Have you ever said, “I just need to be more disciplined”? OR had someone else tell that to you? Especially in relation to food, working out, or career success?
Oy! My entire life I’ve never done well with discipline.
In fact, there are a couple words/phrases in my kdo dictionary that people closest to me know not to say, ever.
1) You’re being ridiculous.
2) You shouldn’t feel that way.
3) I don’t think you can do that/pull that off.
4) Discipline.
Instantaneously, I spit fire (love fire, but still fire).
The word discipline feels like I’m grinding, forcing, striving, and working really really hard in an uphill battle.
For a while I thought it was just me having issues with the word… but then, I looked up the definition.
Definition of discipline: “the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.”
Blech.
Training people (like dogs?).
Code of behavior (set by who?).
Punishment (body retreating, hells no).
Disobedience (am I 4 years old again?).
Very little about the definition of discipline is FREEING.
Instead, let me introduce a new word that may change some things…
DEVOTION.
Definition of devotion: love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. Faithfulness, fidelity, constancy, commitment, adherence, allegiance, dedication.
Quite a different feeling than discipline, huh?
There is no perfection in devotion. There is no punishment for someone else’s standard. It’s uncovering our own standard and becoming loyal to our true, wild, brave, beauty-full, aware, and ALIVE selves.
More devotion, less discipline.
You’ll get to where you want to be faster and be a whole hell of a lot happier.
Try this on for size today: Ask “how can I be devoted and loyal to my true self and needs today?” instead of “how can I be more disciplined today?”
What’s one specific way you can be more devoted and loyal to your true self today?
And if you want more bite-sized, fun, and uber easy ways to get there? Join my free Skinny Dip Society 10-day Challenge. Over 1000 ladies are joining the sisterhood, we want you with us!
Devoted to devotion,
