21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 17

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16.

Day 17:
Stop comparing yourself to others! Crystal encourages everyone to not feel guilty if you aren't able to do exactly what she is doing, which is getting up early in this case. You have to look at where you are in life and determine what is best for you and your family. Consider your needs, the needs of your family, your strengths, and your weaknesses. Choose goals that work for you and your family, even if it's completely opposite of what works for someone else. Don't pine after someone else's life. Learn to be content with and make the most of YOUR LIFE. Develop your own style, develop your own habits, develop strong discipline, and be a person that others can look up to.

I am in the same boat as Crystal. I am not pregnant or nursing. My kids sleep through the night most of the time. At 7, 5, 4, and 2, my kids are starting to be able to do more things without assistance. I homeschool my kids, which provides for a more flexible schedule. We are debt free (minus the mortgage) so it is easier financially for my to work part-time from home. My hubby is totally on my side, encouraging and challenging me when I need it. Every mom has to learn what works and is best for her family. Now, neither Crystal or myself, for that matter, are telling you that you have excuse to be lazy. We are merely saying that everyone is different, has different circumstances, and lives at different stages of life. I remember when I was pregnant with Miss S. and had all-day sickness if I didn't get 7 hours or more of sleep. There was no way then that I would have been able to do what I am attempting now. It wouldn't have been wise or healthy. Life would be pretty boring if everyone was the same. Be a better version of yourself instead of trying to be someone else.
Practical Application: 1. Evaluate your goals and make sure they are based on what is best for your family. Do what works for you. 2. Sit down with pen and paper and write down every area in which you compare yourself to someone else in the last week. Circle three different areas that are important to you and that you want to change for YOURSELF, not for someone else. 3. Brainstorm ways to change in those three areas. Your own originality is important.

Mega Project Progress: Today I went through the remaining box and a half of my mending. I sorted everything by type of fix and then tossed 3-4 more items that were not worth the fix or beyond repair.

General Progress: 21 days of going to bed with a clean kitchen feels so awesome! I have also worked out 2 days this week. My weight has plateaued for a bit but I am becoming more conscious of what I eat and how much it really takes to burn off those calories. :)