Re: stuff about discipline - sorry, this one got LONG!@

[Guest guest]

Very well said!

I especially like this line: " Discipline is a choice. choose to make

something a daily discipline, and then do it. if it came naturally to

you, it wouldn't be a discipline "

How True! I also agree with your examples of trying to be a better

person. In the BFL Book Bill devotes several pages discussing helping

and inspiring others, and it looks like you've really taken this to

heart...

> i was thinking a lot about discipline after i had a conversation

with a

> friend on the subject.

> he was talking about having a hard time committing to a physical

> regimen, and not having the discipline that i do to work out

everyday,

> and this got me thinking.

>

> ...for me, the thing about discipline, about having a discipline,

about

> really sticking with something, even when i don't feel like doing

it, is

> that it becomes very rewarding of its own accord.

> few people seem to believe or understand this.

> people frequently say to me " i wish i had that kind of discipline. "

> we've somehow come to think that discipline is like intelligence or

an

> ectomorphic body type- you either have it, or you don't. you were

either

> born with it, or you weren't. but it's not. *no one has discipline.*

> discipline is not something a person can possess. it is an action;

it is

> a verb. you " have " a discipline because you DO a practice. and once

you

> make a commitment to doing your practice, and you continue to do it

> daily, there is a peacefulness, a fulfillment, and a pride that

stems

> from fulfilling a commitment that is made only to oneself. there is

a

> gratitude and patience that comes from making a daily commitment

and

> consistently fulfilling it.

> As you consistently fulfill these commitments, you let the

accomplished

> days pile up behind you - and when you turn around and look back,

the

> long line of accomplished days is what you call your discipline.

and

> when you turn again and look forward, the long line of days ahead

of you

> look empty without the possibility of your commitment, and you will

not

> let those days be empty, so that is what you call your discipline.

the

> more accomplished days you collect, the less the days on which you

fail

> to practice sting, the less they matter, the less they mean. those

days

> are small in number and scope when compared to the expansive

collection

> of days filled with accomplishment.

> there are days when i want to do nothing at all, i want to stay in

bed.

> and if i can push myself just hard enough to do my few practices,

keep

> my few commitments, then it doesn't matter to me if i do nothing

else,

> because i feel as though i've accomplished the most important tasks

on

> my list.

> keeping my practice is satisfying. it's gratifying. it's humbling,

and

> it gives me something to strive for every day.

> it's a good way to live.

>

> as it stands, these are my daily disciplines:

>

> *meditation.* 10 minutes a day minimum, rain or shine.

> *exercise.* a bare minimum of 90 minutes of purposeful physical

activity

> 6 days a week, rain or shine. if i have a particularly busy day

ahead,

> and this commitment means i have to get up at 5 am, or stay up an

extra

> couple of hours, that's what i do. but it gets done, every day.

> i allow myself one rest day, but i usually end up doing something

like

> yoga, walking, pilates, or swimming on my rest day anyway, because

i get

> too antsy if i don't do it.

> *good nutrition.* honoring myself by eating when i'm hungry and

stopping

> when i'm satisfied every day, eating at least 95% vegan foods (i'm

> working on 100%, that's a new part of my discipline). if this means

i

> have to get up even earlier or stay up even later to pack lunches

for

> myself and nehemiah, that's what i do. this is a hard one for me,

but

> it's a daily commitment, and every day i do my absolute best to

honor it.

> *keeping track.* spending 5 minutes a day keeping my calendar and

to-do

> lists in order, and however long it takes to return phone calls and

> emails within a day of recieving them. when i don't do this i have

a

> tendency to forget things, be late for things, hurt peoples

feelings,

> and put things off indefinitely. life is easier when i'm organized.

> *making time.* i try never to be too busy for my friends and family.

> *displaying gratitude.* i express silent gratitude before and after

> every meal. i say thank you to bus drivers and service people, and

> teachers, and people who hold doors for me, and people who tell me

what

> time it is, and my friends for being my friends, and...basically

> everyone. i think that this is important, and it keeps me humble

and

> conscientious, and it keeps me connected to the cycle of giving

that i

> experience in my daily life.

> *kindness to strangers.* i make a consistent effort to be really

nice to

> strangers. i smile at people on the street. i ask people how

they're

> doing before i ask them anything else. i open doors for people, i

pick

> up things that people drop, i chase people who forget their change,

i

> give people pennies when they're digging in their wallet in front

of me

> in line, i share my lunch, i help people with school stuff, i try

to

> always be a little above and beyond courteous. i feel that this

comes

> back to me in many ways - for one thing, i'm often given things for

> free. or, in the case of the benefit show i'm currently organizing,

> where strangers are coming out of nowhere to offer their time,

effort,

> and energy to help me put on a show. or, like today - i ran up and

> opened a door for a woman with a badical afro at starbucks because

her

> hands were full. a few minutes later, as i was walking home, i saw

a

> truck pulled over up the block. when i walked by, i saw that it was

her,

> and she stuck her head out the window and offered me a ride to

wherever

> i was going. i was only a block from my house, so i declined, but

it was

> incredibly generous of her, considering she had no idea who i was,

and

> there have been many times when things like this have happened when

i

> really needed that kind of generosity from a stranger.

