Routine and discipline. Two words that sound downright terrifying. At least for people who organise their lives creatively and with individuality. Behind these two seemingly rigid words however, lie two keys that help us to take another step closer to the state of and the awareness of a fulfilled life.

Routine and discipline are not values in and of themselves. If they are elevated to be such, spontaneity and creativity are quickly stifled. It is therefore less about understanding them as absolutes in life, but rather as tools to be used at certain points during the day to achieve profound changes, seemingly without effort by training our brain and senses.

So when do we need them? What prevents us from tapping into their powers and where are they completely out of place?

We need routine and discipline in several areas of our lives. I would like to focus on those that influence our subconscious and that can make life very difficult without us being aware of them. There are two primary points in the day where we need routine and discipline: in the morning before we get up and in the evening before we go to sleep.

The natural adversaries of these two qualities are old habits and inertia. They are something that we can overcome with these tools. Inertia is not so much a personal trait as it is one of the seven deadly sins - something that every person carries within them in various forms and which prevents them from simply or accidentally freeing themselves "from their prison".

There are two levels of programming needed here. One through repetition (new habits) and one that everyone brings with them from birth as a cellular imprint (intrinsic programming). The former can be changed through routine, the latter through the power that lies in our heart center.

Now, habits are not a bad thing in themselves and can, on the contrary, have a very positive effect on our life, as they give it a framework. Depending on the kind of habit, they support a fulfilled life. So it's more about those habits that prevent us from experiencing our lives as fulfilling and enriching. If we want to change something, no matter what it is, it is helpful to understand how our brain and the subconscious work. If I repeat an action over a period of 21 days, it becomes a routine. If I do it for a longer period of time, it becomes a program that cannot be easily rewritten.

This fact can be used to our advantage and it also explains why it sometimes takes so many attempts to incorporate something new, such as a fitness or meditation practice. It takes 21 days of discipline to evolve from intention to something that is firmly integrated into our day. After that, it suddenly seems to come naturally. Our brain needs 21 days to automate actions, programs (so that they are not immediately deleted again) and states. Our brain, in turn, knows different frequency states or "working states" in which it is more or less receptive to impressions. We distinguish between the alpha, beta, delta, theta and gamma states, which are the oscillations or waves of the brain's neuronal network.

The different frequencies promote different brain functions, for example, the delta state is that of deep sleep, in which healing of the body, but also of the mind, takes place and explains why deep sleep is so important for us. Shortly after waking up and just before falling asleep, the brain slips between the alpha and delta state. It is this intermediate state that is best suited to "installing" new programs. 

Most people do not use these short periods of time to "program" their day or to shift their consciousness into the state that largely determines the quality of both the day and the night. They simply don't use it at all. Most of the time they "use" it with a form of habit that is contrary to the feeling of being fulfilled. It is therefore helpful to take a closer look at these two areas of the daily routine and ask yourself the following questions first:

How do I get up and start my day and how do I end it?

These two points in the day are decisive for how we experience the entire day and how we wake up in the morning. They can also be used to shape what we want to experience and be understood as productive manifestation points for our lives. Many issues such as stress and certain types of sleep deprivation, as well as lack of concentration and restlessness, can be resolved simply by how we shape these two points in the day. Used creatively and with joy and enthusiasm, they change our entire perception - day by day. And all it takes is a little discipline to establish this new routine.

Do you want to get started?

Stay tuned for Part II.