5 Ways to Be Your Best Self This Year
The start of the new year is a great time to reflect on the past and make plans for the year ahead. If one of your goals is to work on yourself and become the best version of you, you have to allow yourself to grow and step outside your comfort zone. You never know what you might learn about yourself when you’re on the road to making your dreams a reality.
This is your year. Here are 5 ways to be your best self in 2018.
Try New Things
The second you stop trying new things is the second you stop growing as a person. Don’t be scared of change and don’t be afraid to try something you’ve always wanted to try. Step out of your comfort zone, whether it’s taking your first flight to a city that’s on your bucket list, or finally making time to take salsa lessons. Trying new things will give your creative side a boost and you never know what you may learn about yourself in the process.
Keep Learning
Never stop learning. If you’re the smartest guy or gal in the room, you’re in the wrong room. Read books, listen to podcasts, take a class, attend conferences, have conversations with people who share different viewpoints, master a new skill. Without continuous learning you miss the opportunity to grow as an individual and in your business. Keep challenging yourself to learn new things and never allow yourself to believe you know it all.
Build Good Habits
Good habits are key to a successful life. They keep you moving forward and foster productivity. Whether you want to read more, exercise more, write a journal, or make more home-cooked meals, creating a new habit takes time and shouldn’t be rushed.
Start off small so your new habit eventually becomes a regular part of your life. Don’t try to make too many changes at once and be realistic with your goals. If you want to make it a habit to go to the gym more often, but rarely went in the past, make it a habit to go every Monday and Saturday, and work up from there.
Invest in Your Health
Your health is your wealth. Eat clean, be active and take care of your mind. Whether you invest in a gym membership, yoga classes, or even a monthly membership for a meditation app, spending time on your physical and mental health can help you be the best version of yourself.
Increase your intake of real, unprocessed foods, get plenty of sleep, reduce toxins, and live more mindfully to help reduce stress. The more run down we are, the less we’re able to function at our tip top shape. Your health should be your number one priority.
Focus on Self Care
We live in a go-go-go, highly stimulating world where we’re expected to be constantly available, without much time to ourselves. Without focusing on self-care, we run the risk of getting majorly stressed and burnt out.
Self-care may mean something different to everyone. Perhaps for you it means taking a nice, long bath with essential oils, or unplugging from technology for a weekend, or going to a cooking class with friends. Whatever self-care means for you, do it, and do it often.
I believe strongly in self-care, because if you can’t take care of yourself, how can you take care of others? Eventually your plan will fall apart, so create the right support network around you but ultimately take the time, and make the effort, to be well for your OWN sake.
Written by Kate Bialowas (and added onto a wee bit by myself)