A Symbiotic Relationship

In order to exist, things require structure. On an atomic and subatomic level, atoms are vibrating and resonating together and apart to create the solid things we can see and feel. We do not know if they require discipline to function. In order for humans to build and advance, discipline is a friend we should learn to embrace.

This subject came up over the last few weeks because I had to make some changes and reflect on what was good about the act of being more disciplined. Failing on some days and succeeding on others, I learned that after awhile, the wins take on a new importance. You feel them lifting you mentally and spurring you toward your desired destination.

Building a better you physically, mentally and spiritually requires discipline. Once an idea or desire appears in your mind, how do you take it to the next level? Many times, it is through the act of discipline. It can also occur through the law of attraction. Yet, it is interesting to see how the two work together symbiotically. More about that later. First, let’s examine the concept of discipline as if it is new:

"Discipline comes from discipulus, the Latin word for pupil, which also provided the source of the word disciple (albeit by way of a Late Latin sense-shift to “a follower of Jesus Christ in his lifetime”). Given that several meanings of discipline deal with study, governing one’s behavior, and instruction, one might assume that the word’s first meaning in English had to do with education. In fact, the earliest known use of discipline appears to be punishment-related; it first was used in the 13th century to refer to chastisement of a religious nature, such as self-flagellation (Merriam-Webster, n.d.)."

Perhaps this is one reason we avoid discipline. It sounds punishing. From childhood onward, our subconscious could have many associations with this definition.

If we look at how the word evolved from the meaning of pupil or disciple, we understand how at least a tad bit of discipline is required to learn and progress. When a person commits to a particular field of study, this is also known as a discipline they adhere to.

Discipline can also describe the active monitoring of one’s self as in self-control. This could include listening to cues from the body, mind, and spirit. It could include self-imposed rules one has for reaching a particular state or goal. There can be many meanings for this one word.

Forgetting the negative interpretations of this word as it relates to punishment, let’s use the concept of self discipline and determine how it is useful to us. When we develop a routine, habit, or behavior that propels us toward whatever goal(s) we aim to achieve, this results from discipline. Often, it requires that we reach deep inside and require ourselves to do something that does not feel good initially. It’s not that disciplined tasks or behavior hurt or are so difficult. Rather, it is out of our range of familiarity, which is the comfortable setting we have been operating out of. We fear changing that, unaware that the new setting we can build will likely be more enjoyable if we would only allow ourselves.

Our regular daily behaviors and habits … even ways of thinking can become so ingrained that anything we do outside of it feels foreign and uncomfortable. There is only one way to build a new house or structure for yourself and that is to figure out what new behaviors, thoughts and habits must be used.

Think of how someone who is an exceptional guitarist goes about their daily life. In your mind’s eye, do you see them engaging regularly to practice? Do you think they learn new techniques, equipment they can use and seek a mentor or two? Of course they do. They are dedicated to their desire and they demonstrate that through self discipline.

When a person practices discipline, it builds a structure to further attract good things via the law of attraction. This attracting principle will run parallel with what you are creating through your thoughts, actions, and behaviors. In order to have what you want and be where you want to be with any endeavor, look at what you have been creating. In this moment now, your thoughts, behaviors and habits are delivering what you have had up to this point. If you desire more, you must change those — perhaps an upgrade – in order to achieve better outcomes.

For example, you want to lose fifteen pounds. What will you need to do differently to make that a reality? Can you just think and it will happen? Probably not. Can you simply cut one item out of your diet and it will happen? Probably not.

Most likely, to lose the fifteen pounds you will need to enact at least two or more new ways of doing things (habits) to be on a path of weight loss. Understand that these plans are only part of the structure you have built concerning a newer, slimmer you. They are not the discipline.

The discipline hits you when you realize you would really like to consume something, but it’s on your new “no-no” list for now. Each time you deny yourself this item, you are building self discipline, respect and self-trust. There is a bit of an endorphin lift within that knowing and being proud of one’s self.

You might have to devise a better plan to ease discomfort of foregoing your former favorite food or drink by having a quick replacement for it that is nutritious, yet won’t blow your overall plan. That is the smartest strategy and you still get the feelings of being proud – knowing that you can trust yourself to adhere to some new rules that will give you the eventual outcome you desire.

Sometimes, discipline just has to be wretched up from inside of ourselves. It can be as hard as pushing a baby out of your body at birth. Exercise is the point where this happens for some. Yet, many find that once they end their exercise, they feel proud, energized, and even euphoric.

If you are a writer, your art can be the same way. At first, it's difficult to make yourself open the document you are working on and just type away. You may feel as if you don’t know what to write next. It is only by opening it up, perhaps reading a bit of what you wrote prior that you then write the next sentence, which often turns into a paragraph, a page, a chapter and finally, a finished piece.

Discipline of our thoughts and actions can be beneficial in a way that compounds over time. By making one’s self exercise regularly, this can develop into a new behavioral habit you want to do because you know it is propelling you toward your goal, making you proud and feel better mentally. In this way, you are changing what is important to you and this truly begins to change the form of the structure you are building in life.

Discipline is the connecting tissue or element that binds the structure or idea of what you want with the eventual outcome. As it sits there existing – this new structure you’ve built – it has no recourse but to attract its like counterpart. This is why in many spiritual studies you are asked to feel and believe as if what you desire is here now or already accomplished. Going through the motions to propel it faster via discipline is the extra juice we often need to make things a reality.

Our own thoughts can undergo a series of disciplined-like corrections to project pointedly toward our end goal. This would be akin to using discipline to build a thought structure that would exist to attract. This takes time and building expertise. One does not become adept at playing their instrument by simply attempting a few times. One snares their future by applying discipline to build a sturdy structure to attract their desired outcome.

Many of us come from generational influences that encouraged things to be free flowing and unstructured. Certainly, there is value in that as well. Yet before you can get to that point where you can metaphorically sit on a mountaintop and be carefree, you want to know you have other things working for you when you return to regular life.

How can you really create what you want? How can a human move from little to no discipline in their lifestyle to something more structured?
First, you must adopt some new thoughts. I used to believe that writers waited until they felt inspired about something before they sat down and wrote. While this happens and it’s wonderful when it does, its regularity is limited. If you want to write books, you must write.

I began with writing anything at all that was on my mind as a daily morning practice. I had read Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way and her morning page ritual was something I adopted. Today, morning is still my optimum writing time. For others, it might be late evening. The point is, you must discipline self to do it. This is true with anything you want in life.

Admittedly, much of what I wrote early on was garbage. But it’s my refuse down on paper or in the computer and no one has to see it but me. I can revise it; turn it into a character in a book; delete or burn it. The critical ninny inside our brains must be told to “shut up”. This is how you become a writer. It is also how you become many other things, including slimmer, younger looking, smarter, more adept at something, etc.
You must silence the negative voice in your head that says you cannot possibly do something that you would like to do and just try it as long as it is safe.

You just may surprise yourself!

I would love to hear your experiences of how the law of attraction seemed to kick in once you became more disciplined, building that structure for it to attach to.

With love, light and gratitude,

Lyra Adams

SOURCES:
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Discipline. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved March 14, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discipline

Images courtesy of Cottonbro and Brett Jordan from Pexels

 The Artist's Way Bundle by Julia Cameron

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