Heal Your Relationship With Discipline
- Lay Jordan
- May 19
- 7 min read
Have you ever paused to consider the person you are evolving into? Beyond the surface-level goals and aspirations, there's a deeper question of who you're becoming through your everyday choices and habits. Discipline often takes center stage in personal development conversations because it's the foundation of lasting transformation.
Often, we view discipline as a harsh taskmaster, pushing us toward our respective goals. But what if we saw it differently? The reality is that discipline bridges the gap between who we are today and who we're meant to become, but that doesn’t change the fact that many of us have an unstable relationship with this aspect.
Having a stable relationship with discipline starts from within - it's deeply connected to the health of our soul and mindset. Just as an unhealthy soul can manifest in physical symptoms like fatigue and stress, an unhealthy relationship with discipline often stems from deeper emotional roots. Many of us struggle with discipline not because we lack willpower, but because we're carrying emotional burdens, past regrets, or unresolved inner conflicts that poison our efforts before they even begin.
Think of your relationship with discipline like tending to a garden. The visible aspects - the routines, habits, and daily practices - are like the plants above ground. But what truly determines their growth are the roots beneath the surface: your self-talk, beliefs, and emotional well-being. If these roots are infected with bitterness, self-doubt, or unrealistic expectations, no amount of surface-level discipline will flourish. We must become active gardeners of our inner landscape, carefully removing toxic thoughts and nurturing healthy ones.
If you clicked on this blog post, you are most likely looking for inspiration on how you can heal your relationship with discipline. Maybe you are experiencing what many of us know as a "slump" - that period of stagnation where progress feels distant, motivation wanes, and productivity takes a nosedive. The real challenge isn't just identifying when we're in a slump (we usually know), but catching ourselves before we fall too deep into one. And here's something important to remember: slump seasons are deeply personal. While I typically experience mine from mid-February through March, yours might come at different times or be triggered by different circumstances.
So, For Our Mind Shift for the week, remember these words:
Every day is practice for who you are becoming
You can save this as a reminder
This mindset shift helps us view discipline not as a harsh master demanding perfection, but as a daily opportunity for growth and learning. When we frame each day as practice, we remove the pressure of getting everything right immediately and instead focus on the gradual process of improvement, making our relationship with discipline more sustainable and compassionate.
Mondays are for getting our minds right for the week, so here is other recent content:
Episode 51. Mindset Shift for Negative Self-Talk [Posted earlier today on all platforms (besides YouTube, which is uploaded on Thursdays); Show Notes will be available Saturday, 10 PM EST. Remember to follow the podcast to never miss an episode and to rate it 5 stars so more like-minded people can join our little community.]
Manifest Your Dream Life: 'Operation Finish Line' Summer Edition
This is the Show Notes for Episode 50 of the Podcast: Ready to transform your summer into a season of intentional manifestation? Discover how to harness the unique energy of longer days and vibrant atmospheres to create your dream life. Through a blend of structured goal-setting and spontaneous exploration, this guide offers practical techniques inspired by the ambitious spirit of Gilmore Girls' Paris Geller. Whether you're seeking personal growth, creative expansion, or lifestyle transformation, these summer manifestation strategies will help you embrace the season's natural momentum for change.
Last Week's Wins: My Journey with Being Consistent
Last week was one of those for me, and I want to share how these small wins are actually helping me build a better relationship with discipline:
Getting Those Steps In: I finally hit my step goals consistently! Not because I forced myself, but because I found ways to make it fun. It helps when I now do shorter workouts and also don’t pressure myself to get 10k in one go. I used to try to get it done all in the morning, but I would exhaust myself before the day ever really started, and so I had to change my approach with my fitness routine.
Tackling the Home Front: I've been putting off deep cleaning for ages. But instead of beating myself up about it, I broke it down into smaller tasks. Did everything get done perfectly? Nope. But the important thing is, I showed up and did what I could. Cleaning is one of those things that I get really distracted with and because of that, I give myself 2 minutes to do as much as possible to build momentum because once I start it, I’ll keep going and if I do get distracted, the vibration from the timer on my watch pulls me out and reminds me what my mission is.
