Managing Anxiety with Mindfulness For Dummies
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The word discipline has negative connotations for some people trying to achieve mindfulness, and can be a bit of a turn-off, which is a shame because self-discipline is important for a healthy lifestyle. Self-discipline is the ability to get yourself to do a certain action despite your emotional state at the time.

Imagine what you can achieve with perfect levels of self-discipline. No matter what you chose to do, you’d be able to do it. Say you wanted to become fitter. You’d just make that decision and you’d be guaranteed to follow through with the necessary regular exercise to ensure that it happened. This little example goes to show how amazingly powerful self-discipline can be, and why it’s worth cultivating.

However, on its own, discipline can create a sense of cold, clinical action, almost too devoid of emotion. By combining this sense of discipline with your intentions and helpful attitudes, you can create a useful source of inspiration for your mindfulness practice.

Here are some tips for boosting your self-discipline for daily meditation:

  • Forgive yourself for the odd slip. Remember, meditation is a long-term process. Don’t just give up because of a lapse. If at first you don’t succeed, find out why and try again!

  • Take things step by step. Research has found that willpower is like a muscle. Willpower can become fatigued if you use it too much in a day, but can be strengthened over time. So don’t try to transform your whole life in a day. You may want to start with a very short daily meditative practice.

  • Believe in yourself. You can do it. Even if you suffer from attention disorders or you’re ill, you can practice mindfulness, so believe that you’re capable of making a commitment.

  • Ask for support. Perhaps you can practice meditation with a partner or friend. Joining a meditation group can be a valuable support too.

  • Reward yourself. You’ve probably given yourself a hard time on many an occasion for not doing something right, or well, or not being good enough, so why not reward yourself for doing something you’re proud of? Creating a daily discipline of meditation is hard, so if you do manage for a week or even a few days, treat yourself to a little something!

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