Where are you at this very moment? Think about it: are you in the place you wished for yourself? If you’re like most people, there are some goals you didn’t manage to achieve. Maybe you did achieve all goals you used to have, but you set new ones somewhere along the way.
[Tweet “Have the constant strive for improvement. “]That’s important; setting new goals and making progress. The constant strive for improvement.
You can start the progress with two steps:
- Identify the person you want to become
- See where you stand at this point and what you need to do to get to the point you’re after
This journey is individual. However, there are universal steps that every one of us can take for personal improvement. Are you wondering what they are? Here are my suggestions:
5 Things You Can Do Every Day to Improve Your Life
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Try Something New
Isn’t life an adventure on its own? You get born. You’re given liberty to do something special with your life. No; don’t say that your options are limited. Even if they are, you can always expand those limits. Trying new things requires courage, but gives tons in return:
- The adventure helps you overcome fear. Whatever it is that you decide to try, the push outside your comfort zone will involve some fear and uncertainty. You won’t be an expert; you’ll be a beginner. When you move away from the idea of failure and you decide to try, you’re overcoming that fear.
- You develop strengths and skills. When you try new things, you get to discover what you’re really god at.
- You nurture your inner curiosity. Remember when you were a kid and you were mesmerized by everything that surrounded you? Somewhere along life, you lost that curiosity. It’s time to spark it up all over again!
- It’s fun! The process of trying new things comes with great enjoyment. Focus on it.
So what new can you try? How about skydiving? A book club? Traveling? A cooking course? Find something you’re into and go for it!
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Spend Time with the People You Love
The relationships with people we love are the most important aspect that defines our life. It’s not the job. It’s not the money we earn. It’s not a hobby we have. It’s the people.
How much time are you spending with the people you love? How long has it been since you last called your favorite cousin? Your childhood friend? Some of us are not that close to our parents, even. It’s time to change that.
Reach out to family and friends. Do not start thinking “If they cared about me, they would’ve called.” If you care about them, then you call. Make that step. Let these people know you’ve been thinking about them. When you reconnect with the closest people you have, your entire life will be different. You’ll have a support system that helps you go through anything.
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Eat Better Food
By better, I mean healthier. By eat, I mean cook!
“Why should I bother changing my diet? What’s healthy, anyway? Organic is too expensive. “Normal” fruits and vegetables are full of pesticides. The air I breathe is poisonous. The cheesy pizza I’ll eat for dinner is a minor problem when my entire lifestyle is unhealthy.”
That attitude is just wrong! You have power to make decisions about the things you eat every day. Get healthy food supplies. Start cooking your own meals. You’ll find great joy in the preparation process and you’ll immediately start feeling better about yourself. Even if you have time for only one home-cooked meal per week, do it.
Proper nutrition affects your productivity. It changes the way you feel and work. It takes tons of willpower to make this change, but the things you get in return are priceless.
- Express Yourself
Thank you.
I love you.
I’m angry.
This disturbs me.
Are you expressing your sincere thoughts and emotions or are you hiding them inside? If you’re hiding them, they lead to anxiety and trouble.
You know what the first thing a therapist asks is: “How do you feel?” It’s not small talk. That question is a trigger that’s supposed to encourage you to open up. Sometimes we’re so much in our shells that we can’t even answer that question.
You don’t have to go to a therapist if that’s not what you need at the moment. Just ask yourself the same question every single day: how do you feel?
Express yourself with genuine honesty. When you love someone, tell them. When you’re angry at someone, express your feelings in a way that helps you manage that anger. Express yourself through art, music, and journaling. Don’t keep all that burden inside.
- Practice Kindness
Helping people in need feels really good. However, it’s not an egoistic act just it because it makes you feel better about yourself. It’s giving. Do a random act of kindness every single day. Get a meal for a homeless person. Smile to the kid in the elevator. Call a friend who’s depressed and invite them to see a movie together. Just be kind. Randomly. Without expecting anything in return.
The focus on kindness should not be solely on other people, though. Self-kindness is just as important. Are you being gentle with yourself? It’s time to put an end to those negative self-talk patterns. You’re great. You’re just awesome. Treat yourself with a nice book or some fancy wine this weekend. Take a day off. Enjoy the things you love doing. Congratulate yourself on the smallest achievements. Such a positive attitude towards yourself will certainly improve your life.
Adventure. Love. Enjoyment. Honesty. Kindness.
Those are the things that make our lives worth living. Are you getting enough of them?
You know; you can’t always get rid of all negative stuff you’re going through. Sometimes we hit a low point, and that’s life, too. If you can’t change anything about that, you can change something about the good things you experience. You can multiply them.
Make an effort to improve your life today. Make that effort every day. You absolutely deserve it!
1. What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? Additionally, what are you still working on accepting? Now, we’re talking about resignation, rather stepping into, embraced, and owned.
I accepted love from other people. That was a difficult thing for me to do.
I’m still working on accepting the inevitable – the fact that everyone I love will be gone at some point. That’s my biggest fear.
2. What have you learned to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? On the other hand OR in contrast, are there elements of who you are that you’re still working on appreciating?
Being an introvert. I used to hate it. When I learned to accept that fact, I realized I wasn’t worthless. I am just a human.
Being too shy to approach new people is something I’m still trying to change.
3. What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? Tell us not only what makes YOU most proud but also share the goals and dreams that you still have.
The attempt to change the world with small acts of kindness. I know I’m not going to change the world. But I’ll make it just a tad better. It’s a lifetime journey, but I started it and that makes me proud.
4. Of course, we all have imperfections, or so we think. In truth, we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? Likewise, what imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
I might be a perfectionist. I might be. But then again, it’s part of who I am.
5. “I Love My…” is an outlet for you to appreciate and express all the positive traits that make you…well…YOU! In fact, sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (We assure you!) Therefore, Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I love my persistence. When I decide to achieve something, I will keep fighting for it. Some would call me stubborn. I would call me strong.
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