> *forgiving.* when i fail to do one of these things, or i dont do as

well

> as i'd like to, i do not beat myself up about it, i do not carry it

to

> bed with me, i do not carry it into my next activity. i fail, i

forgive,

> i move on, i try harder.

>

> many of these things were once conscious decisions that i had to

make,

> and now they're completely natural to me. the first four and the

last

> one item on the list often still require a real effort, where as

the

> rest of them are pretty much effortless parts of my personality at

this

> point. however, when i really fall off on one of these things, the

rest

> of them are fast to go as well. if i stop forgiving, i'm almost

certain

> to stop all the rest of them. if i stop eating well i'm almost

certain

> to stop exercising, or vice versa. if i stop eating well or

exercising

> (which hasn't happened in a while) i'm almost certain to stop being

kind

> to people and making time for people, because i start wallowing.

> wallowing is ugly and selfish and i've wasted way too much of my

life

> doing it. i try to keep myself from ever wallowing if i can avoid

it,

> because life is too precious and hours are too short.

>

>

> this is what i told my friend -

>

> 2 of the wisest things that were ever said to me were:

>

> Discipline is a choice. choose to make something a daily

discipline, and

> then do it. if it came naturally to you, it wouldn't be a

discipline.

>

> and,

>

> you don't have to feel like doing it, you just have to do it.

>

> i think about those two things daily, sometimes several times a day.

>

> ...

>

> i also try to remember " you don't have to do anything forever -

just

> today " . who knows what will happen tomorrow.

> discipline is a daily commitment, a chance to check in with

yourself

> every day, and make sure that your actions are still in line with

your

> beliefs, that your disciplines still serve you.

> if they do, make the commitment to practice today. tomorrow, make

that

> same commitment again.

> see how long you can keep making the commitment for.

> usually once you get going, it's damned near impossible to stop-

and you

> really miss it if you do.

> let forever take care of itself. do your practice today. that

brings

> your practice into the moment, into the present, which is a large

part

> of what it should be about anyway.

>

> and now that i have written you a huge rambly novel,

> i am going to go sit in my garden and have some lunch.

>

>

> jeez this thing got LONG#!(*!%(#!

> cera

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Cera,

Thanks for this message. Very well-said! Also I kind of needed it

because I had 2 free days last week instead of one, and have been

beating myself up over it. Bad habit.

After reading your email, I realized all the ways I have honored

myself in the past few years by practicing more discipline. I have

changed things about myself I never imagined I could ever change.

Used to be, though I would work out every weekday morning, every

weekend amounted to 3 free days, which included lots of social

drinking. There was a time I couldn't imagine eating clean all

weekend. Now I do [except free day, and even free day is becoming

more and more clean]. I couldn't imagine not having drinks with

friends. I haven't had a drink since I started this challenge, 10

weeks ago. I am back to meditating, living consciously, etc. Stuff

like that. Is it hard? Sometimes. But it's amazing the power we

unleash when we commit to ourselves. We become better all-around

human beings.

I think I will print out your email and put in on my refrigerator for

inspiration! Thanks very much for sharing your thoughts, I'm very

grateful for the reminders.

F

C1W10D5

> i was thinking a lot about discipline after i had a conversation

with a

> friend on the subject.

> he was talking about having a hard time committing to a physical

> regimen, and not having the discipline that i do to work out

everyday,

> and this got me thinking.

>

> ...for me, the thing about discipline, about having a discipline,

about

> really sticking with something, even when i don't feel like doing

it, is

> that it becomes very rewarding of its own accord.

> few people seem to believe or understand this.

> people frequently say to me " i wish i had that kind of discipline. "

> we've somehow come to think that discipline is like intelligence or

an

> ectomorphic body type- you either have it, or you don't. you were

either

> born with it, or you weren't. but it's not. *no one has discipline.*

> discipline is not something a person can possess. it is an action;

it is

> a verb. you " have " a discipline because you DO a practice. and once

you

> make a commitment to doing your practice, and you continue to do it

> daily, there is a peacefulness, a fulfillment, and a pride that

stems

> from fulfilling a commitment that is made only to oneself. there is

a

> gratitude and patience that comes from making a daily commitment

and

> consistently fulfilling it.

> As you consistently fulfill these commitments, you let the

accomplished

> days pile up behind you - and when you turn around and look back,

the

> long line of accomplished days is what you call your discipline.

and

> when you turn again and look forward, the long line of days ahead

of you

> look empty without the possibility of your commitment, and you will

not

> let those days be empty, so that is what you call your discipline.

the

> more accomplished days you collect, the less the days on which you

fail

> to practice sting, the less they matter, the less they mean. those

days

> are small in number and scope when compared to the expansive

collection

> of days filled with accomplishment.

> there are days when i want to do nothing at all, i want to stay in

bed.

> and if i can push myself just hard enough to do my few practices,

keep

> my few commitments, then it doesn't matter to me if i do nothing

else,

> because i feel as though i've accomplished the most important tasks

on

> my list.

> keeping my practice is satisfying. it's gratifying. it's humbling,

and

> it gives me something to strive for every day.

