Key Mindsets to Adopt to Become More Disciplined

Why Discipline? Let me tell you, success normally doesn't happen overnight. In fact, the people who seem to be able to pull off any kind of success in a very short period of time have actually paid their dues. That's right. They weren't born that way. They had to go through a long process of disappointment, failure, and yes, pain. If you see a lot of winners around you, it's because they put in the time. The good news is, you can do the same. Discipline is not just about achieving your goals. It's also about becoming a better person. Because let's face it, if given a choice, we'd rather do things that are pleasurable, quick and easy right here, right now. Unfortunately, life reserves the biggest rewards to people who would rather wait until they eat their cookie. If you develop that skill as a little child, you will be able to become a very successful person indeed. In fact, in a long term study conducted in the United States, children who were able to delay gratification by foregoing eating a cookie now, in exchange for a promise of eating two cookies in the future, turned out to achieve higher levels of career, personal and health success. Discipline is closely related to how well you do in life. This is not something that you pick up to solve some sort of problem, and then promptly drop. Instead, this is a key part of you that you need to invest a proper amount of time, effort and energy in, which will continue to pay dividends long into the future.

Many Levels of Discipline

There are many levels to discipline. There is no one-size-fits-all set of features to discipline. In many cases, it requires adaptability, depending on the particular set of circumstances you're dealing with. With certain people, you need more discipline than others. In certain aspects of your life, like education, you will need a certain type of discipline, whereas you would need different levels of self control when it comes to avoiding drugs, alcoholism or sexual addiction. This is also true when it comes to emotional self control. Let me tell you, it's the easiest thing in the world to tell people what you're thinking. But let me tell you, that's also the easiest way to burn your bridges. If you want to become part of the solution, you have to know how to control your emotions and channel them in a productive way. All of this requires discipline.

Discipline is Something YOU DO

There are many misconceptions regarding discipline. A lot of people confuse it with other personal traits. What is discipline anyway? I have given you an earlier definition, but we're going to drill deeper in this section. Discipline involves action. It really boils down to what you do and what you choose not to do. This is the most practical way to frame discipline based on how people actually perform. Discipline is the ability to do things that you'd rather avoid. These are necessary things. These are things that can take your life to the next level. These are things that can set you up for greater success in life. These are the things that would resolve a lot of personally difficult issues, but most people would rather avoid them. Let's face it, if given a choice between emotional confrontation and just letting sleeping dogs lie, most people would take the latter. That's just human nature. Discipline gives you the ability to attack these things head on. Discipline also gives you the ability to do what you have committed to doing no matter how inconvenient or uncomfortable. If you have given your word to somebody and you have promised to do something, discipline enables you to follow through. You may not feel like it, it may not be all that convenient, in fact, it might even be a major hassle, but if you are a disciplined person, you will come through each and every time. How come? You have given your word. You have committed to that person. As you can well imagine, this can help build a reputation.

Let's face it, most people would rather flake. Most people would get wobbly and eventually just drop out. It doesn't really matter if they have given you their word. It doesn't really matter if they made all sorts of promises. At the end of the day, it all boils down to whether they are willing to stick to their promises, regardless of how inconvenient it is, or whether they just take the path of least resistance. Which brings me to the next point. Discipline also involves the ability to stick to a course of action, even if you're busy or you don't feel like it. You would be able to stick to something that you have committed to, even if you feel like you don't have the time. Discipline also involves patience in relationships. Let's get one thing clear, the person that you're with is in your life for a reason. Of the 100 different traits that make up that person, you probably love 90 to 95 of them, but there are 5 traits that you really hate. This requires patience. Everybody is a work in progress. None of us are perfect. If you want your relationship to blossom and survive, you have to be disciplined. Finally, most people have principles, but not everybody is willing to stick to them. Not everybody is willing to sacrifice for them. When you have discipline, you find the strength to stick to principles. It may not be popular, it definitely may not be convenient, but you will stick to it anyway. This builds character. This also builds reputation because you stick out like a sore thumb. Most people would rather abandon their principles at the most convenient or most opportune period. Few and far between are people who are willing to stick to something because of personal principle. This requires discipline.

