We are always trying to improve ourselves. Whether it’s our capabilities, finances, career, or relationships, we’re obsessed with how to excel, grow, and become what we desire. But, sometimes, the entire process can feel a bit overwhelming and you may not know where to start. Therefore, in this article, we provide a few self-improvement tips to help you grow emotionally and mentally to give you a bit of inspiration for your self-empowerment journey. Let’s dive in.
9 Self-Improvement Tips for Personal Growth
1. Commit to a 30-day challenge
Did you ever watch that viral Tedx Talk “Try Something New for 30 Days“? In the video, software engineer Matt Cutts profoundly discussed the benefits of choosing one goal and working on it consistently for 30 days. And he was onto something. Challenge yourself, and sticking to something, whether it’s a new language, sport, or skill, provides incredible results. Not only does your confidence increase, but your zest for pushing yourself becomes an addiction. You become a master at developing healthy and positive habits! So, pick something and see what happens for 30 days. But if you need inspiration, check out these 30-day challenge ideas to try this year.
2. Increase your self-appraisal skills
When something bad happens, how do you react? Do you think it’s the end-all-be-all, or do you try to reframe the situation? Reappraisal is an emotional regulation strategy that helps us reduce negative emotions, build resiliency, and subsequently, improve our self-improvement. For example, if you were late to work, instead of thinking your whole day is ruined, reframe it by thinking, “I’m happy I still have a job” or “Tomorrow, I’ll set more than one alarm”. Next time you’re stressed or frustrated, practice this skill – it really works!
3. Identify your weaknesses and grow
Nobody is perfect. In fact, we all have weaknesses and areas that could use a little more of our attention. And when you focus on your weaknesses with a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset, meaning you believe with time and practice, you’ll become stronger and more adaptable, you shift your thinking about life. You also see yourself as a human with imperfections like the rest of us. So, if you want to improve your math skills for work, enroll in a course and spend time improving your blind spots.
4. Set and maintain boundaries
Boundaries are a necessary part of our self-care. But over time, whether it’s through people-pleasing or putting others’ needs first, we lose sight of what we need to feel happy. Therefore, reflect on what you can no longer tolerate and draw some thick lines for others to follow. Whether it’s a gossipy colleague draining your energy or a needy family member taking your time, maintain limits and consequences and begin enforcing them. It may feel intimidating, at first, to set healthy boundaries with toxic family members, but your inner-self will love you for choosing you above all.
5. Choose a bad habit to break
You’re human, which means you probably have a bad habit or two affecting your productivity. Maybe you get trapped in a cycle of Instagram swiping for hours instead of working. Or a great Netflix binge feels impossible to resist. Whatever your bad habits are, choose one and work on breaking it. James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, says, “If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you, the problem is your system”. He believes the best system involves replacing a bad habit with a new one that provides similar benefits. For example, if you love eating dessert every night before bed, eat a healthier option that will give you the sweet fix without the health concerns.
6. Read personal development books
Knowledge is power, and when you read, you become unstoppable. In fact, many of the people we admire most believe reading is one of the best self-improvement tips. Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, you name it. Not sure what to read? Check out a few of our favorites…
- Think and Grow Rich: An oldie but a goodie, this book empowers you to change your mindset and imagination to create the future you want
- The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment: Eckart Tolle stresses the importance of shifting from the confines of our ego to the present moment to improve emotionally, spiritually, and mentally
- The Gift of Fear: While most of us hate fear, Gavin de Becker teaches us how to see it as a gift to guide our life
7. Compete against yourself
Comparison has no room in the self-improvement game. Indeed, if you want to better your life, capabilities, and who you are, only compete with yourself. For example, choose one goal, develop a step-by-step plan to achieve it, limit your daily social media intake, and see how you can level up in a competition with yourself. If you experience setbacks, it’s okay. Keep going and prove yourself wrong. It’s the best feeling.
8. Find a mentor
When we have support and accountability, we can excel more. Think about what you want in a mentor and begin your search. And while you’re looking, a fun mindset tip is to envision someone you admire. For example, if you want to become a spiritual coach like Gabby Bernstein, learn about her and her mindset and adopt every positive tidbit you can. Using an achievable example as a mental accountability partner will expand your mind to improve yourself collectively.
9. Celebrate the small victories
We all know the infamous quote, “Life is a marathon rather than a sprint”. It refers to the lengthy process it takes to achieve what we want. But it also stresses the importance of slowing down, focusing on small victories, and celebrating how far you’ve come. Your self-improvement journey requires a mindset shift to empower you to be persistent, resilient, and steadfast in the life you’re creating. Therefore, enjoy every small step it takes you to run the marathon of life.
After learning about these self-improvement tips, the most important question to ask is, “Why do I want to improve myself?” Maybe you want to remove toxic relationships, increase your knowledge or limit a bad habit. Whatever the case, remember that growth requires dedication and time. So, be kind to yourself, aim for small goals each day, and enjoy the process.
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