Water Intake Journey: I've always struggled with drinking enough water, but I found a way that worked to increase my intake. 8 oz to 16 oz before I exercise. Then, 8 oz while exercising and another 8oz after. I’m still trying to improve this structure because after those cues, I tend to forget to make sure I stay hydrated when I am not exercising.
Study Progress: Made it through three modules of my course(s)! Some days were tough (especially when impostor syndrome kicked in), but I reminded myself that progress isn't always linear.
What I'm Working On: Getting Real About Discipline
Let me share what's currently on my mind that I want to work on this week:
Body Wisdom & Energy Flow
Last week has been a powerful lesson in body awareness. After experiencing post-meal fatigue and headaches, I've realized that pushing through physical signals isn't sustainable. I'm now tracking my energy levels throughout the day and noticing patterns, especially around meals. Instead of dismissing these symptoms, I'm documenting what I eat, when I eat, and how I feel afterward. This data will help me make more informed decisions about my eating patterns and rest cycles.
The goal isn't to find a quick fix, but to understand my body's unique rhythms and needs. I'm learning that sustainable discipline means working with my body, not against it. This might mean adjusting meal timing, portion sizes, or even the types of foods I consume at different times of the day.
Growth & Learning Curve
You know that feeling when you're learning something new and your brain feels like it’s a computer going into overdrive? That's me with my current coursework.
But here's what I'm learning: struggling doesn't mean I'm failing. It's just part of the process, even though my perfectionist side sometimes screams otherwise. Sometimes you just have to say to yourself, “It’s not hard, the newness is intimidating,” and then write down what you aren’t understanding in the topic to dive deeper into research.
In my case, I understand aspects of the tool I’m learning about (like what they are for), but I don’t necessarily think I’m able to identify how to use it. It may take some extra material for me to truly understand it, but allowing myself grace and patience as I am trying is so important.
Next Steps
Being kind to myself while showing up daily (even when I don't feel like it)
Finding learning methods that actually work for my brain
Tracking when I feel most energized (because forcing productivity during low-energy times just doesn't work)
Creating a sleep routine that feels natural, not forced
Real discipline isn't about being harsh with ourselves. It's about building a relationship with ourselves that's based on understanding, respect, and consistency. Sometimes that means pushing forward, and sometimes it means taking a step back to reassess.
Content Corner
Speaking of evolving perspectives, I recently came across an article called “Personal Development 2.0: The 7 Laws of System Sunday”. It deeply resonated with my journey in technology and personal development. The piece explores how AI and technological advancement are reshaping our approach to success and personal growth, themes that perfectly align with my current focus on building sustainable systems.
What caught my attention was the article's emphasis on data-driven decision-making and automation. While I had touched on similar concepts in Episode 46 of the A Little Atypical podcast, revisiting these ideas now, with my enhanced understanding of analytics and emerging technologies, I found myself discovering layers I hadn't previously considered.
The article presents a compelling perspective on how technological acceleration fundamentally transforms the landscape of personal development. Its prediction that AI will contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030 emphasizes the scale of change we're experiencing. This statistic isn't just a number, it represents the massive shift in how we'll need to approach personal and professional growth in the coming years.
Reflecting on how my own perspective has evolved since my February podcast is fascinating. Back then, I was just beginning to grasp these concepts. Now, with more hands-on experience in analytics and emerging tech, I can better appreciate the depth and implications of these insights. This evolution in understanding perfectly illustrates how our relationship with discipline must also evolve to keep pace with our changing world.
This brings us back to our central theme: healing our relationship with discipline isn't just about creating better habits - it's about adapting our approach to growth in an increasingly digital and automated world. As we navigate these changes, maintaining a balanced, healthy relationship with discipline becomes even more crucial.
Thought Tank: Journal Prompts
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I hope you enjoyed this post and found it interesting. Also, if you like my content, it would mean the world to me if you would also subscribe to my YouTube channel, my Pinterest, and my TikTok account. On YouTube, I have the most inspirational content from Lifestyle Design posts to Digital "open when..." letters to boost your mood. I also keep a copy of my podcast episodes (which is also available on Spotify). I decided that I am honoring what feels right to me and continuously working on building the life of my dreams and helping others do the same. Don’t forget to share this if you feel inspired, and I will have more content for you soon.
Until next time, butterflies 🦋 Sincerely yours
Xoxo,
Lay 💋
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