DAY 314- SELF-DISCIPLINE...SOME PEOPLE HAVE IT, SOME PEOPLE NEED IT

Day 314

Last weekend, I was having a discussion with my sister-in-law, Lynda, about happiness.  I asked her what made HER happy.  She simply answered: being disciplined.  Instinctively, one would think that discipline and happiness don't go hand in hand.  Discipline relates to duty and obligation while happiness seems to evoke freedom and pleasure.  However, when I started really thinking about it, I had to agree with her, self-discipline is indeed intrinsically linked to happiness.

I used to believe that ultimate happiness would be to have no responsibilities,  to be free to do whatever I wanted.  In some way, I still enjoy not having obligations once in a while, but I believe that one of the things that gives me the most satisfaction in life is the feeling of accomplishment, which can only be achieved through self-discipline.

The problem is that self-discipline often involves an initial suffering.  Starting on a task is always somehow painful.  But often, the initial effort is brief .  Once I start being in motion, I get absorbed by what I'm doing so I stop suffering. The effort of going to the gym is far greater than the actual working out once I'm there.  And after I'm done, I get a real feeling of accomplishment.

What I have learned in the past year is that when I'm not self-disiplined, I actually suffer more.  One of the things that contribute to unhappiness is having negative emotions and thoughts.  When I'm being lazy about exercising, eating well or even performing mundane tasks, etc, and I choose to do something else instead, I get stuck with feelings of guilt, regret and failure.  I can't really enjoy the freedom I longed for, because I know I'm not doing what I should be doing.

Inversely, when I'm able to follow a routine and have self-discipline, I have positive emotions.  I feel good about myself.  I get a sense of accomplishment.  It boosts my energy and happiness level.

So the real question is, do I choose to suffer a little bit initially in order to feel good and happy about myself in the long run or do I avoid the initial pain by opting for immediate pleasure and end up with negative emotions and thought?  Well, I guess I already know the answer.

"No pain, no palm (award); no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown."

William Penn