> it's a good way to live.

>

> as it stands, these are my daily disciplines:

>

> *meditation.* 10 minutes a day minimum, rain or shine.

> *exercise.* a bare minimum of 90 minutes of purposeful physical

activity

> 6 days a week, rain or shine. if i have a particularly busy day

ahead,

> and this commitment means i have to get up at 5 am, or stay up an

extra

> couple of hours, that's what i do. but it gets done, every day.

> i allow myself one rest day, but i usually end up doing something

like

> yoga, walking, pilates, or swimming on my rest day anyway, because

i get

> too antsy if i don't do it.

> *good nutrition.* honoring myself by eating when i'm hungry and

stopping

> when i'm satisfied every day, eating at least 95% vegan foods (i'm

> working on 100%, that's a new part of my discipline). if this means

i

> have to get up even earlier or stay up even later to pack lunches

for

> myself and nehemiah, that's what i do. this is a hard one for me,

but

> it's a daily commitment, and every day i do my absolute best to

honor it.

> *keeping track.* spending 5 minutes a day keeping my calendar and

to-do

> lists in order, and however long it takes to return phone calls and

> emails within a day of recieving them. when i don't do this i have

a

> tendency to forget things, be late for things, hurt peoples

feelings,

> and put things off indefinitely. life is easier when i'm organized.

> *making time.* i try never to be too busy for my friends and family.

> *displaying gratitude.* i express silent gratitude before and after

> every meal. i say thank you to bus drivers and service people, and

> teachers, and people who hold doors for me, and people who tell me

what

> time it is, and my friends for being my friends, and...basically

> everyone. i think that this is important, and it keeps me humble

and

> conscientious, and it keeps me connected to the cycle of giving

that i

> experience in my daily life.

> *kindness to strangers.* i make a consistent effort to be really

nice to

> strangers. i smile at people on the street. i ask people how

they're

> doing before i ask them anything else. i open doors for people, i

pick

> up things that people drop, i chase people who forget their change,

i

> give people pennies when they're digging in their wallet in front

of me

> in line, i share my lunch, i help people with school stuff, i try

to

> always be a little above and beyond courteous. i feel that this

comes

> back to me in many ways - for one thing, i'm often given things for

> free. or, in the case of the benefit show i'm currently organizing,

> where strangers are coming out of nowhere to offer their time,

effort,

> and energy to help me put on a show. or, like today - i ran up and

> opened a door for a woman with a badical afro at starbucks because

her

> hands were full. a few minutes later, as i was walking home, i saw

a

> truck pulled over up the block. when i walked by, i saw that it was

her,

> and she stuck her head out the window and offered me a ride to

wherever

> i was going. i was only a block from my house, so i declined, but

it was

> incredibly generous of her, considering she had no idea who i was,

and

> there have been many times when things like this have happened when

i

> really needed that kind of generosity from a stranger.

> *forgiving.* when i fail to do one of these things, or i dont do as

well

> as i'd like to, i do not beat myself up about it, i do not carry it

to

> bed with me, i do not carry it into my next activity. i fail, i

forgive,

> i move on, i try harder.

>

> many of these things were once conscious decisions that i had to

make,

> and now they're completely natural to me. the first four and the

last

> one item on the list often still require a real effort, where as

the

> rest of them are pretty much effortless parts of my personality at

this

> point. however, when i really fall off on one of these things, the

rest

> of them are fast to go as well. if i stop forgiving, i'm almost

certain

> to stop all the rest of them. if i stop eating well i'm almost

certain

> to stop exercising, or vice versa. if i stop eating well or

exercising

> (which hasn't happened in a while) i'm almost certain to stop being

kind

> to people and making time for people, because i start wallowing.

> wallowing is ugly and selfish and i've wasted way too much of my

life

> doing it. i try to keep myself from ever wallowing if i can avoid

it,

> because life is too precious and hours are too short.

>

>

> this is what i told my friend -

>

> 2 of the wisest things that were ever said to me were:

>

> Discipline is a choice. choose to make something a daily

discipline, and

> then do it. if it came naturally to you, it wouldn't be a

discipline.

>

> and,

>

> you don't have to feel like doing it, you just have to do it.

>

> i think about those two things daily, sometimes several times a day.

>

> ...

>

> i also try to remember " you don't have to do anything forever -

just

> today " . who knows what will happen tomorrow.

> discipline is a daily commitment, a chance to check in with

yourself

> every day, and make sure that your actions are still in line with

your

> beliefs, that your disciplines still serve you.

> if they do, make the commitment to practice today. tomorrow, make

that

> same commitment again.

> see how long you can keep making the commitment for.

> usually once you get going, it's damned near impossible to stop-

and you

> really miss it if you do.

> let forever take care of itself. do your practice today. that

brings

> your practice into the moment, into the present, which is a large

part

> of what it should be about anyway.

>

> and now that i have written you a huge rambly novel,

> i am going to go sit in my garden and have some lunch.

>

>

> jeez this thing got LONG#!(*!%(#!

