Discipline as Devotion
I'm back with a story about moving, rooting, & becoming.
It feels so good to be back to writing after a whirlwind of a couple weeks.
The weekend after Thanksgiving, while everyone else was recovering from turkey hangovers in their stretchy pants, we (my fam) were moving.
Boxes, dust bunnies, more boxes, and so. many. plants. Pickup truck load after pick up truck load, we moved our entire 2,800 square foot townhome into a quaint 1,800 square foot cottage. Rolling out rugs, re-building beds (have you ever moved a Sleep Number? It’s WILD!), and figuring out where all our stuff was going to fit in this smaller space.
And the entire time, I could feel my body screaming one thing to me: ROOT. Prioritize the necessities, create pockets of comfort, and find a new rhythm in this new space… on the opposite side of town.
I’ve been latching on to the small things:
Snoozing my alarm and cuddling my family in bed.
Starting every morning with sips of hot water.
Putting things back where they belong—spices, my coat, clean dishes.
Cooking dinner every day and sitting around the table.
Wiping down the stovetop and kitchen counter.
Not at all glamorous.
But totally grounding.
Somewhere through this process, I found myself thinking about discipline—a word I’ve avoided for a long time because it felt harsh or rigid, like something my dad used to say to me when I didn’t want to practice the piano or bassoon.
But as I rooted into this new space, something about the word softened:
Discipline isn’t punishment. It’s self respect.
It’s remembering your worth and choosing consistent, intentional action each day.
And that’s the part no one talks about.
Discipline is not the 5 a.m. wakeup routine that looks good on Instagram.
It’s not the perfect meal prep or the 75-day challenge or the color-coded checklist.
Discipline is putting your hands on the life you want and saying:
“I’m going to show up for this—even when it’s imperfect and messy.”
Showing up could be taking a walk instead of your morning scroll.
Some days it’s going to bed instead of putting on another episode.
Other days it’s doing the dishes so your nervous system can stand down.
Or it could be laying on the floor and focusing on your breath because that’s all you have.
These past couple weeks have reminded me that discipline isn’t forcing yourself to DO, but rather reinforcing the version of yourself you’re BECOMING.
Rooting helps.
Small rituals help.
Returning to yourself—even in the middle of boxes of books and paint cans—helps.
Discipline feels different when you stop seeing it as restriction and start seeing it as devotion.
A devotion to your energy. Your nervous system. Your inner rhythm. Your future self.
And that kind of discipline?
It actually feels grounding. Soothing. Like a giant exhale back into alignment.
If you’re in a season of transition, chaos, or just trying to come back to yourself… start with the tiniest acts of devotion.
The smallest roots.
Going to bed 15 minutes earlier.
Eating one homemade meal per day.
Sipping warm water before coffee.
That’s enough.
And you are so worthy.