On Self-Discipline

• I can't think of anything.
• Ha.  Just kidding. 
• There have been a few accomplishments in my life which appear to have been achieved by sheer determination.  I lost a lot of weight once. 
• I made it through the teaching certification program. 
• Getting the children required patience.  A lot of paperwork, and a lot of suffering of fools.  It did not require self-discipline except to the extent that I had to curtail the sarcastic remarks.
• Washing my daughter's hair night after night appears to be a task which is calling for simple gritting of teeth. 
• So the thing is, I really HAVE to take a few bad habits out of my life.
• Caffeine.  So far, so good.  One cup in the morning, period.  I am trying to switch out to decaf, and from there maybe just nothing?
• Exercise.  My knees are painfully problematic right now, so I have that as another excuse in my elaborate list of excuses, but this is becoming a non-negotiable. 
• Natural light. Faithful readers know this is big for me.
• Consistent sleep habits.  This may make faithful readers scoff, as you know that I am a 10-12 hour per night sleeper.  The truth is, though, that has not been the case for over a year, and I succomb day after day to heavy, drugged-like, hours-long naps.  It's actually distressing.
• My mother, (known for decades now as Muth, short for Muth-head, which should be spelled mOth, except that spells "moth" and that's not how it is pronounced) has more self-discipline than anyone I know. At 75, she walks with a friend about 10 miles or so per week, plus has a strength training program that she completes at home.
•  I asked her to help me, knowing that she would take it seriously, and she has already begun.
• She has sent me a brief article, with a simple exercise program, and she accompanied this missive with a phone call.  I admire her very much for her commitment to me. 
• But she can't do it for me.