Discipline is a mindset, Dear One, an attitude, an approach, a guide, a commitment.

It is not a contract, a commandment, an order, a doctrine, or a law that must be followed.

Discipline is flexible, malleable, adaptable, and strong.

It is not hard, rigid, tough, and unforgiving.

Discipline is the boat on the water Dear One, not the rope tethering you to the dock.

It is the compass pointing your way, not the points plotted out on a map

It is the sail, and not the anchor.

Practicing discipline should strengthen you, empower you, guide you, help you to feel stronger, freer, more connected and in-synch with the world around you. Not frustrate you, weaken you, and leave you feeling depleted and restricted.

If what you are practicing is not not serving you in all of these positive ways Dear One, there is a very good chance that what you are practicing is not discipline at all, but that you are just being hard on yourself, and that is not the same thing.

Our challenge for you today, Dear One, is for you NOT to try and change your world.

Our challenge is for you is to make the choice to simply change the way you see it.

Succeed, and you will discover first hand exactly how it is possible for anything/everything to change in an instant.

Do you want to know which of your relationships are sustainable, Dear One, and which are not?

If you do, ask yourself this question:

• At its core, is the connection one that is based on a foundation of growth, or one of attachment?

One of the two is sustainable, and the other is not.

It’s just that simple.

But remember this; that letting go of the attachment does not necessarily mean letting go of the relationship.  It could mean that.  But it could also be the start of something new, something different, something really great.

Making the decision to be brave, Dear One, to act bravely, is far from a risky decision.

In fact, it is probably one of the safest decisions that you can make.

Why?

Because being brave requires you to trust, and in order to trust you must connect with your heart, listen to what it has to say, and allow it to guide you.

What could be safer than that?

You want to play it safe, Dear One?

Connect, trust, and take the leap.

Allow yourself to relinquish control, Dear One.

Allow yourself to bond with your own heart.

Allow yourself to feel its beating.  Allow yourself to feel its wanting.  Allow yourself to feel its passion.   Allow yourself to notice its subtleties – when it is happy, or glad, or giddy, when it is questioning, when it is certain, when it is emotionless, when it is filled with joy, filled with regret, filled with sadness, filled with love.

Allow yourself to feel it all, Dear One.  Allow yourself to want more for yourself than just the absence of discomfort, the absence of pain, the absence of desire.

Please do not make it your hearts ambition to feel as little as possible, Dear One.

For that would be as great a loss as choosing to close your eyes forever after witnessing only one sunrise.

If you continue to hold on to the belief that you can’t, Dear One, that it’s too hard, difficult, or complicated, life will go right on proving to you that you are right.

Here are the facts, Dear One:

• You are  loved
• You are cherished
• You are  adored
• You are capable
• You are absolutely necessary

Carry these facts with you throughout your day, your week, your month, your life.

Make all of your decisions as if there was someone standing beside you, holding your hand, encouraging you, supporting you, loving you, cheering you on every step of the way.

Because there is.

You have complete freedom of choice, Dear One, when it comes to your thoughts.

You are free to choose to think absolutely any thought that you want to;

• About you
• About them
• About what is
• About what was
• About what could be

So remember, if you don’t like the one that you are thinking right now, if it is not bringing you pleasure, joy, contentment, or relief, you are free to choose another.

Your thoughts determine your reality, Dear One, they impact the quality of every single experience that you have, so please don’t be so quick to dismiss the significant power that this freedom affords you.

Just how powerful are you, Dear one?

That is something that only you can decide.

If we were you, Dear One, we would not think about, talk about, or give the majority of our energy or attention to the things around us that displeased us, frustrated us, angered us, upset us, caused us discomfort, pain, distress, or pissed us off.

We would instead choose to focus our attention on those things that pleased us, that felt good to us, that brought us joy, pleasure, and happiness, that inspired us, motivated us, and helped us to feel loved, useful, connected and grateful.

We are not suggesting you turn a blind eye to all of your problems, and all the problems in the world around you. We are simply suggesting that you consider the possibility that choosing to focus on their solutions instead would perhaps be a more pleasant and productive use of your time.

You can choose to focus your attention on that which makes you feel badly if you want to, Dear One, but you should know that that would not be the choice that we would make, if we were you.