“What growth is being stunted because you won’t embrace a discipline for fear of the sacrifice it will require? Steven Furtick, Crash the Chatterbox
Can anyone relate to this? This quote makes me cringe just a little. I think it’s because of that “D” word again – discipline. I don’t ever want to be disciplined about anything. Especially eating. Don’t even form your mouth to say the word:). However, as I grow “up” in this weight management thing, I find discipline is not so bad to have around.
Over the last year, I have become more disciplined about several things: eating more vegetables on the weekdays, choosing to have pizza every other week, exercising 3 times per week, and limiting my dessert. When I was just starting my weight loss journey, you couldn’t get me to be disciplined about anything. It felt like such a burden! I didn’t want to work out regularly. I didn’t want to eat the things I should most of the time. I just wanted to weigh less. But I didn’t want to do all the work. Sound familiar?
The only thing about my “plan” is the weight never seemed to stay off. Funny how that works. Despite having a front-row seat to watching the plan unfold (eat poorly, stop exercising, gain weight) with regularity, I still would continue with my poor discipline. For many years. Sigh.
This year, I’ve just learned I need to grow up. No more complaints without taking the action to make healthy lifestyle changes. I’ve realized my root problem – I just don’t want to give anything up. I want it all. To eat the cake, pizza, and fit into my jeans. To be free to be lazy, and feel good physically. What I continue to learn is that as long as I was afraid to let go, I was also unable to gain what I truly wanted. Freedom. Peace. No burdensome thoughts. As long as I was unwilling to be mature and set some necessary boundaries, I seemed to be unable to take hold of the things that I know are good for me. What a surprise.
Allowing discipline more of a role in my life has taught me several new things. I’m learning that sometimes you just have to say “no” to a food choice. No big explanation – just a no. And sometimes you just need to set the alarm and make yourself exercise. On a regular basis. And if I want to be at a healthy weight for the long-term, I need to be less vegetable-adverse than I have been previously. Discipline. Growth. No big rewards. Just little sacrifices that help me enjoy the freedom that I really want.
What about you? What do you need to be disciplined about?
