In life, we either pay the price of discipline or the price of regret. We pay these prices in all areas of life: our careers, relationships, health, spiritual development, and financial affairs. It is unfortunate that many of people, yours truly included, often fail to comprehend this simple law of life and its consequences. Life's laws are just that - they do not care whether you agree with them or like them - they just are. They are totally insensitive to your whining or your hoping

Let me explain. The laws that apply to all of life’s issues such as discipline, commitment, patience, integrity, practice, self-control and focus. These laws either help us live with freedom, peace and harmony, or heartache, failure, regrets and misfortune as we move along the path of life. Much of the latter could be avoided (not all of it) if we would only understand, accept and integrate this simple truth into our lives.

The price of discipline are those daily doses of exercise, self-reliance, self-discipline and moderation in our life affairs, our eating habits, our relationship strategies such as open and honest communication, and managing our resources wisely.

The lack of these daily little disciplines accumulate day by day and year by year until each of us inherits the long-term consequences of these small yet recurring mis-deeds.

I have had many personal experiences where the daily lack of discipline one day came back and haunted me. I am discovering through these learning experiences that no one is immune to this law. Arrogance, ignorance or a combination of both are no excuse, and life really doesn’t give a twit if you claim any of the three as your master. Sooner or later we pay one way or another. Discipline weighs ounces, while regrets weigh tons.

The pain of discipline is nothing compared to the sting of regret.

One way to determine which you are paying is to:

1. Pay attention to your quiet, yet persistent, inner voice urging you to change something, anything, everything.

2. Listen to the people around you: relatives, friends, associates. Are they trying to tell you something?

3. Look at past areas of your life in which you have experienced regret of some kind. Are you repeating old behaviors?

4. Tune in to life – its issues, demands, expectations, and all of the voices, signals and messages you are receiving.

5. Spend time in quiet meditation or contemplation with no expectations or agendas. Just listen.

6. Start a journal recording daily your thoughts, feelings, fears, hopes, dreams, concerns.

7. Take a daily walk through the woods, a park or some other quiet place. Tune in, listen and observe.

8. Seek out a mentor or coach who can help you see your personal blind spots.

My final thought: Your life moves forward one step at a time. Each successive step you take brings you closer to harmony and peace or frustration and despair. So take each step carefully and thoughtfully.

Tim Connor
http://www.timconnor.com