Key Mindsets to Adopt to Become More Disciplined

I wish I can tell you that becoming more disciplined is just a simple matter of deciding to be disciplined. It would be so easy if that were the case. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. You may have certain mindsets that you may not be aware of that can get in the way of you becoming a more disciplined person. That's right. You might be sabotaging yourself because you hang onto certain ideas, assumptions or expectations that can undermine your progress towards greater levels of self-discipline. You need to adopt the following mindsets so they can either counteract whatever negative mindsets you have or they can turbocharge your ability to develop discipline. Discipline is Like a Mental Muscle Please understand that for your personal level of self-discipline to increase, you have to challenge it. You can’t just say, “I’m going to be a more disciplined person” and refuse to put it into action. That's not going to work, not in a million years. You have to stress your level of discipline. For example, if you’re having a tough time showing up to work on time, you can't just slide back and say, “Well, it’s not going to happen”. You’re not exercising your discipline mental muscles when you do that. Instead, you try again and again to show up on time. Once you're able to do that, you step it up by trying to show up five minutes ahead of time then ten minutes then fifteen minutes. The more you stress or put pressure on your ability to act in a

disciplined way, the stronger it becomes. The worst thing that you can do is to fail to challenge whatever discipline you already have. The More I Run Away from Difficult Things, the Weaker My Discipline Becomes You have to adopt this mindset. You have to understand that when you react to your world out of fear, you become a less-disciplined person. In many cases, you don't even develop discipline in the first place. You have to understand that there are a lot of scary things in life. There are a lot of things that you’d rather not deal with. However, that's what makes life so interesting. You have to lose your fear. You have to stop viewing these things as inconveniences, hassles or “things I hate to do”. Instead, you should turn around and embrace them. Sure, they are very inconvenient. Sometimes, they’re downright uncomfortable but guess what? The more you do them, the more you get used to them. Most importantly, the more you do them, the more you're able to connect the dots and you're able to do more of them. That’s how you become more efficient. That's how you become a more effective person. Unfortunately, if you make it a habit to continuously give in to quitting, the weaker you become. You have to understand that in this life, you're going to be facing different challenges. If your number one instinct is to turn around and quit, you become a weaker person. Eventually, don't be surprised if it doesn't take much for you to want to quit. This is why you have to turn things around. You have to make this process go in the other direction. In other words, it would take harder and harsher circumstances for you to take a step back. That's the direction you should go because when you do that, you increase your levels of discipline but you also maximize your levels of personal confidence and competence. When most people would rather deal with a problem by just giving up or kicking the can down the road, you stand out like a hero when you’re the only person looking to tackle that problem. Please understand that this applies across the board. I’m not just talking about issues that you face at work or at school. This can also involve your relationships. The More I Do Things, the Better I Get at Them It may not seem like it, at this point in time, but you're actually building up competence the more you do something. Seriously. For example, if you make it a habit to walk around your block every single day, I can guarantee you that you’re probably seeing different ways to make your daily routine more pleasant. You’re probably seeing different details that you can benefit from. Simple repetition gives you all sorts of opportunities to do a better job. Again, this applies across the board. This is due to the fact that the more you do something, the less intimated you become.

Do you remember the first time you rode a bicycle? Chances are you bruised or scraped your knee constantly. After all, you were learning. However, after a certain point, you mastered your bike-riding skills, and it will take quite a bit of a hit for you to get thrown off your bike. You probably went through this process without looking at the big picture. It was just something thought you had to do. Well, assume that same attitude when it comes to the big things in life that are stressing you out. Apply this same attitude to the things that you would rather quit on. Another fact that you can take comfort in is the reality that the more you do something, the more routine it becomes. The reason people fail with certain tasks is because they’re intimidated by them. They think that it's going to be too hard, that it will take too much time or it’s just too hard to figure out. However, the more you do something, regardless of how many times you fail, you take a lot of the emotional intimidation out. It becomes familiar and, once it starts to become routine, you start breaking things down and guess what? You start succeeding more often than your failures. Eventually, you reach a point where you basically get those results that you’re looking for time after time. This really all boils down to the ability to connect the dots and see patterns. Unfortunately, you’re not going to get there if your number one instinct is to give up. Adopt the mindset of “the more I do things, the better I get at them”, and you will become a more competent person in many areas of your life. Competence Produces Confidence In US educational institutions and school districts, the idea of self-esteem as the gateway to confidence has been the received institutional wisdom for several decades now. The idea is if you make kids feel good about themselves, eventually, they will become more competent. Eventually, they will be able to figure things out and achieve. Well, it turns out that it's actually the other way around. According to research studies in the 1990s, when children become competent in something or anything, they become more confident. When they're more confident, they experiment more and they try harder and they increase their levels of competence. It turns out of that competence produces confidence which enables people to develop even higher levels of competence. Confidence does not flow from self-esteem. Instead, self-esteem flows from competence. Understand how this works. Adopt this mindset. Let's face it. You may not be all that confident about certain things in your life right now. However, the more you master them, the more competent you become. You will then feel more confident to tackle more things and go out on a limb on many areas of your life. The more confident you become, the more you try, and the more competence you build. This leads to even more confidence, so on and so forth. You just need to start somewhere, and this means doing.

