What you are is an amazing person, but everyone wants to be better. This is good! Making yourself better will improve your quality of life and give you something to do going forward. However, sometimes you need help or inspiration. Don't worry: we'll help you! Read on below to find out how to grow yourself (and your life) in a few simple steps!
Step
Part 1 of 4: Changing Your Thinking
Step 1. Break free from old habits
The first thing you should do is break away from your normal routine. Routine keeps us from growing and will not change us. How you change it is up to you, but small changes will get you used to new things so don't be afraid to get started.
Step 2. Practice positive thinking
Negative thinking, about ourselves, our abilities, and the world around us, can cause us to turn away from experiences and opportunities. Stop putting yourself down and remember the good things about yourself. Stop thinking about the ugliness of others or your own shortcomings and start focusing on the good things that happen.
Step 3. Control your emotions
Don't let negative emotions like sadness, anger, fear, or jealousy destroy your life. Sometimes it's normal to experience such feelings, but letting them dictate your every action is not good and will reduce the quality of your life experience. Train yourself to calm down and find the good stuff.
Step 4. Look at it from another point of view
Sometimes we forget how good things are for us. Look around you to identify people who are much worse off than you. Now look at your own life and recognize the good things that exist. Did you find many examples? Search again! Research other people's ways of life, whether by reading or watching TV shows or documentaries.
Part 2 of 4: Get Started
Step 1. Incorporate creativity into your life
Becoming a more creative person and creative activities can be a very positive experience in your life. This will allow you to make a contribution to the world while also changing the way you view things. Draw, sculpt, write, dance, sing, sew your own clothes, or find other activities to channel your creativity. [Image:Better Yourself Step 5 Version 3.jpg|center]
Step 2. Be a good person
Be good. Do not lie. Take care of other people's feelings. Be generous. Be forgiving. Basically, be a good person. This can be hard to do sometimes, but it's the best way you can improve yourself and the world around you.
Maya Angelou once said: "I found that in addition to other benefits, giving frees the soul of the giver"
Step 3. Try a new hobby
Learn a new ability or a new hobby. This will give you something to do, make you and your life more interesting and busy. Pursue something you've always wanted to do and you'll be happier and more satisfied than you thought.
Step 4. Be active
Get up from your seat! Stop living slack, even if you don't go to the gym or anything. Go with your loved ones. Play with your child or younger sibling. Experience life outside your living room. If you feel ready, start exercising! All of these things are good for you and will improve your quality of life.
Step 5. Volunteer when you can
Helping other people will give you a different perspective, make you more respectable, increase your peace of mind, give you a sense of satisfaction, and (of course) give help to others in need. You can volunteer for anything, help local people, or even go abroad. There are lots of options.
- Volunteering at homeless shelters and youth centers can have a huge impact on the future and society.
- The neighborhood is also a great place to volunteer.
- If you have a special ability, find a place or way where you can use that ability to help others.
Step 6. Travel to gain experience
You will change as a person as you travel and experience different things in life. If you can only travel within the country, that's fine, just make sure you'll get a new experience. Go abroad if you can, especially to places you don't know the language.
Step 7. Educate yourself
Another great way to make yourself better is through education. Now, this doesn't mean you have to go back to school. There are many revolutions of learning over the internet today. You can choose a subject, such as computer programming or a foreign language, or you can study on your own on a broader topic, such as politics or education.
- With Coursera you can take all the classes from top universities for free!
- You can get a little lesson to open your mind by watching TEDTalks!
- Wikihow provides all kinds of learning resources. You can even spread teaching by writing or improving articles in your field!
Part 3 of 4: Setting Goals
Step 1. Identify the qualities you desire Find the qualities in yourself that you find in other people and want to learn
If you can't find them right away, think about the people you like and the people you want to emulate, are they good? Ambitious? Hard worker? These are the qualities you should look for in yourself.
Step 2. Recognize your weaknesses
Think about the things you don't like about yourself. Don't focus on things like weight, because your body is just a container for who you really are, it's not you. Things like weight can be changed once you change your attitude towards other people, your work ethic, and your abilities.
Step 3. Decide what you want to change
Think about what you want to change. Those things have to be something you really want to change. They're right: the first part of solving a problem is acknowledging that you have a problem. Find out what is most valuable to you and what can motivate you to change your lifestyle.
Step 4. Seek advice
Talk to people you trust, such as lovers, friends, and family members. Tell them what you want to change in your life and why. They may have a better view to make you a better person, and give you a clear view.
Step 5. Start small
Start with small goals. Don't start with something like “quit smoking”, but try “to stop smoking”. Breaking down your goals into smaller things will keep you motivated and keep your goals realistic.
Step 6. Create a long term plan
Think about the priority of these goals in your life. It can really change how much effort you put into making yourself better. If you don't set boundaries for change, your goals will feel unreal and unreasonable, and you'll have a hard time accomplishing them.
Step 7. Continue
Start! Don't think about your goals or what you want to do, get out there and do it!
Part 4 of 4: Changing Habits
Step 1. Desire to change
As already said, you have to be willing to make changes in your life, or nothing will change. You can pretend to be better, but it won't work if you don't really want to. Make changes for yourself, rather than changing because someone else is forcing you. This is the only way you can change.
Step 2. Have realistic targets
Don't think that one change will make your life better in an instant and everything will be perfect. Life is not like that. And change isn't easy either. If you have a reasonable target, it will be easier for you to deal with any problems that occur.
Step 3. Identify your triggers
Identify the things that make you do things you don't like or change. Do you eat when stressed? Scolding loved ones when angry? Find your triggers so you can find the best way to deal with them.
Step 4. Set the barrier
Set up barriers to keep you from doing things you don't like. If you want to spend less time on the internet, let your internet run a little slower, or just leave it on your phone. Basic barriers like these will keep you away from old habits, and they will ensure that bad habits happen consciously, not accidentally.
Step 5. Find a replacement
Find something you can do instead of doing the things you want to stop. The activities listed in the first section can be done, but you'll also need to use a few tricks. If you tend to get angry a lot, try singing to yourself. This works better if the song you sing is one that makes you laugh.
Step 6. Reward yourself
Give yourself a motivating gift. Keep your gifts small, and spark positive feelings. You don't want to depend on gifts, just let them be happy for all the work you've done.
Step 7. Give it time
Be patient! Change takes time. It can't be done overnight and if you expect it, you will be disappointed in yourself. Wait, and keep trying, and you'll come to the end!
