline' within me today to write this blog. I just got back from out patients at the hospital and found out I have bronchitis. Yuckie!! I just want this to be over with, the being sick bit, not the writing the blog bit just to clarify that a little. So as I first read today's excerpt I could feel a tremendous amount of resistance to the message. However as I continued reading, and put my bias and past experiences aside so I could truly read the real message here. I found it to be very helpful. I hope you too can filter out any negative feelings towards the word 'discipline' and see it as a healthy concept.

The following is an exact excerpt from the book Listening To Your Inner Voice by Douglas Bloch. I in no way possess any ownership of the following. I am simply sharing the thoughts, expressions and words of an author who has inspired me.

Discipline

It is no accident that the words discipline and disciple come from the same root. To be a disciple of any path, one must be disciplined. Life works best when we learn to discipline  ourselves.

Discipline liberates rather than confines you. Discipline allows you to function with ease and grace. After years of practicing strokes, a tennis player can hit the ball without having to think about it. What once took conscious effort is now second nature.

Unfortunately, many of us had discipline forced upon us as children. Naturally we rebelled against an externally imposed structure. We were not shown that true discipline always comes from within, and the motivation for that urge is love. When we are doing what we love, when we are pursuing something that has meaning, discipline becomes natural. As one Olympic athlete explained, "I don't mind working out every day. Because I love what I am doing, my training is not a burden but a joy."

Discipline is your ticket to freedom and path to excellence. Choose to be  disciplined in all your endeavors and become the master of yourself and your life.

Affirmations

         1. I lovingly do what  it takes to support the achievement of my goals.
         2. Discipline is my ticket to freedom.
         3. I do what it takes to do what I love.
         4. I make excellent use of my time.
         5. I reward myself for my efforts on a daily basis.
         6. Your Own ____________________.




Now time for me to boil some water and give my lungs a good steaming!