We are now in a self-improvement/self-development world where many of us just feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff thrown at us saying to do this or do that to make our lives better. Be better. There are so many resources available to us all the time that we just get burnt out and confused. The Ridiculously Enjoy Life website is also considered a resource.
Do we have to consume every book, podcast, documentary, seminar, and blog that arrives into our world? Nope, we sure don’t. We need to take things with a grain of salt. Be mindful of how much content we are digesting, because it won’t take long before we start feeling this false sense of being broken. I don’t think you are broken, maybe lost.
I am by no means a clinician, but I have enough life experience to understand the effects of overconsumption in any area of our lives. Too much really could mean too much. I want us to start looking at things more clearly. Understanding who we are at the core is super important and the absolute first thing that we need to get clarity on.
If you don’t really know who you are how could you possibly know how to improve yourself? Regardless of where we are in life, it is my firm belief that we should always be learning and growing. There is so much goodness in the world. Self-improvement is truly a good thing and we just have to carve a healthy path on how to accomplish it over time. It’s a lifetime gig, so get comfy!
Let us begin the self-improvement guide, shall we?
Self-improvement Guide Part 1
Self-reflection. We need to be aware of who we are and what our tendencies are in the interest of progressing. When we self-reflect we have the ability to understand areas of our lives that we need to improve. Self-reflection is a critical part of self-awareness. It is not a weakness to turn inward.
Discover your strengths. Take a good look at your overall performance in life and make notes. I recommend you do a deep dive and look at all the different areas not just in your business world. Look at when you were a kid and then move forward from there. Some of us have taken things we were good at when we were younger and have developed them from there. Focus on what has worked for you through the years.
Develop and cultivate a positive mindset. If you aren’t normally a positive and optimistic person, I highly recommend that you start to change your course in the interest of progress. It is a fact that how we view life is how we usually end up. Thinking sad thoughts, you may very well end up sad. Find the good in as many things as you can. If you look hard enough with objective eyes you will see many situations where even at first perceived as negative, there is a nice positive silver lining. Believe.
Uncover new things to be grateful for. Each day we have new opportunities to be grateful we just need to look into it deeper. Almost got T-Boned at a red light with heavy traffic? Well, luckily you didn’t and the family that wasn’t quite paying attention that almost hit you, they made it as well so there’s another thing to be grateful for. Once you can start looking at situations with more appreciation the better you will be in the long run. It takes a lot of practice especially if you have never really made gratitude a part of your daily routines.
Improve confidence. Start believing that you are competent and capable of achieving anything even if you haven’t accomplished as much as you had hoped you would. Look at it as a “Fake it til ya make it” type of thing. These days I am not really a fan of that statement, but in this situation I believe that you really need to trick your mind to jumpstart a new way of believing. Improving confidence will take a lot depending on how lacking you are in that department. Keep good people close to you that believe in you. That will go a long way on your journey of self-improvement. Sometimes little things can help you boost your confidence that you would never think would. Example: If you have never put together a model car, get one and have fun with it. In the end you either take a picture of it or you smash it with a baseball bat! Kidding, you got this!
Stop trying to relive your past. If your life isn’t what it once was, good it’s not meant to stay the same. Boring! If your life is going in the wrong direction, it’s time for you to start a new. Your past was a chapter in your book of life, so try to view it that way. Your past may have been glorious, but it could be even more glorious if you strive for it. Progressing takes all different types of turns in life.
Find your why. Why are you wanting to do this? What is it exactly that you are trying to accomplish within yourself? It is mission-critical for you to understand what direction you want to head toward. No, you don’t have to have all the answers right now, that may be way too much. But having a good core of who you want to be will be amazing! I know this may be a lot of work but it will be worth it. I have finally discovered my why. There was such a sense of clarity once things lined up. Bliss!
