Discipline is BS, here's what actually works

Sooo... How many yoga or gym routines have you tried?

I've done it all. I committed to a new routine I saw on Instagram. And I managed... what, four days? Before I had to travel, had an early meeting, or let's be honest... just couldn't be arsed to get out of bed.

And then I thought: "The problem is me. I lack discipline. If I were more motivated, I'd manage it."

Nope. I don't think that anymore. The problem is that I was trying to shoehorn a random routine into my life.

If you've ever been in this situation, I want to be so, so clear: you haven't failed. The routines you tried have failed.

Because they didn't account for:

  • your rhythm of life
  • your constraints
  • your body
  • your actual energy levels

We've been sold this lie that discipline is the secret. "If you really want it, you'll find the time." "Just force yourself for 21 days and it becomes automatic." And my personal favourite : "You have the same 24 hours in a day as Beyoncé, so what's your excuse?"

Ha.

Discipline is a limited resource. And when you work all day, manage your home, maybe your children, your relationship, your parents... Your discipline battery is empty by evening.

**The question isn't: "How do I find motivation to stick to this routine?"

The question is: "How do I create a routine so compatible with my life that I barely need motivation to do it?"**

And in my experience, the secret recipe is made up of these three questions:

1. What's your REAL realistic time slot? The perfect time to do yoga isn't in the morning or in the evening. It's when you can do it regularly. In your actual day, with your real constraints, when do you have 10 minutes where your brain doesn't immediately say "not a chance"?

2. What's your body screaming loudest about? If your body could speak, which part would shout the loudest? Your back? Your neck? Let's start there, not with a generic routine. If you can feel the benefits right away, you will start craving your routine.

3. What's your "too easy to abandon" duration? What duration makes you think: "Even on my worst days, I can manage this"? Even if it's 5 minutes. If you have more time and energy, you can always do more. But if you want to build a routine, you have to start with the minimum you can maintain.

Better 5 minutes every day than 30 minutes once a week.

Journal on these 3 questions before you throw yourself into a new routine, and you'll be set up for success :)

And if you want to build this together in detail, with adjustments over time based on what works and what doesn't... that's exactly what we do in 1:1 sessions.

Om, peace 🧡

Clem