{lifestyle} 5 steps to a more disciplined you

I’ve been thinking a lot about discipline lately. Especially with our big move, I feel like it’s a great time to clean house and start afresh with a new year, a new state, and new goals. Like most creatives, one of my personal struggles is be more disciplined! Beyond fixing my bed and waking up before the sun, I’d love to get into a disciplined routine that covers my responsibilities of mother, wife and business owner. 

Here is my version of Five Steps to a Disciplined Life, slightly adapted from Forbes. 

1.  Remove temptations and ask a friend to keep you accountable. If Facebook is a temptation, delete the app; if it’s potato chips, throw them away (and then toss the garbage bag outside because … you know). 
2.  Eat regularly and healthily. A ziploc bag of almonds can fill in for that unexpected meal you missed and keep you focused for that surprise meeting or not-so-surprising toddler tantrum.
3. Don’t wait for it to feel right. It takes at least 2 weeks for a pattern to begin as habit, so keep moving forward. Remember the book, The Little Engine that Could? You can. Really. 
4. Schedule breaks, treats, and rewards. Hello Net-A-Porter, or seriously, just some new gym shoes, to reward treadmill time, crack of dawn mornings, and working when you least feel like working! We need our rewards, people!
5. Forgive yourself and move forward. Let a handful of friends and people who believe in you encourage you in your down days. Because we all have them. Seth Godin said, “Waiting for perfect is never as smart as making progress.” 

What are some of your tips? Share them below xx