Frederick,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question.

> When running up the mountain, I often run the first third
> so fast that I feel I can't possibly continue.  Then I
> push myself to continue as fast as I can the rest of the
> way.  No matter how exhausted I am, I also push myself
> to complete the final 20 or 30 yards with a finishing
> burst of speed.

I am exhausted just reading this.  However, I am also inspired
by it.

> > Another exercise to improve self-discipline is to
> write a list of things to do every day and to then
> *do* them.  (I used to be a great procrastinator.  I
> even have several books on how to stop procrastinating.
> I started reading one of them but never finished!  The
> others I haven't even started reading!)

I used to do this all the time (I still do it at work.) However,
I've stopped doing it in my personal life.  Part of my challenge
in life now is to learn how to relax and enjoy things.  Some
how, the things that need to get done are done.  I rely more
on my intuition to let me know what really "needs" to happen.

> You could also take a look at things you fear doing.
> For example, if you fear public speaking, join
> Toastmasters and learn to overcome your fear.  The
> experience of doing some things in the face of your
> resistance can serve as a model for developing the
> ability to generally do what you need to.

Yes, this can be very freeing.  A good
reminder.  I draw the line at bungee jumping though.

> In my own case, I've developed certain practices to
> the point that they've become "unbreakable habits."
> It has become "unthinkable" for me to eat anything
> cooked.

I feel this way about a number of things I used to
do:  drink and take drugs to name two.  It is no
longer a challenge.  I guess there are more - I
don't struggle with whether or not to eat Cheeto's,
although come to think of it, I never really did.
heh heh.  So, I don't struggle with certain food
issues anymore.  But when I find myself getting on
my own case about eating something like cooked
spinach and rice, I have to remind myself that it
is NOT a "terrible" thing.  There is, IMO, a continuum
and I find when I am too extreme towards one end without
fail I find myself back on the other end.  I suspect
maybe as I keep progressing I will be able to be eating
the way I think is right for me much more of the time
without the backsliding but as long as I think of it
as "backsliding" I will probably end up doing it.  I
have no desire to be neurotic about food any more and
avoid it (being neurotic)  as much as I can.  After
years of struggling with food issues like compulsive
eating, bulimia, trying to "never" eat this or that,
I am happiest when I have a day free of obsession -
regardless of what I ate.  I am growing all the time,
though, and I look forward to what I will say about
this a year from now.

> Regarding exercise, I've also from time to time "dropped
> out" for a while.  Recently I decided that achieving
> immortality is the most important issue for me.  That
> elevates the importance of exercise and provides the
> motivation to persist and persevere to the point that
> my exercise routines become "unbreakable habits."

This is interesting to me.  I guess when you say "immortality" you
are referring to your body.  Achieving immortality while living
in my body has never been something I desired.  I believe I
will go on without my body and I find life on Earth to be extremely
hard a lot of the time.  But as I said, I AM growing all the
time and I wonder if I will change the way I think about that.

> Developing the ability to consciously, deliberately respond
> -- or not respond at all -- to situations in a calculated
> manner is an important aspect of developing self-discipline.
> Maybe the most important!

I agree with this in a big way.  Conscious living is very
important and not easy.  Doing it in relationships is especially
difficult.  I would say this has been one of the big lessons
in my life in the past year.

> Death to spontaneity!

There's something sad about this, though.  You still want
to be spontaneous at times, don't you?  After you run up
the mountain, maybe you want to sit and enjoy the sunset
for a few extra minutes.  I mean, can't you consciously
decide something spontaneously :-) ?

(Or, maybe you were kidding.)

Trish Pottersmith