Last week we spoke about the first 4 principles of success as described in "The Rhythm of Life" by Matthew Kelly (more here : day-1-purpose; day-2-priorities; day-3-balance; day-4-discipline). Today we delve into the fifth principle: Discipline (Just a small but important note, the term success here can be applied to many areas of life, and ultimately, it's really just about intentionally becoming the best version of yourself.) Principle 5: GROWTH “If you are not growing, you are slowly dying.” Growth is a non-negotiable principle of life. It doesn't have to be a constant upward progress, it can be seasonal, but it's gotta happen in order to avoid the soul shrinking that will happen as a result. Stagnation is not neutral...it's regressive and stagnant water becomes putrid and also has the tendency to infect things around it. Growth must be intentional and often requires humility-admitting what you don't know, where you need help and recognizing a need for change. We often mistake growth for intensity-doing moer, pushing harder, building up speed. But we must not confuse momentum with growth. Think of riding a bike down a not so smooth hill and at the end you need to make a turn. Momentum on it's own could end up being catastrophic--being intentional with how you navigate the hill, when to apply the breaks, when to maybe even walk the bike is necessary. This analogy is only in relation to momentum because part of growth may also need to bring in the question "is this a hill that's really best suited for my goal/my life". Sustainable growth requires integration meaning that it requires the space to process, reflect, and consolidate what has been learned. Without this rhythm/balance, growth becomes compulsive and lessons aren't fully learned.Again, it's not necessarily about speed. It's tough though because we can struggle with delayed gratification sometimes.

Any highlights you guys wanna share from the past week/weekend? Anything you're looking forward to this upcoming week? Here's a picture of the sunrise I got to catch this morning. It was SO cold, but so beautiful and worth it.

In the last three days we spoke about the first 3 principles of success as described in "The Rhythm of Life" by Matthew Kelly (more here : day-1-purpose; day-2-priorities; day-3-balance ). Today we delve into the fourth principle: Discipline (Just a small but important note, the term success here can be applied to many areas of life, and ultimately, it's really just about intentionally becoming the best version of yourself.) Principle 4: DISCIPLINE “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.”-Abraham Lincoln “No man is free who is not master of himself.” -Epictetus “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” -Aristotle This one can be rough...In many ways people looking in may think that I'm pretty disciplined in a lot of areras of life...but there are many that I want (or....want to want?) to be more disciplined in and I fall again and again...The easy way out, the distractions, the comfort, the lure of the status quo sometimes still win out.. Stemming from the Latin for "to teach," discipline is training for self-control and character. Benefits of discipline involve better outcomes, stable relationships, and increased well-being. It fills the gap between intention/dreaming and reality. Discipline is...wait for it....discipline is self-respect in action. We want to respect ourselves, don't we? Small repeated choices shape our character and it builds self trust and each small act of discipline is a lil vote towards the person we want to be and over time these votes compound. Compound effect is a real thing! Think about the direction you want that compound effect to go. Pychologically, discipline is closer to self-regulation than self-control and it's more about creating conditions where success is more likely. When we struggle with follow through, it'srarely because of laziness (which sometimes people shame themselves with this type of language) but it's more likely that the nervous system is overwhelmed, dysregulated, or trying to avoid pain.

This past week we stealthily crossed the 100 member milestone and I'm so so excited for it! A couple of you reached out about it (thank you!!) and @Chris Wendt 's post here100-members means so so much to me... This milestone belongs to all of you! It truly does! Thank you for showing up, contributing your voices, sharing your experiences, and helping create this space into what it is today. I never anticipated how this little corner of skool was going to take shape and I am so so truly thankful for it and for you all. A gift that I never knew was needed and didn't see coming. My heart is overflowing with joy. The connections formed and nurtured, the conversations sparked, and the growth truly wouldn’t exist without your willingness to engage and support one another and me. This community is possible because of you-your presence, insight, and energy matter more than you know. Thank you for making it the special space that it is. Here’s to what we’ve built together so far, and to everything still ahead!!!!💛 Excited!!!!!

I've been thinking about other people's lives a lot this past week--especially as we encounter the holiday season. Sonder is the realization that every person you pass has a life as complex and vivid as your own. The 'main character' of their own stories but also the 'side characters' of many more. Strangers in a strange land. Each person is carrying unseen stories, responsibilities,grief, joys,hopes, disappointments... Perspective taking is the skill of holding that awareness without losing yourself. It does not mean excusing behavior but it does mean understanding context. When we practice sonder, we soften assumptions and we interrupt our reactivity and postpone our judgments. We make room for curiosity. This shift can change how we interpret conflict, misunderstandings, and silence. It can change a moment from aggression/reaction to something more peaceful. It can help us step outside of ourselves. Question to ponder: What might shift if you paused to consider that someone else’s behavior is shaped by a story you cannot see? Poll: How do you manage interpersonal challenges?