Addressing problems or self-improvement in life is often seen as a matter of self discipline. Most people bristle at the thought of discipline. It implies control by another or punishment.
I see two main ingredients for self improvement of any kind: Commitment and routine. First, I know I must commit to a goal before making any headway at all. I will do this. It is very important to first look truthfully and realistically at any personal goal. Can I do this? Do I have to step back a bit and approach this in increments? Should I start with humbler goals first and work up to the greater goal?
Once committed to a realistic goal, routine is key. Studies in treating addiction and other disease have proven conclusively that basic daily routines can make to difference between treatment success and treatment failure. Routines can be changed as needed, but consistency in approaching any goal is helpful and effective.
The most crucial part of any daily routine is setting a consistent wake-up time and regimen. How you re-enter consciousness from sleep can determine the attitude you take into your day. For example, if you do not wake naturally in the morning, setting a quiet alarm or music for the same time every morning allows you to slowly re-enter consciousness. Stretching, while still on the bed, is helpful to relax and align your body before standing up. A period of stretching, yoga or other exercise before eating or drinking anything is helpful to activate your metabolism. It also eliminates cravings for too much caffeine to alert the body into action. Getting an inexpensive yoga mat makes this process comfortable and doable anywhere.
Once fully awake, I recommend allotting some time to organize the day. I use running lists, lists which I edit each day as I accomplish items on it. There is no activity too mundane for my list. This keeps the nagging minutia of life from falling through the cracks of daily demands and contingencies. My list helps me to get the most basic and important things done efficiently. This allows time for spontaneous activity with the relaxation that comes from knowing that necessities are being attended to.
At the end of each day, I recommend taking a short time to do an inventory of the day's successes and failures. The list is updated. The priorities for tomorrow are set. Some form of relaxation before going to bed is extremely helpful. Gentle stretching and simple deep breathing while clearing the mind are very conducive to falling asleep in a relaxed state. This facilitates going into a deeper and sounder sleep.
These routines are forms of self-loving and self-nurturing. If you take the time to display kindness and gentleness to yourself, you build habits which positively effect your behaviors towards others. Spoiling yourself with hedonist compensation while routinely abusing yourself is not the way to self-development. It is addictive behavior. Beginning a healthy routine tomorrow can be the beginning of a beautiful relationship...with your own body and mind.
