Self-Discipline

I would describe self-discipline as the ability to manage your time and prioritize your responsibilities. This can be very hard due to social events, distractions, friends, unexpected events, family, and many other daily life "pop-ups." But, the ability to work with those "pop-ups" and still do what needs to be done is a skill everyone has to learn.

Areas I lack self-discipline:

1.) School Work: "I can get that done tomorrow after class..that paper can wait till the night before..well I don't know how to do this anyways, so it can wait..I'll just miss class tomorrow since I can't get the work done..going out with friends sounds like more fun;" these are just some of the excuses I have come up with regarding my class work since coming to the University of Oklahoma. With so many distractions and fun things to do, it's hard to manage my time wisely. U-Sing has been a major factor that has forced me to plan my days, almost to the T. When there is absolutely no extra time, you manage the time you do have much more wisely. This is why I have chosen to keep myself busy with multiple execs and other non-social responsibilities to keep me on top of my school work. 

2.) Getting Ready in the Mornings: I know to some this may sound silly, but starting my morning off with a hot shower and fresh hair makes me days seem to go smoother. The cleaner I am, the happier I am is a good way to put it, I guess. Looking back on my high school years when I used to wake up every morning at 6:30 AM, shower, blow dry my hair, put on make up, straighten my hair, and pick out a cute outfit just seems absurd to me now. These days just coming by nights with 8 hours of sleep is a miracle. But, I think if I managed my time more wisely and squeezed in a 30 minute shower before class, I would feel a lot better about myself every day.

3.) Working Out: To some, working out is their only escape, it's their morning ritual and they can't image going one day without hitting the gym. But for people like me, the gym just seems to be like an annoying aquaintance. Getting myself to go to the gym is such a hassle and has been placed on the back burner. I do need to get into a healthier life style and start working out at least 30 minutes a day, just for my well being. 

4.) Eating Healthy: This is something I have always struggled with. I always go for the Dr. Pepper over water, the chicken tenders over the grilled chicken salad, and chips and dip as a midnight snack over carrots. It's not that I don't like healthy food, I just like unhealthy food much more. Eating unhealthy will lead to many problems as I get older and will set a bad example for when I have kids one day. This is one area of my life that I have been working on a lot lately since arriving at the University. In high school I could eat whatever I wanted because I was averaging 6 hours of cheer practice a day; in college, I consider walking to class and my sorority a daily work out - meaning I can't eat like I used to. Making healthy decisions has become easier, though, with the dreaded threat of the "Freshmen 15" hanging over my head!

5.) Biting My Nails: I know this sounds like such a silly thing compared to the rest of the items on my list, but it is a habit I have been struggling with all my life and has always haunted me. Ya, ya it sounds SUPER silly to say that..but everytime I look at my hands all I can think about is "how will other people judge me" or "I don't want my hands to look like this in wedding pictures" or "what will people think of me when I attend a job interview?" Biting my nails is my scapegoat for stress; I don't remember when exactly I started doing this, but I wish someone would have stopped me! All the stress of classes, sorority requirements, executive commities, and when I'm going to get everything done in college hasn't helped me trying to quit this horrible habit. 

Someone in my life that has a great deal of self-discipline...
is one of my best friends, Carly Costello. She always pushed herself to take the hardest classes and do her very best in them and succeeded in high school by graduating a valedictorian. She has helped with ways to study, how to take officiant notes, how to become a better test taker, and how to suceed in the classes she has already passed. I envy her ability to always get her schoolwork done and still be able to do all the things she wants to do!

I consider myself accountable for my school work, my grades, my positions on important execs, me taking care of myself, and me making the best decisions in my life. I am accountable to my family, leaders of committees, my sisters, and my teachers.