Life threw us a curve ball causing me to swerve from the Herbalife diet section of my 30 day challenge a couple of days this week, We've had some particularly crazy circumstances going on in our personal life and I simply didn't have time to get to the grocery store to get the needed items for my smoothies on those days. Does this mean that my goals are shot and I'm a failure at self-discipline? Absolutely not. I still ate healthy and made it to the gym on those crazy days.
Too many people, myself included, confuse being rigid with self-discipline. This line of thinking can lead to unhealthy and negative thought processes. And neither of those things guide you to an optimal state of health and well-being. Let's explore the different between these two concepts (definitions from thefreedictionary.com)
- Self-discipline: Training and control of oneself and one's conduct, usually for personal improvement.
- Unadaptability: the inability to change or be changed to fit changed circumstances.
On the surface they seem really similar, but the life application of them can differ significantly. Self-discipline encourages growth—and growth requires change. For example, you make a goal to eat healthy by eating dinner at home more often. You have a particularly hectic day at work, there are no groceries at home and other more important errands take you away from cooking. In my opinion, the balanced, self-disciplined reaction would decide that overall it is better for you to get a healthy meal from a deli or restaurant. Are you exactly sticking to the goal of "not eating out"? No, but you’re still making a healthy choice in a changed circumstance.
Life happens and sometimes we can't precisely stick to our goals, but don't beat yourself up over it. Embrace change and try to adapt your goals to fit outstanding circumstances.
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