CHOOSE YOUR PAIN..

THE PAIN OF DISCIPLINE 

OR

THE PAIN OF REGRET

“PAIN IS INEVITABLE, SUFFERING IS OPTIONAL.”

-DALAI LAMA

HOWEVER WE DECIDE TO LIVE OUR LIVES AND WHATEVER WE DECIDE TO PURSUE, PAIN ALWAYS SEEMS TO EMERGE. THIS IS A DIFFICULT TRUTH TO ACCEPT. ALTHOUGH ONCE WE DECIDE TO ACCEPT THAT PAIN IS INEVITABLE, THEN WE CAN CONTROL THE TYPE OF PAIN WE MUST ENDURE.

THE PAIN OF DISCIPLINE:

DISCIPLINE IS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH REGULATING OUR BEHAVIOUR AND ACTIONS TO A CERTAIN ENVIRONMENT. WHEN WE DO NOT AGREE WITH THE STANDARDS OF THAT ENVIRONMENT WE ARE “DISCIPLINED”. THIS CREATES A NEGATIVE CONNOTATION WITH THE WORD DISCIPLINE. 

WHAT ABOUT SELF-DISCIPLINE?

SELF-DISCIPLINE IS THE ABILITY TO CONTROL ONE’S FEELINGS AND OVERCOME ONE’S WEAKNESSES; THE ABILITY TO PURSUE WHAT ONE THINKS IS RIGHT DESPITE TEMPTATIONS TO ABANDON IT. 

THE DIFFERENCE WITH SELF-DISCIPLINE IS THAT WE CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT. WE DECIDE WHAT IS RIGHT.  WE MUST GET OUR FEELINGS IN ORDER AND FOLLOW THE PATH WHICH WE KNOW WILL LEAD TO US PROSPERING IN ALL OF OUR INTERESTS.

IT SOUNDS EFFORTLESS, BUT IT'S THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE. DECIDING WHAT IS RIGHT CAN BE A BATTLE FULL OF ISOLATION AND CONTEMPLATION. IT TAKES CONFIDENCE AND TRUST THAT THE DECISIONS WE’VE MADE WERE THE RIGHT ONES. WHEN ADVERSITY HITS, THE PAIN MAY SEEM UNBEARABLE. WE MUST NEVER ABANDON OUR GOAL AND HOLD STRONG TO OUR WILL. 

THE PAIN OF REGRET:

REGRET IS THE EMOTION OF WISHING WE HAD MADE A DIFFERENT DECISION IN THE PAST. THIS IS USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY SADNESS AND SORROW. 

THE PAIN OF REGRET IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PAIN. THIS IS BECAUSE WE REALIZE WHAT WE WANT TO PURSUE, WE CREATE OUR ENVIRONMENT IN OUR MINDS AND SEE OUR WEAKNESSES AND KNOW THE ACTIONS WE MUST TAKE TO OVERCOME THEM. 

HOWEVER, WHEN TEMPTATION STRIKES WE CHOOSE TO CONFORM TO THE OPPOSITION. OUR BELIEFS WERE NOT TRUSTED ENOUGH TO TAKE CONSIDERABLE ACTION. THE DANGEROUS FACT IS WITHOUT SELF-DISCIPLINE, REGRET CAN BECOME A HABIT. THE PAIN OF BEING CAUGHT IN THE CYCLE OF REGRET SOUNDS MISERABLE AND TORMENTING. 

 

 NEVER ABANDON YOURSELF.

DISCIPLINE OR REGRET? 

PICK YOUR POISON.