You may think that you would do a lousy job today, but that's okay. You have to start somewhere. The good news is as long as you choose to put in the work to become competent, the confidence will follow. Momentum is on My Side Believe that moment is on your side. If you believe this, you will eventually reach a point where it becomes harder and harder for you to stop than to start. I know this sounds crazy at this point. At this point, you’re probably having a tough time staying from foods that you know are bad for you and sticking to foods that don’t taste all that good. The good news is the more you stick to it, the easier it becomes over time. In fact, you could reach a point of momentum where it becomes harder to stop your behavior than to start. All it takes is to keep trying and to keep on pushing. When this becomes your routine, this action changes the way you look at things and the way you feel about things. This eventually becomes part of your identity.

xoxo- Tammy

10 Steps To Look Younger

The secret for looking youthful has been a constant question since the beginning of time it seems. In fact, many researchers have done some experiments to find ways to slow down the aging process.

There are some techniques that have been implemented, but the most important things for us to do are being consistent in implementing a healthy lifestyle and eating habits.

We can’t stop the natural change, but we can still look younger if we want to work hard to slow down the aging process.

Therefore, I’m going to help you with 10 easy steps to make you look younger:

Detox: It’s important to start detoxification, getting rid of toxins from our bodies. Our body’s metabolism has done that process, but in everyday life, we are exposed to so many chemical hazards from air, food, and environment. Fasting or just consuming fruits and vegetables are ways to detoxify our bodies.

Sleep: Having enough sleep, at least 6-8 hours a day, will make our skin healthier. Having a good sleep is also important because the growth hormone is working during that time. It "renews the old cell of our body, including the skin cell. Our skin will look fresh and young if we have enough sleep.

To ensure a good night’s sleep I’ve started adding sleep drops, full of relaxing ingredients, to my bedtime routine. I cannot even begin to tell you how well I sleep now! I will not go a night without these drops! I sleep like a peaceful baby now!

Check out all the incredible, relax inducing, ingredients in these Sleep Drops.

Chamomile Extract

This herb contains various compounds known as terpenoids and flavonoids, and is commonly used for its relaxing and calming properties.*

L-Theanine

This amino acid commonly found in tea leaves is known to promote calming effects without drowsiness.*

Melatonin

Is a key component in regulating sleep patterns within the body to provide sleep support. *

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

A naturally occurring amino acid that functions as a chemical messenger in the central nervous system.

5 hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)

5-HTP is a compound produced from the amino acid tryptophan.

Sour Cherry Extract

Known as an antioxidant and vitamin source.

Magnesium

Known as an essential mineral important for many

Food: Eating healthy and safe food every day will make our body fit, slim, and also look younger. Try to eat more fish instead of red meat. Fiber foods, vegetables, fruits, and supplements are important food to consume. Drink less coffee and other caffeine beverages.

Exercise: Through routine exercise, we will feel happier, energetic, and confident. It also increases our bone density and muscle which can make our body look 15-20 years younger..

Relax: By trying to be relaxed, our face will look younger. Stress and worries appear on our face. If we can manage our stress and feel at peace, our face will look younger and attractive.

Be Positive: A positive mind and affirmations can lead to a healthier life. Negative thoughts tend to bring failure and make us look older. Meditation can lead to a positive mindset. If you never read the book, The Power of Positive Thinking, by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale than I highly suggest you get it! It will change your perspective on life!

Medical Check-up: Just like a car, our body also needs attention and care so it can work well every day. Having routine medical checkups during our is important to recognize diseases as soon as possible.

Active Life: Always try to be active during your life. Activities can increase health; and if you are in your elder age, your memory will increase too.

Social Life: Happy social life can increase our spirit, bring a peaceful mind, and make us feel and look younger. Communication with our friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, and others can bring happiness to us.

Performance: Start to look at our performance. Is our body weight ideal for us? If not, try to fix that to the best ideal weight. Also look at the skin, hair, nail, and teeth. Those are important as they will show our age. Looking good and feeling good will increase our performance.

Eat Your Stress Goodbye - Stress Reducing Diet

When you’re stressed out, the foods that you’re turning to are most likely going to be traditional ‘comfort’ foods – think big meals, take-out, fatty foods, sweet foods, and alcohol. Let’s face it – we’ve all found some comfort in a tasty meal and a bottle of beer or glass of wine when we’ve been stressed out or upset about something. However, this isn’t a good permanent solution.

When you’re turning to unhealthy foods you can feel better temporarily, but in the long run, you will feel worse. When your body isn’t getting the right nutrition, you can begin to feel less energetic, more lethargic, and in some cases less able to concentrate and focus. All of this can lead to even more stress.

