After years of batteling eczema I have come to a conclusion that simply says: No Discipline – No Healing.
It is a hard reality and on my website, I speak truthfully about the cold facts about eczema healing. There is no quick fix and as a man You have to dig deep to find the natural power to win this battle.
For years now I have not had a single eczema flareup. I have been using the knowledge and routines you can find in my free book and app. But remember that knowledge is useless without the discipline to implement it. And that is what this article is all about.
Discipline is what keeps you on the right path and in time you will find it to be your best friend on the journey towards eczema healing.
Mr. Eczema is always just behind you. He is ready to attack if you let your guard down. Eczema flareups are the pain he will inflict on your body and you instantly know that you have failed.
To stay on the right path and do what is right I often look to Jocko Willink. He is my Eczema Drill-instructor and his no-nonsense approach to daily discipline inspires me. His book Discipline Equals Freedom is a MUST-READ for every eczema-warrior. In the following, you will hear snippets from the book spoken by Jocko himself.
Jocko’s message and voice is making Mr. Eczema duck for cover – He is really in trouble now!
The warpath
When I finally decided to confront Mr. Eczema head on I knew I had to go on the warpath. I felt there was no other way. Either I did it 100% or the path to permanent healing would be a long drawn-out endeavor.
Diet
You have to stay clear of all the daily temptations that look so delicious, but you know will provoke a flareup. Even if the foods you are craving are not directly causing a flareup it might not be good for your overall health. As eczema-warriors we need to stay on the right path and always choose the healthier alternative. If no healthy alternative is available, it is better to have nothing at all. A short faste is always better than a sugar-coated cookie!
For me the exclusion of milk and eggs have been an issue that took a while to get on top of. These ingredients are in many of the foods I used to eat, so finding alternatives was quite a challenge. Slowly learning to find alternatives was hard, but I found out that products labeled VEGAN is safe to eat. So much so that when we go to a burger restaurant, I order the VEGAN burger with a large steak. By being flexible and using your ingenuity daily life is suddenly not so hard afterall.
The diet-choices meant no more cakes, milkshakes, milk on the daily cereals. But also finding the willpower and confidence to ask for alternatives when at a party or eating out. All these daily trials build and exercise your ability to handle your diet in a disciplined way. In time you will learn to stay clear of the small daily temptations and things that might cause an eczema flareup.
I have not had a flareup for several years now, but I have not taken the chance on any food in that period either. You can do the same and trust me, its getting into a habit sooner than you might think. Discipline regarding diet is your best friend and make it able for you to go after other goals. It might be getting in shape and fit for the beach season next summer or some otherwise unattainable accomplicement.
As you know the road to eczema healing is not covered with cookies and doughnuts, instead it consists of healthy foods. So when somebody suddenly comes by and offers free doughnuts…. I think Jocko has an opinion about that!
Stay disciplined every day
Even how hard you try sometimes you will make a wrong choice and an eczema flareup will come seemingly out of the blue. When that happens it is normal to feel overwhelmed and sorry for yourself. It is here you start doubting yourself and whether you have what it takes.
Instead of getting soft – Get angry.! Get more motivated than ever before and analyze the time up to the flareup like a forensic expert. Where did Mr. Eczema come from and what was his weapon?
I have had these seemingly out-of-the-blue eczema flareups a number of times until I found the source and could eliminate it.
Suddenly you feel the itching, stinging sensation of an eczema flareup about to explode in your face. But what can you do?. You will just have to take it head-on and focus on staying strong in the coming healing process.
Each time this has happened to me I have gotten a little closer to knowing my own eczema. By applying that knowledge and staying disciplined to do what is right, you can, like me, in time become 100% healed from eczema.
Stay Focused
Every day is a new day to heal your eczema. By doing the right things and staying clear of all the temptations that can ruin your progress. Think of every day as an opportunity to become a tougher, more disciplined, and better version of yourself. Having this in mind you will eventually get there.
Challenging yourself is a great way to discipline your mind so it is strong when temptations come. Discipline also helps you to do the daily skincare routines and stay clear of unhealthy foods and soaps in the shower.
I personally use the daily shower to train my mental will-power. By ending the shower with a cold rush I do something that is not pleasant at the moment, but afterward, you feel like a superhero.
When the opportunity for a winter-dip in the fjord presents itself my mental will-power is really challenged. But there is no way I will pass on such a great opportunity to show Mr. Eczema who he is up against!
So stay focused and stay disciplined. You can win this war, but some battles will be lost in the process. Accept that and just keep moving forward with a strong focus on the overall goal – To become eczema-free.
You can do it!
Jocko motivational videos
I am a great fan of Jocko´s motivational messages. He has a podcast and a bunch of videos that show how you can utilize discipline in other aspects of your life.
Here are some of my favorites.