Your environment forms you. If you start out with willpower, you’ll have to rely on yourself forever. That’s not how God calls us to live.
Before the monks could build Mt. St. Michael they had to clear the rocky ground. We need to start by removing what's blocking God's voice and sabotaging your growth. Uou can build while bandits and robbers are raiding your energy and focus.
To begin, start with going to Confession, not as a ritual checkbox but as the spiritual demolition that clears the rubble of sin from your soul. Beforehand you go, conduct a thorough examination of conscience, honestly confronting the patterns and habits that have kept you trapped. You can't build on a compromised foundation.
Next comes the physical environment. You'll remove unhealthy food from your home, not just the obvious junk, but the processed temptations that hijack your willpower and cloud your mind. If it's in your house, you'll eat it eventually. If it's not there, you won't. The environment uou create dictates what temptations you’ll face
Next, remove temptations to be lazy: the couch that swallows your evenings, the streaming subscriptions that steal your time, the phone apps that fragment your attention. You'll ruthlessly remove temptations for sin.
Whether that's deleting social media accounts that lead to lust, canceling subscriptions that normalize greed, or cutting ties with influences that pull you away from Christ. This isn't deprivation, it's liberation from chains you’ve grown accustomed to.
When you clear the clutter and chaos from your physical space and spiritual life, you create an atmosphere of intentionality where God's voice can finally break through the noise. The foundation must be solid so you can build a temple that stands the test of time.
A few suggestions to get started
- Remove processed food from your home
- Clean and create a prayer corner so you can create a habit of prayer in one place
- Delete apps that cause you to sin, even venial sins
- Buy at home work out equipment, bands or a suspension trainer are a great place to start
- Do a thorough examination of conscience, schedule a time for confession where you can talk through your sins with the priest in detail. Not rushed 10 minutes before daily mass starts
If you want a 1-1 environment overhaul shoot me a DM! I’d love to help you get started!
@the_catechized_coach
May 6, 2026
2. Environment: A State of Grace for the Body and Soul
18 comments
18 Comments
Want to reply?
@christianvsdominicvsMay 7I am currently reading the Epistles of St. Paul, the Daily Mass Readings and other books nourishing my mind and soul. I also pick my meals based on what is availble but I make sure it is healthy. I am currently doing calisthenics actually(though it is a bit challenging but I feel good inside)
@the_catechized_coachMay 7Sounds like you have some great disciplines! 💪🏼
@christianvsdominicvsMay 7There are, at some point, I become slack in my routine
@the_catechized_coachMay 7@christianvsdominicvs sounds like you’re relying on a lot of willpower instead of setting up a system for success. Why does your routine fail?
@christianvsdominicvsMay 8Academic-related stress and doomscrolling
@the_catechized_coachMay 11@christianvsdominicvs ahh sounds like the phone has impacted your environment! Shoot me a for some tips on that!
@misericordiaMay 7I should definitely eat healthier (and on regular times, I often forget to eat).
Also making conscious choices for my schedule in what I will (and won't) do so I don't get distracted.
I also want to schedule time for a general confession again at some point, but I don't have a good priest available, so please say a little prayer for that!
Also making conscious choices for my schedule in what I will (and won't) do so I don't get distracted.
I also want to schedule time for a general confession again at some point, but I don't have a good priest available, so please say a little prayer for that!
@the_catechized_coachMay 7Maybe set an alarm to eat? 😅
I’ll definitely pray about that!
I’ll definitely pray about that!
@misericordiaMay 7@the_catechized_coach I've tried, but I'm too good at ignoring alarms, especially when I immediately get distracted by something else 😂
Thank you!!
Thank you!!
@rosepetalsofmaryMay 11I love this! Something to suggest that I’m doing is setting up a timer for social media apps. I have it set that I can’t access social media until I do my Duolingo in the mornings. I’m sure there’s a way to do something similar with a prayer app!
@the_catechized_coachMay 11Great idea!
@akeda_hereMay 11I am asking the Holy Spirit to guide me in my day and I am also engaged in running events.
@the_catechized_coachMay 11Awesome! How does this remove the distractions or temptations you face during your day?
@akeda_hereMay 11@the_catechized_coach movements can remove the temptations, also singing and listening to psalms. "Demons attack those who are bored..." - I forgot the name of the Priest from YouTube... That's why Prayers / meditation and Exercise/Movements may remove distractions or temptations.
@krzysztof_2May 21I like this: asking the Holy Spirit to guide me in my day. I'll try to do this from now on.
@lucaJun 9I would like to choose all battles at once but I’ll go a “step by step” approach.
So: no doomscrolling at work.
Keep my phone away ( in the jacket) .
Day 3 of this “digital detox” and I’m feeling good even though cravings are real.
So: no doomscrolling at work.
Keep my phone away ( in the jacket) .
Day 3 of this “digital detox” and I’m feeling good even though cravings are real.
@ownaxJun 14I will make more conscious decisions in what I eat
@nishaJun 14
I will avoid doomscrolling and purchasing processed food. I will also create a prayer corner and read the Bible and reflect on it.