Foods that Fight Stress

If you’ve been feeling more stressed out than usual lately, it’s important to know which foods are best to choose and which to avoid when it comes to combating stress and helping you to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety. The best way to fight stress is to have a healthy, balanced diet which includes a moderate amount of each of the different food groups.

Filling up on foods such as whole grains, leafy vegetables, and lean proteins as the basic staples of the diet is the best way to ensure that your body gets the optimum amounts of nutrients to fight both physical and mental health problems. When it comes to choosing the foods to eat, some have a range of great properties which help the body to combat stress. Choosing these stress-busting foods will help to heal and calm your mind permanently, rather than providing a temporary fix.

Some of the best stress-fighting foods include:

* Avocado – Avocados are a creamy and versatile fruit which can be eaten in a range of different ways whether you enjoy it raw, made into sauces, dressings and dips, or in a smoothie. These nutrient-dense fruits have the properties to stress-proof your body, thanks to their high glutathione content which specifically blocks the intestinal absorption of certain fats which cause oxidative damage. Avocados also contain higher levels of vitamin E, folate, and beta-carotene than any other fruit, which boosts their stress-busting properties. However, be careful with portion control when eating avocado, as it is high in fat.

* Blueberries – If you’re feeling stressed out and reaching for the snacks, swapping chocolate or chips for one of the best superfoods is a great way to help you deal with your stress levels and achieve a higher level of calm. Blueberries have some of the highest levels of antioxidants, especially antho-cyanin, which means that this berry has been linked to a wide range of health benefits including sharper cognition, better focus, and a clearer mind – all of which can help you to better deal with stress.

* Chamomile Tea – Of course, it’s not all about what you’re eating when it comes to managing stress; what you’re drinking can also alleviate or worsen the stress you're feeling. Drinking liquids which are high in sugars and caffeine, such as coffee, energy drinks or soda, can actually increase your stress levels if consumed regularly. Chamomile tea has long been used as a natural bedtime soother, and it has also been used in clinical trials, which determined that chamomile tea is effective in reducing the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.

* Chocolate – Although it’s usually seen as an unhealthy treat, there is an undeniable link between chocolate and our mood. Studies have shown that eating chocolate can actually make you happier. However, that doesn’t mean that you can start munching on chocolate bars every time you're stressed out – chocolate works best as a de-stressor when eaten in moderation and as part of a healthy and balanced diet. Dark chocolate in particular is best for you, as it contains more flavonols and polyphenols, two hugely important antioxidants which can help combat stress, more than many fruit juices.

* Beef – Grass-fed/Grass finished beef is not only kinder to the planet and to animals, it’s also good for people, too. Grass-fed beef has a huge range of antioxidants, including beta-carotene and Vit-amins C and E, which can help your body to fight stress and anxiety. If you’re looking for more reasons to spend a little more money on organic, grass-fed beef, it’s also lower in fat than grain-fed beef whilst being higher in omega-3.

Oatmeal – Oatmeal is great in that it can be a filling comfort food, but also has a large number of healthy properties to actually make you feel better from the inside out. A complex carbohydrate, eating oatmeal causes your brain to produce higher levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin, helping you to feel calmer and less stressed. Studies have shown that kids who choose oatmeal for breakfast tend to be much sharper throughout the morning in school compared to kids who had alternative morning meals.

* Walnuts – If you’re looking for a healthy snacking option which will help you to stay better in control of your stress levels, walnuts are a great choice. There is no denying the sweet, pleasant flavor of walnuts and they can be a tasty snack for in-between meals or as part of a desert. A versatile nut, walnuts are great for salads, or add them to a sweet treat such as coffee and walnut cake.

* Pistachios – another food which is great for snacking on and can also help to combat stress and anxiety in the long term is pistachios. Studies have found that simply eating two small, snack-size portions of pistachios per day can lower vascular constriction when you are stressed, putting less pressure on your heart by further dilating your arteries. Along with this, the rhythmic, repetitive act of shelling pistachios can actually be quite therapeutic!

* Green Leafy Vegetables – leafy, green vegetables should be a pivotal part of anyone’s diet. Along with helping to combat stress, leafy greens are full of nutrients and antioxidants which help to fight off disease and leave your body feeling healthier and more energized. Dark leafy greens, for example spinach, are especially good for you since they are rich in folate, which helps your body to produce more mood-regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which is a ‘feel-good’ chemical. Making leafy greens a part of your diet will help you to feel happier and less stressed out overall.

* Fermented foods – last but not least, eating fermented foods such as kefir can help to keep your gut healthy, which actually in turn will help to improve your mental health and reduce stress levels. The beneficial bacteria which are found in fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi and kombucha actually have a direct effect on your brain chemistry and transmit positive mood and behavior regulating signals to your brain via the vagus nerve.