> cera

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

i'm glad it's relatable. sometimes i live so much in my head that i dont

even know if i'm speaking the language. =)

i'm glad it was worth reading, too. i know it was long!

cera

wrote:

>Cera,

>Thanks for this message. Very well-said! Also I kind of needed it

>because I had 2 free days last week instead of one, and have been

>beating myself up over it. Bad habit.

>

>After reading your email, I realized all the ways I have honored

>myself in the past few years by practicing more discipline. I have

>changed things about myself I never imagined I could ever change.

>Used to be, though I would work out every weekday morning, every

>weekend amounted to 3 free days, which included lots of social

>drinking. There was a time I couldn't imagine eating clean all

>weekend. Now I do [except free day, and even free day is becoming

>more and more clean]. I couldn't imagine not having drinks with

>friends. I haven't had a drink since I started this challenge, 10

>weeks ago. I am back to meditating, living consciously, etc. Stuff

>like that. Is it hard? Sometimes. But it's amazing the power we

>unleash when we commit to ourselves. We become better all-around

>human beings.

>

>I think I will print out your email and put in on my refrigerator for

>inspiration! Thanks very much for sharing your thoughts, I'm very

>grateful for the reminders.

>

> F

>C1W10D5

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>>i was thinking a lot about discipline after i had a conversation

>>

>>

>with a

>

>

>>friend on the subject.

>>he was talking about having a hard time committing to a physical

>>regimen, and not having the discipline that i do to work out

>>

>>

>everyday,

>

>

>>and this got me thinking.

>>

>>...for me, the thing about discipline, about having a discipline,

>>

>>

>about

>

>

>>really sticking with something, even when i don't feel like doing

>>

>>

>it, is

>

>

>>that it becomes very rewarding of its own accord.

>>few people seem to believe or understand this.

>>people frequently say to me " i wish i had that kind of discipline. "

>>we've somehow come to think that discipline is like intelligence or

>>

>>

>an

>

>

>>ectomorphic body type- you either have it, or you don't. you were

>>

>>

>either

>

>

>>born with it, or you weren't. but it's not. *no one has discipline.*

>>discipline is not something a person can possess. it is an action;

>>

>>

>it is

>

>

>>a verb. you " have " a discipline because you DO a practice. and once

>>

>>

>you

>

>

>>make a commitment to doing your practice, and you continue to do it

>>daily, there is a peacefulness, a fulfillment, and a pride that

>>

>>

>stems

>

>

>>from fulfilling a commitment that is made only to oneself. there is

>>

>>

>a

>

>

>>gratitude and patience that comes from making a daily commitment

>>

>>

>and

>

>

>>consistently fulfilling it.

>>As you consistently fulfill these commitments, you let the

>>

>>

>accomplished

>

>

>>days pile up behind you - and when you turn around and look back,

>>

>>

>the

>

>

>>long line of accomplished days is what you call your discipline.

>>

>>

>and

>

>

>>when you turn again and look forward, the long line of days ahead

>>

>>

>of you

>

>

>>look empty without the possibility of your commitment, and you will

>>

>>

>not

>

>

>>let those days be empty, so that is what you call your discipline.

>>

>>

>the

>

>

>>more accomplished days you collect, the less the days on which you

>>

>>

>fail

>

>

>>to practice sting, the less they matter, the less they mean. those

>>

>>

>days

>

>

>>are small in number and scope when compared to the expansive

>>

>>

>collection

>

>

>>of days filled with accomplishment.

>>there are days when i want to do nothing at all, i want to stay in

>>

>>

>bed.

>

>

>>and if i can push myself just hard enough to do my few practices,

>>

>>

>keep

>

>

>>my few commitments, then it doesn't matter to me if i do nothing

>>

>>

>else,

>

>

>>because i feel as though i've accomplished the most important tasks

>>

>>

>on

>

>

>>my list.

>>keeping my practice is satisfying. it's gratifying. it's humbling,

>>

>>

>and

>

>

>>it gives me something to strive for every day.

>>it's a good way to live.

>>

>>as it stands, these are my daily disciplines:

>>

>>*meditation.* 10 minutes a day minimum, rain or shine.

>>*exercise.* a bare minimum of 90 minutes of purposeful physical

>>

>>

>activity

>

>

>>6 days a week, rain or shine. if i have a particularly busy day

>>

>>

>ahead,

>

>

>>and this commitment means i have to get up at 5 am, or stay up an

>>

>>

>extra

>

>

>>couple of hours, that's what i do. but it gets done, every day.

>>i allow myself one rest day, but i usually end up doing something

>>

>>

>like

>

>

>>yoga, walking, pilates, or swimming on my rest day anyway, because

>>

>>

>i get

>

>

>>too antsy if i don't do it.

>>*good nutrition.* honoring myself by eating when i'm hungry and

>>

>>

>stopping

>

>

>>when i'm satisfied every day, eating at least 95% vegan foods (i'm

>>working on 100%, that's a new part of my discipline). if this means

>>

>>

>i

>

>

>>have to get up even earlier or stay up even later to pack lunches

>>

>>

>for

>

>

>>myself and nehemiah, that's what i do. this is a hard one for me,

>>

>>

>but

>

>

>>it's a daily commitment, and every day i do my absolute best to

>>

>>

>honor it.

