Whether it comes from a desire to work toward a specific goal or simply to feel better every day, self-improvement is a goal for many people. One of the few things that you can truly influence in your life is your own actions, which makes self-improvement one of the most attainable goals. By making small changes each day, it becomes easier and easier to work toward your own goals. Use these quick tips to get started.
- Find a System that Works for You
One of the facts of modern life is that every day is going to have some elements that repeat themselves. Sleeping, working and eating are constants for everyone on any given day. One of the best ways to improve these seemingly every day experiences is to develop a system to approach them. Take sleeping for example: one way to improve your sleep is to engage in a routine. For optimal sleep you should try to:
- Have meals at a regular time;
- Avoid blue light two to three hours before bed time; and,
- Only use your bed for sleeping, not lounging around watching television.
You’ll find that by establishing a routine for yourself, you can minimize stress from activities you have to do every day anyway.
- You are What You Drink
Another focus of quite a few people’s self-improvement revolves around their health. With so much attention on food and exercise, one overlooked self-improvement opportunity is the drinks you consume each day. Many people find dramatic success simply by eliminating soda from their diet and replacing it with water. Soda is expensive, and has tons of empty calories that can add up over the course of a day, week, or month.
Another drink-related aspect to consider is alcohol. While fine in moderation, it’s important to honestly appraise how much you or your loved ones consume on a daily basis. The Mayo clinic recommends no more than one drink a day for healthy adults. For some, self-improvement may start with a visit to area alcohol rehab centers.
- Take Your Time
Another issue that contributes to the need for self-improvement is keeping up with the pace of life. We rush out of the house, to work, to meet friends, to get the kids to practice, etc. One of the most important tips for self-improvement is simply to give yourself time. Take the time to unplug and give yourself a mental break. Go to a park for lunch and take to time to literally and figuratively smell the flowers. Slow down and focus a bit more on something that’s not the daily grind; it will work wonders in improving your outlook on everyday life.
- Be Confident
One of the keys to confidence is self-image. Long term there are of course diet and exercise goals, but self-improvement doesn’t always have to be that far sighted. For immediate self-improvement, use the people and products available to you to make yourself the best you can be. Your world is rich with experts, empower yourself by taking advantage of their advice and experiences:
- Ask the store clerk for clothing recommendations;
- Ask your barber or stylist about new looks to suit you;
- Ask the waiter or waitress to recommend a new dish based on your tastes; or
- Check out various health or hair growing products that might work for you.
There are opportunities to learn and grow everywhere if you’re willing to look.
- Begin at the End
The last tip is the shortest, but probably the easiest. Whatever the thing you were dreading doing: do that thing first. Make a list of all the things you need to get done, and get hardest one done first. You’ll find that with the difficult part out of the way, the rest of it seems easier.
Self-improvement is often a game of inches, where small changes snowball over time to create an overall happier, healthier you. Use these tips as a starting point to work toward whatever your self-improvement goals are.
Photo by JohnONolan 