For many, Sundays are for relaxing, reflecting, and recouping, It’s the day we rest our minds, souls, and hearts so that we can prepare for a new week to do it all over again. As we reflect during the downtime we so anxiously looked forward to throughout the week, sometimes we may look up and realize that another Sunday has passed us by. I’m not sure about you but, if I could use money to buy something we can’t buy in this day, I would surely use it to buy time. The hustle and bustle along with life’s everyday demands make time seem like it is flying by.

One thing I have been telling myself I was going to do was use my time more wisely. Well, here I am on another Sunday with half the day gone and I’m definitely facing Sunday’s excuse. Lately, I have been having a hard time balancing “self-care” and discipline. Self-care is something I find myself preaching and stressing to others every week. “You can’t pour from an empty cup”, “You need to implement self-care so that you can show up as your best self”, “You deserve self-care”, “Don’t feel guilty for not compromising your self-care”. Yup! I say this time and time again to those I encounter however, today I am wondering if I need to switch that lingo up. While self-care is truly so important, so is discipline.

I find myself using self-care as “Sunday’s Excuse”. What does this mean? Every Sunday I must reflect on the things I did not prioritize in my life, and I have to accept the fact that I did not get the job done. Usually, those things are centered around tasks that require me to invest in myself and my future.  For some reason I always put them on the back burner or drag my feet by breaking them up into 100 small tasks knowing good and well I should have been done with that task. Then, here comes my pro self-care, Sunday excuse having self, saying “try again next week. You deserve rest today. You told everyone else to prioritize their self-care, so you need to do the same”.

Well today my friends, I felt like I came face to face with my future self. I had a moment of realization that I was manipulating what self-care meant in my life and I was abusing it. Self-care shouldn’t be saved for Sundays, and it shouldn’t be the defense mechanism that we use against discipline. Self-care is a choice just like everything else in our lives. Today, I have to accept that if I want to enjoy self-care without guilt, shame, or frustration tapping in, I must prioritize both discipline and self-care. Discipline is the part that is going to make self-care that much better. When you’re disciplined enough to work on yourself, your future, and make YOU…no like really, ALL OF YOU a priority, self-care is simply the icing on the cake.

I may not make this change overnight, however, today was day one of me recognizing and prioritizing discipline and self-care at the same time. Today I am choosing to invest in ME. Through my actions, my priorities, my time management, my health, my mental health, my interactions, and everything to follow. Step by step, with discipline at the center, I will begin to let go of Sunday’s excuse. For those who read this, you may find yourself asking “ok, well how do I do this?”. Well, to be honest, this is clearly new for me as well. So here are some of my tips that I plan to use, and I hope may be beneficial for you, too.

1. Create a routine. Many of us don’t need to buy time, if we would simply create a routine.
2. Ensure your routine is one that sets you up for success. Make sure it is realistic and a routine that allows for balance. Only you can answer what is realistic for you at each stage of your life. Be honest with yourself about what that looks like. Remember, comparison is the thief of joy! Your routine may not look like those around you so just make sure it is one that will work for YOU!
3. Find someone who can hold you accountable. Yup! Discipline will probably require us to keep our “yes man” away from this goal. I’m sure they mean well however; discipline requires those who will call you out and hold the mirror in front of you so that you can get back on track.

4. Explore where you are inspired. If there is something or someone who inspires you or ignites a fire in you that makes you want to get your stuff together, explore those things and people. Ask them for advice, check in with them, celebrate their wins as an inspiration and influence on your future.

5. Do it tired. Some days, life is going to life. You still have to show up for your future self. If you’re tired, lean on discipline to keep you going. Try your very best not to break a routine that is working in your favor. Grind and get to it.

6. Remember your “why”. Sometimes, our dreams can get buried by trials and tribulations. You may lose sight of your end goal. Remembering your why and writing it down can serve as a reminder of the end goal. Sometimes you have to remember where and why you started so that you can push to the end goal.

7. Grace and balance. Remind yourself that you are not alone and even some of your mentors and inspirational figures have climbed very similar mountains. Rest if you need to, but don’t quit. The mountain top is waiting for you.