>

>

>>*keeping track.* spending 5 minutes a day keeping my calendar and

>>

>>

>to-do

>

>

>>lists in order, and however long it takes to return phone calls and

>>emails within a day of recieving them. when i don't do this i have

>>

>>

>a

>

>

>>tendency to forget things, be late for things, hurt peoples

>>

>>

>feelings,

>

>

>>and put things off indefinitely. life is easier when i'm organized.

>>*making time.* i try never to be too busy for my friends and family.

>>*displaying gratitude.* i express silent gratitude before and after

>>every meal. i say thank you to bus drivers and service people, and

>>teachers, and people who hold doors for me, and people who tell me

>>

>>

>what

>

>

>>time it is, and my friends for being my friends, and...basically

>>everyone. i think that this is important, and it keeps me humble

>>

>>

>and

>

>

>>conscientious, and it keeps me connected to the cycle of giving

>>

>>

>that i

>

>

>>experience in my daily life.

>>*kindness to strangers.* i make a consistent effort to be really

>>

>>

>nice to

>

>

>>strangers. i smile at people on the street. i ask people how

>>

>>

>they're

>

>

>>doing before i ask them anything else. i open doors for people, i

>>

>>

>pick

>

>

>>up things that people drop, i chase people who forget their change,

>>

>>

>i

>

>

>>give people pennies when they're digging in their wallet in front

>>

>>

>of me

>

>

>>in line, i share my lunch, i help people with school stuff, i try

>>

>>

>to

>

>

>>always be a little above and beyond courteous. i feel that this

>>

>>

>comes

>

>

>>back to me in many ways - for one thing, i'm often given things for

>>free. or, in the case of the benefit show i'm currently organizing,

>>where strangers are coming out of nowhere to offer their time,

>>

>>

>effort,

>

>

>>and energy to help me put on a show. or, like today - i ran up and

>>opened a door for a woman with a badical afro at starbucks because

>>

>>

>her

>

>

>>hands were full. a few minutes later, as i was walking home, i saw

>>

>>

>a

>

>

>>truck pulled over up the block. when i walked by, i saw that it was

>>

>>

>her,

>

>

>>and she stuck her head out the window and offered me a ride to

>>

>>

>wherever

>

>

>>i was going. i was only a block from my house, so i declined, but

>>

>>

>it was

>

>

>>incredibly generous of her, considering she had no idea who i was,

>>

>>

>and

>

>

>>there have been many times when things like this have happened when

>>

>>

>i

>

>

>>really needed that kind of generosity from a stranger.

>>*forgiving.* when i fail to do one of these things, or i dont do as

>>

>>

>well

>

>

>>as i'd like to, i do not beat myself up about it, i do not carry it

>>

>>

>to

>

>

>>bed with me, i do not carry it into my next activity. i fail, i

>>

>>

>forgive,

>

>

>>i move on, i try harder.

>>

>>many of these things were once conscious decisions that i had to

>>

>>

>make,

>

>

>>and now they're completely natural to me. the first four and the

>>

>>

>last

>

>

>>one item on the list often still require a real effort, where as

>>

>>

>the

>

>

>>rest of them are pretty much effortless parts of my personality at

>>

>>

>this

>

>

>>point. however, when i really fall off on one of these things, the

>>

>>

>rest

>

>

>>of them are fast to go as well. if i stop forgiving, i'm almost

>>

>>

>certain

>

>

>>to stop all the rest of them. if i stop eating well i'm almost

>>

>>

>certain

>

>

>>to stop exercising, or vice versa. if i stop eating well or

>>

>>

>exercising

>

>

>>(which hasn't happened in a while) i'm almost certain to stop being

>>

>>

>kind

>

>

>>to people and making time for people, because i start wallowing.

>>wallowing is ugly and selfish and i've wasted way too much of my

>>

>>

>life

>

>

>>doing it. i try to keep myself from ever wallowing if i can avoid

>>

>>

>it,

>

>

>>because life is too precious and hours are too short.

>>

>>

>>this is what i told my friend -

>>

>>2 of the wisest things that were ever said to me were:

>>

>>Discipline is a choice. choose to make something a daily

>>

>>

>discipline, and

>

>

>>then do it. if it came naturally to you, it wouldn't be a

>>

>>

>discipline.

>

>

>>and,

>>

>>you don't have to feel like doing it, you just have to do it.

>>

>>i think about those two things daily, sometimes several times a day.

>>

>>...

>>

>>i also try to remember " you don't have to do anything forever -

>>

>>

>just

>

>

>>today " . who knows what will happen tomorrow.

>>discipline is a daily commitment, a chance to check in with

>>

>>

>yourself

>

>

>>every day, and make sure that your actions are still in line with

>>

>>

>your

>

>

>>beliefs, that your disciplines still serve you.

>>if they do, make the commitment to practice today. tomorrow, make

>>

>>

>that

>

>

>>same commitment again.

>>see how long you can keep making the commitment for.

>>usually once you get going, it's damned near impossible to stop-

>>

>>

>and you

>

>

>>really miss it if you do.

