Simple Ways to Practice Self-Control
How you behave in the morning is indicative of the way you behave during the day. If you are not immediately in control of your behavior when your WILL is high, how can you expect yourself to be in control later that day?
Maybe you are not a morning person.
And that’s fine.
The time you wake up is not as important as how you wake up and what you do afterward. Small behaviors compound. Either they go in the direction of control or in the direction of chaos. Either they are made from intention or from uncontrolled impulse.
The problem is, mindlessness and chaos feel like rolling a boulder down the hill while intent and control feel like rolling it up the hill. You’ve got to chose which one is worthwhile.
Every day is a good day to practice; to make small commitments with yourself. It doesn’t have to be complicated but at least be specific because the idea is to gradually build a good frame and good behaviors.
One is deciding at what time should I eat? 10 AM? 12 PM? If you can control yourself to eat, even if you are hungry, until a set time, you are practicing self-control while getting positive reinforcement for achieving your commitment.
Should I drink coffee today? Coffee is a drug but coffee is enjoyable. Like alcohol, tobacco, or any other drugs, it should not be abused. If you can control yourself to drink coffee, you are practicing self-control.
Should I open phone first thing in the morning? I always sleep with airplane mode on but I tend to open it immediately in the morning. Cut that habit. Wait until 11 or 12, before allowing your phone to connect to ensure impulse control over your desire to see what the online world as to say.
It can be anything really.
Journaling, walking, stretching, exercising, etc.
The idea is to behave in a controlled and intentional manner in the morning in order to behave the same way during that day. Simply put, how you frame your day at 8 AM indicate how you are going to frame what is left of your day.
If you start your day with slack, carelessness, and idleness, you’ll frame your day as such.
If you start your day with energy, intent, and discipline, you’ll frame your day as such.
Just follow through those small matinal commitments.
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