Discipline
Discipline. Discipline. Discipline.
This word, this action, this ability is one of the most powerful characteristics we as humans can have, and also one of the hardest. To discipline the body, spirit, and mind takes persistence, determination, focus, patience. Discipline is more than just a singular act, rather it is a combination of qualities that sculpt us into what we set our minds to.
"Discipline awakens us from our philosophical stupor and refines every aspect of the human person. Discipline doesn't enslave or stifle us; rather, it sets us free to soar to unimaginable heights. It sharpens the human senses, allowing us to savor the subtler tastes of life's experiences. Whether those experiences are physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual, discipline elevates them to their ultimate reality. It heightens every human experience and increases every human ability." [Rediscovering Catholicism]
I don't know about you, but in some areas of my life I lack discipline. Maybe a better way to put it is that I need a greater amount of discipline in ALL areas of my life. I'm sure you've had times in your life where you wish you were a little more disciplined.
Maybe you were wanting to get a better grade in a class, and knew you had to focus on studying to get there.
Maybe you were wanting to lose weight and take better care of your body, and knew you needed patience to wait for the results of your hard work to show.
Maybe you were wanting to strengthen a relationship and knew you needed persistence to keep on giving even if you didn't have anything left to give.
Each of these require characteristics; discipline.
It's so easy to get caught up in our selfishness, easy to play it safe in the box we drew for ourselves. Not having to leave our zone of familiarity, we never have to be uncomfortable. We never have to give until it hurts. We never have to do something we don't want to. In that, we never have to feel anything.
Sound good?
Maybe.
Maybe for awhile.
Maybe, but then we get uncomfortable. Did we just feel guilty for canceling plans with a friend because we didn't feel like going? Did we just feel a little nauseous when we walked by that man on the street asking for money? Did we just get a nervous stomach ache from saying no to volunteering for something we know we can do?
Did we just get uncomfortable in our comfortable box?
Henry Thoreau once said, "The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation." I think we all get that desire within us to do something more with our lives. We get that pull toward others, a yearning to be useful in this world, not to leave our mark, but to make an impression upon the people we meet. Even if they don't know our name, don't know anything about us, don't even know it was us, to help someone in some way, to do something unselfish makes us alive again. Makes us free. Makes us wake up from our notion that the world revolves around us.
Through discipline, we find ourselves.
I, and many of you, are in this constant battle to understand what we are supposed to do with our lives. Who are we supposed to be? Where are we supposed to go? What are we supposed to do? I have always needed to have a plan for my life. I wanted to know that I was working toward a goal. I was going to study to get a certain job, do this and that to get here and there. The list goes on. I'm sure you each have your own "plan" of what you want with your life, who you want to be with, where you want to live, what job you want to have. But what happens when life doesn't turn out that way? What happens when there's a curve in the road and you can't see where you're headed next? What then?
"God has placed you here for some purpose, but without discipline, you will never discover that purpose. Without discipline, you will march slowly and surely to join Thoreau's masses leading 'lives of quiet desperation.'"
I've come to discover that it's okay not to have a plan set in stone. When we find our lives changing and growing in new ways, we learn to adapt and change as well. Discipline of the mind, body, and spirit can help us through this change. When we discipline ourselves for a certain goal, we grow in all other fields of our lives. We become more patient, more understanding, more empathetic, more empowered, more confident, more willing to reach out to others and share with them the strength in discipline.
So maybe it's okay not to know what's on the next page. Maybe just disciplining ourselves with what we can will lead us to a better future.
"Our lives change when our habits change. Sometimes we fail, but there is no success that isn't checkered with failure. Don't give up. Press on, little by little."
I've been blessed with a few close friends that have helped me immensely in understanding discipline, motivating me when I cannot myself, giving me faith when I run out, and just listening when I need someone to care. I hope you always have someone who listens to you, believes in you, and always loves you.
Don't give up.
This word, this action, this ability is one of the most powerful characteristics we as humans can have, and also one of the hardest. To discipline the body, spirit, and mind takes persistence, determination, focus, patience. Discipline is more than just a singular act, rather it is a combination of qualities that sculpt us into what we set our minds to.
"Discipline awakens us from our philosophical stupor and refines every aspect of the human person. Discipline doesn't enslave or stifle us; rather, it sets us free to soar to unimaginable heights. It sharpens the human senses, allowing us to savor the subtler tastes of life's experiences. Whether those experiences are physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual, discipline elevates them to their ultimate reality. It heightens every human experience and increases every human ability." [Rediscovering Catholicism]
I don't know about you, but in some areas of my life I lack discipline. Maybe a better way to put it is that I need a greater amount of discipline in ALL areas of my life. I'm sure you've had times in your life where you wish you were a little more disciplined.
Maybe you were wanting to get a better grade in a class, and knew you had to focus on studying to get there.
Maybe you were wanting to lose weight and take better care of your body, and knew you needed patience to wait for the results of your hard work to show.
Maybe you were wanting to strengthen a relationship and knew you needed persistence to keep on giving even if you didn't have anything left to give.
Each of these require characteristics; discipline.
It's so easy to get caught up in our selfishness, easy to play it safe in the box we drew for ourselves. Not having to leave our zone of familiarity, we never have to be uncomfortable. We never have to give until it hurts. We never have to do something we don't want to. In that, we never have to feel anything.
Sound good?
Maybe.
Maybe for awhile.
Maybe, but then we get uncomfortable. Did we just feel guilty for canceling plans with a friend because we didn't feel like going? Did we just feel a little nauseous when we walked by that man on the street asking for money? Did we just get a nervous stomach ache from saying no to volunteering for something we know we can do?
Did we just get uncomfortable in our comfortable box?
Henry Thoreau once said, "The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation." I think we all get that desire within us to do something more with our lives. We get that pull toward others, a yearning to be useful in this world, not to leave our mark, but to make an impression upon the people we meet. Even if they don't know our name, don't know anything about us, don't even know it was us, to help someone in some way, to do something unselfish makes us alive again. Makes us free. Makes us wake up from our notion that the world revolves around us.
Through discipline, we find ourselves.
I, and many of you, are in this constant battle to understand what we are supposed to do with our lives. Who are we supposed to be? Where are we supposed to go? What are we supposed to do? I have always needed to have a plan for my life. I wanted to know that I was working toward a goal. I was going to study to get a certain job, do this and that to get here and there. The list goes on. I'm sure you each have your own "plan" of what you want with your life, who you want to be with, where you want to live, what job you want to have. But what happens when life doesn't turn out that way? What happens when there's a curve in the road and you can't see where you're headed next? What then?
"God has placed you here for some purpose, but without discipline, you will never discover that purpose. Without discipline, you will march slowly and surely to join Thoreau's masses leading 'lives of quiet desperation.'"
I've come to discover that it's okay not to have a plan set in stone. When we find our lives changing and growing in new ways, we learn to adapt and change as well. Discipline of the mind, body, and spirit can help us through this change. When we discipline ourselves for a certain goal, we grow in all other fields of our lives. We become more patient, more understanding, more empathetic, more empowered, more confident, more willing to reach out to others and share with them the strength in discipline.
So maybe it's okay not to know what's on the next page. Maybe just disciplining ourselves with what we can will lead us to a better future.
"Our lives change when our habits change. Sometimes we fail, but there is no success that isn't checkered with failure. Don't give up. Press on, little by little."
I've been blessed with a few close friends that have helped me immensely in understanding discipline, motivating me when I cannot myself, giving me faith when I run out, and just listening when I need someone to care. I hope you always have someone who listens to you, believes in you, and always loves you.
Don't give up.
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