>>let forever take care of itself. do your practice today. that

>>

>>

>brings

>

>

>>your practice into the moment, into the present, which is a large

>>

>>

>part

>

>

>>of what it should be about anyway.

>>

>>and now that i have written you a huge rambly novel,

>>i am going to go sit in my garden and have some lunch.

>>

>>

>>jeez this thing got LONG#!(*!%(#!

>>cera

>>

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

Even though it took me a couple of days to actually take the time to sit

down and read this post, I'm glad I did. I am in week 11 of my second

challenge, and have been off track miserably for the past week. I'm so

close to the end, but have still decided that it has been OK to not eat

right for the past week for some reason. I have felt horrible about the

choices that I have made, but this post has helped me to do some thinking

about what it is I really want for myself.

There is no way I'm going to reach my original goal in 10 days. But I'll

still finish, take my final photos and turn them in to EAS. I'll finish as

strong as I can, eat clean and not miss anymore workouts. I have to realize

that it is a daily commitment to myself and noone else.

Thanks, Cera, for that reflection. I needed that.

in WI

stuff about discipline - sorry, this

one got LONG!@

> i was thinking a lot about discipline after i had a conversation with a

> friend on the subject.

> he was talking about having a hard time committing to a physical

> regimen, and not having the discipline that i do to work out everyday,

> and this got me thinking.

>

> ...for me, the thing about discipline, about having a discipline, about

> really sticking with something, even when i don't feel like doing it, is

> that it becomes very rewarding of its own accord.

> few people seem to believe or understand this.

> people frequently say to me " i wish i had that kind of discipline. "

> we've somehow come to think that discipline is like intelligence or an

> ectomorphic body type- you either have it, or you don't. you were either

> born with it, or you weren't. but it's not. *no one has discipline.*

> discipline is not something a person can possess. it is an action; it is

> a verb. you " have " a discipline because you DO a practice. and once you

> make a commitment to doing your practice, and you continue to do it

> daily, there is a peacefulness, a fulfillment, and a pride that stems

> from fulfilling a commitment that is made only to oneself. there is a

> gratitude and patience that comes from making a daily commitment and

> consistently fulfilling it.

> As you consistently fulfill these commitments, you let the accomplished

> days pile up behind you - and when you turn around and look back, the

> long line of accomplished days is what you call your discipline. and

> when you turn again and look forward, the long line of days ahead of you

> look empty without the possibility of your commitment, and you will not

> let those days be empty, so that is what you call your discipline. the

> more accomplished days you collect, the less the days on which you fail

> to practice sting, the less they matter, the less they mean. those days

> are small in number and scope when compared to the expansive collection

> of days filled with accomplishment.

> there are days when i want to do nothing at all, i want to stay in bed.

> and if i can push myself just hard enough to do my few practices, keep

> my few commitments, then it doesn't matter to me if i do nothing else,

> because i feel as though i've accomplished the most important tasks on

> my list.

> keeping my practice is satisfying. it's gratifying. it's humbling, and

> it gives me something to strive for every day.

> it's a good way to live.

>

> as it stands, these are my daily disciplines:

>

> *meditation.* 10 minutes a day minimum, rain or shine.

> *exercise.* a bare minimum of 90 minutes of purposeful physical activity

> 6 days a week, rain or shine. if i have a particularly busy day ahead,

> and this commitment means i have to get up at 5 am, or stay up an extra

> couple of hours, that's what i do. but it gets done, every day.

> i allow myself one rest day, but i usually end up doing something like

> yoga, walking, pilates, or swimming on my rest day anyway, because i get

> too antsy if i don't do it.

> *good nutrition.* honoring myself by eating when i'm hungry and stopping

> when i'm satisfied every day, eating at least 95% vegan foods (i'm

> working on 100%, that's a new part of my discipline). if this means i

> have to get up even earlier or stay up even later to pack lunches for

> myself and nehemiah, that's what i do. this is a hard one for me, but

> it's a daily commitment, and every day i do my absolute best to honor it.

> *keeping track.* spending 5 minutes a day keeping my calendar and to-do

> lists in order, and however long it takes to return phone calls and

> emails within a day of recieving them. when i don't do this i have a

> tendency to forget things, be late for things, hurt peoples feelings,

> and put things off indefinitely. life is easier when i'm organized.

> *making time.* i try never to be too busy for my friends and family.

> *displaying gratitude.* i express silent gratitude before and after

> every meal. i say thank you to bus drivers and service people, and

> teachers, and people who hold doors for me, and people who tell me what

> time it is, and my friends for being my friends, and...basically

> everyone. i think that this is important, and it keeps me humble and

> conscientious, and it keeps me connected to the cycle of giving that i

> experience in my daily life.

