Thursday's Thought:  Do you have discipline?

What term comes to mind when you think about why you don't treat yourself better? Why you don't make time for the gym? Why don't you just put the "fa(s)t food" down and eat a healthier option?  Don't be too hard on yourself... I hear this from my clients on a weekly basis as they tell me "I just lack the motivation" or "I have no accountability."   Do you ever ask yourself WHY this is? Where is the motivation or accountability? How about that dreaded word....DISCIPLINE? Ooooh yes it is a dirty little word... and we use every day. We discipline our children and our pets.   We discipline our husbands by making the sleep on the couch after an argument. So... how do we discipline ourselves? Don't think of it as a punishment, which is how most of us think of working out. "UGH - I ate 4 Cadbury Eggs this last weekend (which I stole from my kids Easter Basket).... Now I have to go "punish" myself by going to gym and doing 500 minutes of cardio"..... Discipline is training. Its repeatedly doing something for reward, or to avoid punishment. So, what is the reward if you discipline yourself to workout? To eat better? What is the punshiment? You need to ask yourself what it is you want (remember - its not about the number on the scale), and then WHY you want it.... and whats the reward versus the punishment? Let's start with the punishments: -self-doubt -self-loathing -self-pity -feeling of being undesirable -feeling fat, bloated, [insert self-deprecating adjective here] -sadness .....just to list a few of the comments I hear. But, WOW, what a punishment and guilttrip we put ourselves through when we lack discipline to do what we know we WANT to do, and need to do. Let's focus instead on the rewards: -clothes fit better -reduced weight-related health issues -lose weight -run a 5K faster -build self-confidence -have more energy -just feel better in general -look better naked (there's that naked thing again!) Bottom line, you may think you lack motivation or accountability, but truth is, you have both right in front of you - your kids should be motivating you, your tight clothes should motivate you, your desire to walk the beach without a moo-moo on should motivate you....and you ARE accountable to yourself and your family. You owe it to them, but most importantly yourself, to be the best version of YOU possible.... and if you need further accountability, contact me. BUT the discipline - that has to come from you. Seek the rewards; don't avoid the punishments.