Summary:

The pandemic forced the author to move their life online, which initially seemed convenient but soon led to screen time overload and neglecting physical health and hobbies. They realized the value of discipline and how it aligned with their values and goals. They stepped out of their comfort zone by pursuing new opportunities, which came with challenges and occasional overwhelm. They discovered the importance of self-compassion in conjunction with discipline to achieve long-term growth. Embracing growth and connection, they found that taking the easy route doesn't always lead to the best outcomes. They learned to balance academic and professional goals while maintaining physical and mental well-being and relationships. Through the pandemic, the author embraced accountability and recognized that failures, challenges, and successes contribute to long-term growth and well-being.

Takeaways:

💪 Discipline is valuable and aligns with our values and goals.

🚶‍♀️ Stepping out of our comfort zone leads to new opportunities and personal growth.

🌿 Practicing self-compassion helps us stay disciplined and work towards new goals.

🤝 Embracing growth and connection requires going beyond the easy route.

⚖️ Balancing academic, professional, and personal goals is important for overall well-being.

🎯 Enduring failures, overcoming challenges, and celebrating success contribute to long-term growth and accountability.

Life during the pandemic: Finding Discipline and Growth

During the pandemic, life became much simpler as my whole life was moved online. At first, this seemed like a breeze. Staying at home every day, saving commute time, staying in bed for class, etc. In reality, this turned into hours of screen time, not keeping up with my physical health, a lack of new challenges, and putting my hobbies aside.

Aversion to discipline

I felt as though I was almost developing an aversion to discipline, realizing that impulse was not always in my best interest. My initial rejection of discipline, however, left me with space to re-approach my values and goals. I took a step back to evaluate this aversion and worked to ensure that I was taking time to take care of myself, work toward my goals, and advocate for matters important to me.

Stepping out of the comfort zone

As such, I started to step out of my comfort zone to pursue new opportunities. I began undergraduate research, started advocating for action against food insecurity, and started volunteering to work with students. Each new opportunity came with its own set of challenges.

Overcoming overwhelm

There were many occasions when I felt overwhelmed. It took time for me to learn that sometimes progress meant taking one step back and two steps forward, and that growth was not always linear.

The importance of self-compassion

I discovered that practicing self-compassion also meant disciplining myself to work toward new goals. It was necessary to step out of my comfort zone to observe long-term growth. It would have been immensely easier not to put in the time or effort to pursue new opportunities and take on new challenges.

Choosing the better route

However, I came to realize that the easy route does not always mean the better route. I would have missed out on learning new skills and making new connections. I have not only translated the virtue of discipline into balancing academic and professional goals, but in my personal life in maintaining my physical and mental well-being, as well as my relationships with family and friends.

Conclusion: Embracing growth and discipline

Through the circumstances of the pandemic, I have gained a newfound appreciation for enduring failures, overcoming challenges, and celebrating success as part of maintaining accountability to myself in practicing discipline to observe long-term growth and maintain my well-being.