Discipline Is an Act of Self-Love (Not Self-Punishment)
People often tell me, “You’re so disciplined.”
They say it when I’m prepping for a bodybuilding show or training for an ultra marathon.
But here’s the truth — I don’t see it as discipline in the way most people mean it.
I’m not forcing myself to do things I don’t want to do.
I’m choosing to do the things that help me become who I want to be.
Sure, my motivation ebbs and flows — it always does. But underneath that, there’s something steady: a commitment to growth.
I pursue these challenges because they’re the places where I meet myself most honestly — at the edge of comfort, in the space between resistance and expansion.
Discipline Isn’t Restriction — It’s Devotion
Discipline, to me, isn’t punishment. It’s devotion to my future self.
It’s saying:
“I love you enough to make the hard choice today so you can live freely tomorrow.”
When I wake up early to lift, when I run long miles under the sun, when I sit down to write content for my clinic or record a podcast after a long day — it’s not because I’m trying to prove something. It’s because I know the version of me I’m becoming depends on these small acts of follow-through.
Each rep, each mile, each choice is a tiny vote for the person I’m choosing to become.
How to Know What Deserves Your Energy
If you ever feel unsure about where to spend your time or effort — especially as a healer, business owner, or human with a full life — ask yourself one simple question:
Will this nourish or deplete my future self?
If it strengthens you, grounds you, or creates ease down the road — even if it’s uncomfortable now — that’s self-love in action.
If it gives short-term relief but long-term chaos (skipping your bookkeeping, scrolling instead of resting, saying yes when you mean no), that’s self-abandonment.
Your body, business, and spirit all respond to energetic integrity. When you move in alignment with your future self, everything starts to flow more easily.
Discipline Builds Freedom
As acupuncturists, we talk about harmony, rhythm, and flow — and discipline is what creates those things.
It’s the same in the body and in business.
When Qi is scattered, energy leaks.
When Qi is cultivated through consistent, loving action, vitality expands.
Discipline isn’t about rigidity; it’s about rhythm.
It’s you showing up again and again until that rhythm becomes effortless — until the things that once took willpower become part of who you are.
Your Future Self Is Already Waiting
The next time you catch yourself hesitating, pause and ask:
“What would my future self thank me for doing right now?”
Then do that — not from pressure, but from love.
That’s where growth happens.
That’s where the healer, the athlete, the leader in you takes root.
Because discipline isn’t about control.
It’s about creating safety for your expansion — one aligned action at a time.
✨ Dr. Michelle Hamilton, DACM, L.Ac.
Where medicine meets mission.