How to take charge of your life - today
- Written by Eric North aka “The Happiness Warrior”
As the Happiness Warrior, I’m always inspired by others who set a good example. I show my respect and admiration by always doing my best to set a good example myself. As I’ve evolved on my journey through life, one thing stands clear in my mind “personal discipline is everything”. With rare exceptions, I lead a lifestyle ruled by good habits, strong routines, and careful choices that impact my health, relationships, and actions. This provides greater mental and physical strength that I need to navigate this increasingly complex world. It also creates a mindset for more happiness, gratitude, balance, and a continuous feeling that I’m getting the most of out of life.
When we feel good about ourselves our spirits rise and we become happier with who we are. Personal discipline is the one thing I’ve always been able to rely on to get me through the challenges of a life and continue to grow, create more happiness, and move forward with my life. When we take charge of our lives and create a disciplined and self-affirming mindset, we can be the change we need to change the world for the better!
A Disciplined Mindset Makes Us Happier
The most important and consistent guiding force in my life has been creating a more disciplined mindset. I’d always been conditioned to think of discipline as unpleasant or a punishment, when in fact the opposite is true: using self-discipline builds self-esteem, creates momentum, makes us happier, and more productive. Discipline gives us the framework needed to create great changes in our lives make the world around me a better place. Self-discipline helps us focus and simplify processes that reduce wasteful actions and remove negative self-created thoughts and doubts.
Developing personal discipline can help us change our situations and create the future we deserve and dream about.
People that lead self-disciplined lives:
Have a positive view of themselves in the world.
Make better and authentic leaders.
Don’t care what others think about them.
Sleep better and heal faster.
Have better physical health and are more likely to exercise and eat properly.
Have good habits and routines that make them more productive and secure with themselves.
Are more peaceful in mindset and more likely to care about themselves and the lives of others.
Are more flexible and find it easier to adapt to change.
Are more likely to help others.
Are happier and more likely to draw others into their happy world!
Creating a more disciplined mindset is rewarding and makes life more fun, these steps can make it easier and more affirming:
1. Change one thing at time to break the “negative loops”. Start small and build from there. (It can take as many as twenty-one times of repeated action to form a new habit.)
2. Good habits create routines and make it easier to add additional life-affirming habits that stick.
3. Intention creates reality. Use self-belief to create momentum and watch your life change in ways you’ve never dreamed about. I use the Principle of Quantum Physics by manifesting desire to create the reality I envision.
4. Reward yourself for accomplishments and take time off to recharge and enjoy the feeling of self-mastery.
5. Give yourself time to rest and recharge. Slowing down during the early days of the pandemic was a valuable opportunity to reflect and heal old wounds.
Discipline for Your Physical Self
“Take care of your body as if your life depends on it and make the mind/body connection”- Happiness Warrior Core Value #1
Our bodies are our creation and how we care for it is at the core of our being. I exercise with good form and timing for increased lean muscle and cardiovascular strength. I push myself to perform with the knowledge that I’ll have the strength and endurance needed for any situation or event. Nutrition is always timed the same every day for better metabolism and I live by one nutritional rule “everything that goes in my body has a purpose”. I make most of my own meals and rarely eat any restaurant prepared or heavily processed foods. I go to sleep at the same time every night and wake up early before dawn every morning. My spirit is lifted with the knowledge that I’m taking good care of myself and remain strong and ready for anything.
Discipline to Lift Your Spirit and Feel Connected
I begin each day with a simple and powerful affirmation “Good Morning Eric, Today’s going to be a great day”. This sets my intention. It works almost like magic!
My morning routine is sacred and something that I’m always refining. Sometimes I do more deep breathing to relax and increase, other times I need energy and do more pushups for strength to get my brain in the right mindset. This is how I set the tone of my day and I tell myself that “I’m in control”. Give yourself permission to feel proud of yourself from the happiness that comes from within without validation from others!
These are some of my daily habits that I use to connect my body with my mind and replenish my spirit:
1. Hydrate upon waking.
2. Stretching and breathing session with one hundred pushups, a huge part of my morning routine. A flexible body is a flexible mind!
3. Cold Showers are essential for bringing my consciousness to the present and clearing my head for the next challenge. Cold showers can be a powerful spiritual experience.
4. Breathing exercises throughout the day to combat stress, increase focus, and feel balanced and ready for anything.
My morning routine is sacred and something that I’m always refining. Sometimes I do more deep breathing to relax and increase, other times I need energy and do more pushups for strength to get my brain in the right mindset. This is how I set the tone of my day and I tell myself that “I’m in control”.
All of these can be done at any time, but my morning routine is essential. I rarely miss a day but if I do I tell myself that I will be better tomorrow!
How to Live a More Disciplined Life and Be Happier
Self-discipline means not giving up on yourself and discovering your hidden powers. We are all unique in our creation and have much to share with the world. Give yourself a chance and learn to show-up for your life to create the reality you deserve. These steps are all part of the process and each one leads to more self-discovery:
1. Take care of your body as if your life depends on it (The Happiness Warrior Core Value #1)!
2. Choose discipline and mindfulness for all things in life, use it to make a better life for yourself and those around you.
3. Fear is the force that holds us back from living our dreams, do something that scares you or makes you feel anxious “fear kills dreams”.
4. Shut down the outside world when exercising and taking care of yourself. Your intention will be stronger and the rewards greater.
5. Have a plan for your life and plan your days to help you reach your goals.
6. You are the product of the people you spend the most time with. Use self-discipline to help make better choices in the people that you spend the most time with. Learn from those you most admire.
7. If you’re not feeling good about yourself or overwhelmed take a deep breathe, go somewhere quiet and think about three things that you’re good at. Develop these and make them yours. This is a good way to begin bringing more discipline into your life.
8. Creating good routines will make you happier and feel more engaged and in to control of your life.
9. Remove negative self-created emotions.
10. Make the mind-body connection.
To survive and thrive in this sometimes-hostile feeling and upside-down world, personal discipline is the key to leading a happier life with more meaning. The good things in life aren’t always easy, but when we believe in ourselves our spirit and intention grow. Without discipline, our lives lack focus and happiness becomes more elusive. Life doesn’t give us a blueprint, but we have the tools within us to enrich our lives and make the world a better place.