Every year we choose a, “word of the year,” in my home. Amy started this a number of years ago. We have embraced the practice. This year, I choose, “discipline.”

Over the last few years I have worked really hard to pursue fitness. I have sought to become spiritually, emotionally, and physically fit. I am grateful that this pursuit of fitness has paid off. I have never been this fit in my life.

This pursuit will never end.

I have developed many good habits. My systems have, for the most part, worked really well.

Over the last year I have been in a pattern of waiting. As I entered in 2024 I didn’t have any sense of what was next for my life.

I still don’t.

As I have been reflecting on this I realized that I don’t need a “next.” I have today and that is enough. This means that each day I can rise from my bed and determine what I will do today and at the end of the day I can reflect on whether or not I was true to my choice of what to do.

To continue my pursuit of fitness I need to remain faithful to the systems that I have developed over the last few years. When they were new, it was easy to embrace them because it was invigorating to enter into these new systems. Now that they are habitual systems it is easy to ignore them.

So, what needs to change?

The next stage of development for me is to embrace the practice of discipline. This is a form of practice that has long eluded me. I can be doggedly determined and I can persevere. But these are not discipline.

At the root of the word discipline is the word, disciple. This means, one who learns.

The practice of discipline is not a practice of negative self-talk or chastisement. It is the ongoing process of learning to be faithful to the kind of person that I am.

Who am I?

I am someone who is fully present spiritually, physically, relationally, and emotionally.

Discipline is the continued and ongoing learning of being that person.

As I reflect on the year that has passed, I think that I have become prideful in the sense that perhaps there was a sense of “I have arrived.” I stopped being disciplined. That is to say, I stopped learning to be who I am. This resulted in stagnation. Stagnation lead to some regression in a variety of areas. This became evident in how I responded recently to a particularly self-created stress situation. The cracks created by my pride broke open and the regression became clear.

In 2025, I am endeavoring to learn again and again and again who I am. I desire to embrace discipline fervently and humbly. I would appreciate your prayer, good thoughts, and good vibes (whatever your preferred nomenclature) as I step enter into a season of discipline.