> *kindness to strangers.* i make a consistent effort to be really nice to

> strangers. i smile at people on the street. i ask people how they're

> doing before i ask them anything else. i open doors for people, i pick

> up things that people drop, i chase people who forget their change, i

> give people pennies when they're digging in their wallet in front of me

> in line, i share my lunch, i help people with school stuff, i try to

> always be a little above and beyond courteous. i feel that this comes

> back to me in many ways - for one thing, i'm often given things for

> free. or, in the case of the benefit show i'm currently organizing,

> where strangers are coming out of nowhere to offer their time, effort,

> and energy to help me put on a show. or, like today - i ran up and

> opened a door for a woman with a badical afro at starbucks because her

> hands were full. a few minutes later, as i was walking home, i saw a

> truck pulled over up the block. when i walked by, i saw that it was her,

> and she stuck her head out the window and offered me a ride to wherever

> i was going. i was only a block from my house, so i declined, but it was

> incredibly generous of her, considering she had no idea who i was, and

> there have been many times when things like this have happened when i

> really needed that kind of generosity from a stranger.

> *forgiving.* when i fail to do one of these things, or i dont do as well

> as i'd like to, i do not beat myself up about it, i do not carry it to

> bed with me, i do not carry it into my next activity. i fail, i forgive,

> i move on, i try harder.

>

> many of these things were once conscious decisions that i had to make,

> and now they're completely natural to me. the first four and the last

> one item on the list often still require a real effort, where as the

> rest of them are pretty much effortless parts of my personality at this

> point. however, when i really fall off on one of these things, the rest

> of them are fast to go as well. if i stop forgiving, i'm almost certain

> to stop all the rest of them. if i stop eating well i'm almost certain

> to stop exercising, or vice versa. if i stop eating well or exercising

> (which hasn't happened in a while) i'm almost certain to stop being kind

> to people and making time for people, because i start wallowing.

> wallowing is ugly and selfish and i've wasted way too much of my life

> doing it. i try to keep myself from ever wallowing if i can avoid it,

> because life is too precious and hours are too short.

>

>

> this is what i told my friend -

>

> 2 of the wisest things that were ever said to me were:

>

> Discipline is a choice. choose to make something a daily discipline, and

> then do it. if it came naturally to you, it wouldn't be a discipline.

>

> and,

>

> you don't have to feel like doing it, you just have to do it.

>

> i think about those two things daily, sometimes several times a day.

>

> ...

>

> i also try to remember " you don't have to do anything forever - just

> today " . who knows what will happen tomorrow.

> discipline is a daily commitment, a chance to check in with yourself

> every day, and make sure that your actions are still in line with your

> beliefs, that your disciplines still serve you.

> if they do, make the commitment to practice today. tomorrow, make that

> same commitment again.

> see how long you can keep making the commitment for.

> usually once you get going, it's damned near impossible to stop- and you

> really miss it if you do.

> let forever take care of itself. do your practice today. that brings

> your practice into the moment, into the present, which is a large part

> of what it should be about anyway.

>

> and now that i have written you a huge rambly novel,

> i am going to go sit in my garden and have some lunch.

>

>

> jeez this thing got LONG#!(*!%(#!

> cera

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

I'm brand new to this program and this group message board and

already it's paying off! Wow, the things you wrote really spoke to

me. I've been struggling for so many years with my disordered eating

and lack of exercise and overexercise and everything else that goes

along with that, and the last couple of weeks I've had a lot of

lightbulb moments that eventually led me to doing the BFL program.

With this post you've provided me with yet another lightbulb moment.

Discipline. Thank you. I've printed out this post and I plan on

referring back to it because what you've spoken so eloquently about

covers your whole life...not just eating and exercising...although

one affects the other...but this is definitely one to remember.

> i was thinking a lot about discipline after i had a conversation

with a

> friend on the subject.

> he was talking about having a hard time committing to a physical

> regimen, and not having the discipline that i do to work out

everyday,

> and this got me thinking.

>

> ...for me, the thing about discipline, about having a discipline,

about

> really sticking with something, even when i don't feel like doing

it, is

> that it becomes very rewarding of its own accord.

> few people seem to believe or understand this.

> people frequently say to me " i wish i had that kind of discipline. "

> we've somehow come to think that discipline is like intelligence or

an

> ectomorphic body type- you either have it, or you don't. you were

either

> born with it, or you weren't. but it's not. *no one has discipline.*

> discipline is not something a person can possess. it is an action;

it is

> a verb. you " have " a discipline because you DO a practice. and once

you

> make a commitment to doing your practice, and you continue to do it

> daily, there is a peacefulness, a fulfillment, and a pride that

stems

> from fulfilling a commitment that is made only to oneself. there is

a

> gratitude and patience that comes from making a daily commitment

and

> consistently fulfilling it.

> As you consistently fulfill these commitments, you let the

accomplished

> days pile up behind you - and when you turn around and look back,

the

> long line of accomplished days is what you call your discipline.

and

> when you turn again and look forward, the long line of days ahead

of you

> look empty without the possibility of your commitment, and you will

not

> let those days be empty, so that is what you call your discipline.

the

> more accomplished days you collect, the less the days on which you

fail

> to practice sting, the less they matter, the less they mean. those

days

> are small in number and scope when compared to the expansive

collection

> of days filled with accomplishment.

> there are days when i want to do nothing at all, i want to stay in

bed.

> and if i can push myself just hard enough to do my few practices,

keep

> my few commitments, then it doesn't matter to me if i do nothing

else,

> because i feel as though i've accomplished the most important tasks

on

> my list.

