It’s a question I get a lot especially when people see the dedication of our Ashtanga yoga practitioners who get on the mat at the 6am Mysore class each day even if it’s 5 degrees outside. There are 2 key things that separate those that can maintain a long-term regular yoga practice and those that don’t.
First, long-term practitioners understand that discipline is a skill that can be learned and must be practiced. Others believe that they need to be born with it or that it is only possible when external conditions are perfect. ‘I’ll go when it’s not so cold” “I’ll go when work eases off a bit”. Successful students see that discipline, like the yoga poses themselves, can be learned and improved upon only when practiced over and over again in all conditions.
With this knowledge, set-backs aren’t seen as a reflection of who they are or as a failure of character, resulting in embarrassment and guilt. Successful students know setbacks are part of the learning process, leaving them free to try again next time.
Second, disciplined practitioners prioritise their health and well-being more highly than others.
There is a common belief that wellness is a luxury item. That health and well-being is something that we fit into whatever time we have left on our busy schedule after we have prioritised everything else. That we should feel guilty for taking time away from work or family to take care of ourselves. That being ‘busy’ is more important than being balanced. Some even think work/life balance is cramming in health activities on-top of an already full schedule.
Quite frankly, that’s nuts. If we aren’t well, how can we work effectively, be good partners, parents or friends? With the rise of physical & mental health issues that are now costing companies big-time, progressive organisations are now offering in-house wellness programs for this very reason. What a shame it took that for us to start thinking differently about the importance of our health.
Disciplined people know that work/life balance means compromise on how much work they take on and they have a different internal dialogue when it comes to how they feel about health. It’s a must-have, not an option. Once this happens, going to their yoga class becomes like brushing their teeth. They do it because it makes them better and if they didn’t they’d feel worse in the long-run.
This is good news, because it means that anyone can become disciplined. All you need is to believe you can change and that your wellness is a worth prioritising.
The key to becoming more disciplined is:
- Start Small. Identify one area you’d like to be more disciplined in, but keep it manageable. So instead of saying I’m going to quit sugar all together, maybe start by having one less sugar in your coffee.
- Prioritise Your Health Like You Do Everything Else. Diarise your yoga classes, block it your calendar, set reminders and reaffirm to yourself that it is not a negotiable because you matter and your health is important, not just for you, but for those that rely on you.
- Create Positive Pressure. Tell your partner, flat mate, work colleagues, even your barista so they can help support you and put some positive pressure behind your commitment.
- See Setbacks as Part of the Process. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t manage to see it through this time, try again and again. The more often you try the stronger your discipline ‘muscle’ becomes.
Change your thinking about discipline and you can change your whole life.
x L