Simple Ways to Work on Self-Improvement
Written By: Dana Baker
November 1, 2024
Many individuals want to invest in self-improvement to be more mindful, to learn new skills, or to improve their overall well-being. But just how do you improve yourself? While there’s no one way of working on self-improvement, there are some strategies that have been proven to help.
Self-improvement, or “working on yourself” involves awareness, new learnings, discoveries about who we are and what makes us unique, and many insights and moments in which we see life and situations clearly. The process of continual development connects us deeply to our essence. Most everyone who embarks on a self-improvement journey would say that the process is worth it, but it is messy and painful at times. One of the keys to navigating growth is to remember why we are doing it and that what we are experiencing is normal, human, and an essential part of the journey.
Why is self-improvement important?
There are so many reasons to adopt a growth mindset and embrace self-improvement. Here is just a list of a few answers, although the list can have much more.
One becomes aware of their flaws and strengths;
One lives a more authentic life, moving closer to meaning and fulfillment;
One develops life values, which provide a solid ground to stand on when hard days come;
One learns to ask for help, as many things in life are more manageable with the support of another;
One focuses on their own journey, knowing that everyone runs at their own tempo and that nothing else lies in our control other than our own actions and choices.
How to work on self-improvement
Self-Improvement is a highly promoted concept in today’s society, especially on social media. “Loving yourself” is advertised as the end goal we all should want to achieve. In reality, this is a branch of toxic positivity that gives most people the illusion they should “love themselves.” Individuals grow up in all sorts of environments that cause them to have a variety of feelings about their self-worth and image. Whether you value self-worth or find yourself in the realm of self-loathing, some people rarely consider the alternative.
The goal shouldn’t be as extreme as loving yourself because ultimately no one is fond/loves themselves all of the time. Reframing the approach to being “okay with yourself” or “respecting yourself” could produce better results. However, this mentality is not suddenly willed into existence; there is work to be done to produce this kind of result.
Self-improvement strategies
Journaling
Writing down thoughts helps us see them with more clarity. Keeping a journal with regularity lets us discover patterns and recurring ideas, and later on, we may decide to work on them. Another tool for self-improvement is keeping a gratitude journal. This leads to better self-awareness and self-esteem.
Affirmations
Affirmations are a powerful way to state our intentions and remind ourselves what we value. Daily affirmations let us focus on what we care about and bring more of it into our days.
Reading
Reading is one of the most accessible and most affordable ways to expand our knowledge and our world. Books are great companions in our self-development journey, no matter what we want to improve.
Enjoyable movement
Finding movement that brings you joy and makes you feel good is a great way to overall feel better and become more connected with our bodies. Taking care of our body we live in is a beautiful way of taking care of ourselves and sustaining our development.
Do something for the first time
Get out of your comfort zone and try out something new. One of my favorite questions to ask in a session is, “When was the last time you did something for the first time?” It reminds me to explore, like children do, and to cultivate curiosity for the unknown.
Choose your words
Paying attention to our expressions and words may help a lot in shaping our daily life. Being mindful of what we say and how we say it is a way to better understand ourselves better.
Practical ways to improve yourself
Focus on your strengths
Often people think of self-development as “covering for their weakness,” which makes the process more painful. Self-improvement can also mean developing our talents, becoming excellent at what we love to do, and having a lot of fun.
Ask yourself powerful questions
Questions may provide meaningful insights. How do you want to inspire others? What do you want to be remembered for? What would your older self tell you about your self-development?
Start small
Sustainable progress is made of small, consistent steps. There is no need for huge leaps- even if they are also possible, they’re not always the best place to start. Little actions generate positive loops that further create other positive loops. The change we want to see starts with us.
Commit to curiosity
Curiosity pushes us to research more, to question, and to aim for more profound wisdom. Curiosity arises every time we adopt the “beginner’s mind,” and we try to rest all we know to see things as if it were the first time. This gives us fresh insights, free from bias and from the experiences made until that moment, that in some cases could hinder instead of helping us.
Celebrate your successes
Celebrating successes is a healthy habit, often sacrificed in the name of new actions and results. To set the on “pause” provides the opportunity to observe what one has accomplished, the progress made, the learnings, the feelings. It is such a critical moment, as it opens space to acknowledge oneself and others and openly share one's success.
These acts of self-improvement can have the same effect even if they are simple and the key to their effectiveness is to continue to do them daily and consistently.
If you would like to learn more about self-improvement and other tools to build self-esteem/confidence, email or call us at (217) 203-2008 to schedule an appointment.
References:
Self-Improvement: How to Continually Improve Any Area of Your Life (Backed by Science) (jamesclear.com)
Self-Improvement: 45 Tips, Goals, and Ideas for Self-Growth - The Berkeley Well-Being Institute (berkeleywellbeing.com)
The Complete Guide to Self Improvement: 50 Ways to Better Yourself | by Aguimar Neto | Medium