> keeping my practice is satisfying. it's gratifying. it's humbling,

and

> it gives me something to strive for every day.

> it's a good way to live.

>

> as it stands, these are my daily disciplines:

>

> *meditation.* 10 minutes a day minimum, rain or shine.

> *exercise.* a bare minimum of 90 minutes of purposeful physical

activity

> 6 days a week, rain or shine. if i have a particularly busy day

ahead,

> and this commitment means i have to get up at 5 am, or stay up an

extra

> couple of hours, that's what i do. but it gets done, every day.

> i allow myself one rest day, but i usually end up doing something

like

> yoga, walking, pilates, or swimming on my rest day anyway, because

i get

> too antsy if i don't do it.

> *good nutrition.* honoring myself by eating when i'm hungry and

stopping

> when i'm satisfied every day, eating at least 95% vegan foods (i'm

> working on 100%, that's a new part of my discipline). if this means

i

> have to get up even earlier or stay up even later to pack lunches

for

> myself and nehemiah, that's what i do. this is a hard one for me,

but

> it's a daily commitment, and every day i do my absolute best to

honor it.

> *keeping track.* spending 5 minutes a day keeping my calendar and

to-do

> lists in order, and however long it takes to return phone calls and

> emails within a day of recieving them. when i don't do this i have

a

> tendency to forget things, be late for things, hurt peoples

feelings,

> and put things off indefinitely. life is easier when i'm organized.

> *making time.* i try never to be too busy for my friends and family.

> *displaying gratitude.* i express silent gratitude before and after

> every meal. i say thank you to bus drivers and service people, and

> teachers, and people who hold doors for me, and people who tell me

what

> time it is, and my friends for being my friends, and...basically

> everyone. i think that this is important, and it keeps me humble

and

> conscientious, and it keeps me connected to the cycle of giving

that i

> experience in my daily life.

> *kindness to strangers.* i make a consistent effort to be really

nice to

> strangers. i smile at people on the street. i ask people how

they're

> doing before i ask them anything else. i open doors for people, i

pick

> up things that people drop, i chase people who forget their change,

i

> give people pennies when they're digging in their wallet in front

of me

> in line, i share my lunch, i help people with school stuff, i try

to

> always be a little above and beyond courteous. i feel that this

comes

> back to me in many ways - for one thing, i'm often given things for

> free. or, in the case of the benefit show i'm currently organizing,

> where strangers are coming out of nowhere to offer their time,

effort,

> and energy to help me put on a show. or, like today - i ran up and

> opened a door for a woman with a badical afro at starbucks because

her

> hands were full. a few minutes later, as i was walking home, i saw

a

> truck pulled over up the block. when i walked by, i saw that it was

her,

> and she stuck her head out the window and offered me a ride to

wherever

> i was going. i was only a block from my house, so i declined, but

it was

> incredibly generous of her, considering she had no idea who i was,

and

> there have been many times when things like this have happened when

i

> really needed that kind of generosity from a stranger.

> *forgiving.* when i fail to do one of these things, or i dont do as

well

> as i'd like to, i do not beat myself up about it, i do not carry it

to

> bed with me, i do not carry it into my next activity. i fail, i

forgive,

> i move on, i try harder.

>

> many of these things were once conscious decisions that i had to

make,

> and now they're completely natural to me. the first four and the

last

> one item on the list often still require a real effort, where as

the

> rest of them are pretty much effortless parts of my personality at

this

> point. however, when i really fall off on one of these things, the

rest

> of them are fast to go as well. if i stop forgiving, i'm almost

certain

> to stop all the rest of them. if i stop eating well i'm almost

certain

> to stop exercising, or vice versa. if i stop eating well or

exercising

> (which hasn't happened in a while) i'm almost certain to stop being

kind

> to people and making time for people, because i start wallowing.

> wallowing is ugly and selfish and i've wasted way too much of my

life

> doing it. i try to keep myself from ever wallowing if i can avoid

it,

> because life is too precious and hours are too short.

>

>

> this is what i told my friend -

>

> 2 of the wisest things that were ever said to me were:

>

> Discipline is a choice. choose to make something a daily

discipline, and

> then do it. if it came naturally to you, it wouldn't be a

discipline.

>

> and,

>

> you don't have to feel like doing it, you just have to do it.

>

> i think about those two things daily, sometimes several times a day.

>

> ...

>

> i also try to remember " you don't have to do anything forever -

just

> today " . who knows what will happen tomorrow.

> discipline is a daily commitment, a chance to check in with

yourself

> every day, and make sure that your actions are still in line with

your

> beliefs, that your disciplines still serve you.

> if they do, make the commitment to practice today. tomorrow, make

that

> same commitment again.

> see how long you can keep making the commitment for.

> usually once you get going, it's damned near impossible to stop-

and you

> really miss it if you do.

> let forever take care of itself. do your practice today. that

brings

> your practice into the moment, into the present, which is a large

part

> of what it should be about anyway.

>

> and now that i have written you a huge rambly novel,

> i am going to go sit in my garden and have some lunch.

>

>

> jeez this thing got LONG#!(*!%(#!

> cera

>

>

>

>