A Quick Thought On Devotion

"The Hours Behind You" (2011). Painting by Lynette Yiadom-Boakye.

Language is powerful. Oxford Dictionary defines discipline as “the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.” I am not an obedient person nor do I like rules. Submitting to discipline does not work. Punishing myself for not sticking to a rigid set of rules is not aligned with who I am or what I need. I want peace, ease, joy, and a regulated nervous system.

Devotion is love and loyalty. I love myself in this moment and I love the woman I will become. Showing loyalty to that woman by doing the hard things today. That resonates with me. That language makes my body hum with appreciation. Devotion is simply love and love I can do.

Using the language devotion cuts through noise. It reminds me that I love myself and want the best for myself. And that’s not always easy, but it will always be worth it. Changing my language has allowed me to treat myself with kindness and compassion. It has given birth to another voice who is far better at motivating me. Achieving the tasks I set for myself is done with joy when the framework is doing it out of love.

I discussed positive self-talk in my first blog post as a part of trusting myself. Negative self-talk, which I have been guilty of for year, has always been paired with discipline because it is punitive. So allowing devotion is simply a continuance of a more positive relationship with myself. As the year comes to a close and I begin to reflect on 2024 and set goals and intentions 2025, I look forward to being devoted to myself.