Currently in my self-work era.
You read it right.
Actually, since last December, I have already decided on that the first quarter of 2025 will be spent on working on myself as I invest on my growth so I can be my own #bestmeever .
So I already made sure that everything was in place: lessen my commitments, free my schedule to insert new routines and time for learning, while giving my best to what’s on my plate as of the moment as I prioritize myself and my growth.
Mindset = Check. Heartset = Check. Willingness = Check. Commitment = Check.
Admittedly, there’s one thing that’s still a work in progress at the moment.
And I am sure you can relate with me on this: it’s difficult to stay disciplined when times are harder than usual and temptations surround you 24/7.
Take this time to reflect: what situation challenges your discipline the most?
Dieting?
Use of social media?
Shopping?
Dating around?
Of course, whatever your answer may be, know that much like before and always, this is a no judgment zone.
What is important here is to be aware of situations that trigger our loss of our own self-discipline and how we can manage them better.
Coming from vulnerability, upon enrolling in my Kaizen program this year (it’s a 100 day fitness and personal development program), it has been quite a struggle for me to daily monitor my calories, work out and log everything I do and eat. Haha!
So in the beginning, I found myself just coasting by, letting myself give in to sweet treats and buffets once in a while. Fortunately though, 3 weeks now in the program, I caught myself and vowed to be more disciplined in my approach.
After all, it’s for myself and my growth.
And so far, it’s working for me.
Mandatory. I mean, you can’t practice discipline without knowing what the end goal will be. Make sure that your goal follows the SMART format (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Bound) so that you get a clear picture of what you want to achieve. Don’t just settle for general terms like I want to be happy, to be fit, to get rich. Be as precise as possible so you can focus fully on achieving just that. Having a vivid vision of having my own best body ever with 20% body fat as I come from joy by May 1, 2025 is what kept me going as I do my daily work outs and observe what I eat mindfully. Funny thing is that last night, I had a glimpse of what it would look like in my dream. Manifesting. Haha!
2. Have a beyond compelling reason to achieve your desired goal
Ok. In my case, it’s not just about vanity. And it goes beyond being summer ready. My main reason is that my coaching platform, #bestmeever , is all about becoming one’s authentic, unapologetic, grandest version….which includes the physical, mental and emotional aspects as well, things which are also taken in consideration in the program I am enrolled in. I would want to walk the talk, thus I need to embrace my own journey towards becoming my best by humbly enduring the entire process, listening to lectures, doing the action steps in between and engaging with others in the program along the way so I can be of value to them and vise versa. Indeed, it’s very true that when days are harder than usual, when I am at the brink of just throwing in the towel, I always try to recall why I started and what is the value of all these for myself and my growth. Grounds me immediately, swear.
3. Develop a strategic plan.
No, I am not talking about mere bullet points or random words that inspire action. I am talking about concrete steps that will help you achieve your goal in mind. Being strategic means aligning each and every action, behavior and mindset of yours towards the fulfillment of your desired results. In my case, I plot my schedule accordingly to fit in my work outs and mindful breaks in between, while monitoring dutifully my calories intake and reflecting how I can still improve moving forward. Being disciplined in this case becomes easier for me as I have a structure to follow, versus before where in everything was merely dependent on my mood or what I felt like doing at that point in time. P.S. it also helps that you plan your small steps first while keeping in mind the big picture so that you don’t get overwhelmed in the process —something that causes one to lose track of his/her purpose and stray away from his/her goals. Start small and then when you’re ready, go big (I am not sure how this came out, haha!).
4. Honor yourself along the way
Give yourself more credit for doing all that you can, with all that you have. That will always be more than enough. Affirming yourself along the way can help you stay disciplined in the process as you don’t have to wait for anyone else’s validation or anchor yourself on desired results that have yet to come. Big or small, every win is worth celebrating. And oh, you can even be grateful for slow days as they give you the chance to reflect, recharge and recalibrate accordingly so you can bounce back even better than before. In my case, I always say “thank you” and “good job” to myself every after accomplishing a task or when I manage to fight off laziness when I need to do my morning cardio. And yes, most of the time, with discipline intact, I win over my bed’s call. Yey! Try sharing your wins too. It’s not being arrogant; it’s all about honoring yourself and inspiring others to do the same as they celebrate with you.
5. Surround yourself with accountability partners
Police. This is what I call people who have my back whenever I feel like going astray. Involving your family, friends, significant other or whoever else that can keep a watch on you can do wonders for you and your journey as you stay disciplined in pursuing your goals. Taking inspiration from them and giving value to their words of encouragement and support can keep you going even during the toughest days. I like the set up that we have now in the Kaizen community where in we have accountability buddies and our designated coach (Shout out to Ciento Por Ciento and Coach Ben) whom we can reach out for support when reaching our targets daily become challenging and the cravings beyond bearable. Haha! A wonderful bonus also that the entire community is filled with like-minded individuals who are more than willing to give a helping hand or a word of encouragement as needed. Who can ever go astray with all eyes on you? Thank God for the amazing support system.
Working on one’s self requires a whole lot of time, effort, resources and discipline.
Hopefully, after reading this, you will have all in your current space as you work on the person you’re meant to be.
Your own #bestmeever.
Let’s continue happily with our journey!
