How to better yourself? Start with these 23 practical tips

You can’t be too busy to improve yourself.

If you think you’re already good, you can still do better!

If you’re someone looking for the meaning of life, there’s nothing more meaningful than pursuing a life of development and betterment.

Think about this, it is through improving ourselves that we get the most out of life.

The good news is that there is never an end to the journey of self-improvement. In fact, you can start improving yourself now.

Don’t worry, what we have here are 23 super easy tips to better yourself.

Let’s start:

1. Read books

Books are concentrated sources of wisdom but you have to choose good books, too.

The more books you read, the more knowledge and wisdom you get to better improve yourself.

Some books you can read are those that promote improvement socially, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially.

In fact, billionaire Warren Buffet was once asked what makes him successful and this is how he responded:

“Read 500 pages like this every day,” while reaching toward a stack of manuals and papers. “That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it.”

Reading voraciously has helped him get ahead and it can help you, too.

If you’re wondering what to read, you might want to check out my list of the top 15 philosophy books. Practical and applicable, the philosophy of our forefathers can be understood by anyone and will help you get ahead in life.

2. Learn a new language.

Well, English isn’t the only language in the world.

Learning a new language will also come in handy when you want to travel the world or meet new people. You can start learning Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, or anything that fancies you.

Learning a language an exciting skill, and it opens up your mind to other cultures.

Not only does speaking two languages rather than just one have obvious practical benefits in a globalized world, but scientists have also shown that bilingualism makes you smarter.

According to several studies, being bilingual has a profound effect on the brain, improving cognitive skills not related to language and even shields against dementia in old age.

3. Pick up a new hobby.

Think about the things you wanted to do, but haven’t done.

Did you want to learn how to play tennis? Then, start now.

Did you want to learn to play chess? You can do it now.

There’s a lot of hobbies you can pick up like fencing, golf, rock climbing, football, canoeing, or ice skating.

It can also be a recreational hobby like pottery, Italian cooking, dancing, wine appreciation, web design, etc.

Recent studies continue to confirm that you can increase your potential and general intelligence.

And through certain hobbies and techniques, we can spark our brain into building new neural pathways, allowing it to work at a faster, retain more information and at a higher level.

4. Take up a new course.

Courses are a great way to gain new knowledge and skills.

What’s nice about today’s technology is that there are a lot of courses you can join online. There’s no need to go to a physical room to learn something new. Some of these are even free!

It doesn’t have to be a long-term course – you can take seminars or workshops that teach you new things.

If you want some help with goal setting, I recommend taking the Life Journal course by professional life coach Jeanette Brown.

I recently took it myself and it helped me pinpoint exactly what goals were important to me, and what I needed to do to reach my full potential in life.

Check it out here.

5. Overcome your fears.

All of us have fears – it’s part of being human.

Our fears range from uncertainty, public speaking, risk – you get the point. What’s yours?

The thing is that these fears keep us inside our comfort zone. By doing so, it prevents us from growing.

Start by telling yourself that your fears reflect the areas where you can grow. If you fear something, it represents something that will help you improve.

And if you really want to overcome your fears, there’s one thing you can do:

Get in touch with your personal power.

You see, we all have an incredible amount of power and potential within us, but most of us never tap into it. We become bogged down in self-doubt and limiting beliefs. We stop doing what brings us true happiness.

I learned this from the shaman Rudá Iandê. He’s helped thousands of people align work, family, spirituality, and love so they can unlock the door to their personal power.

He has a unique approach that combines traditional ancient shamanic techniques with a modern-day twist. It’s an approach that uses nothing but your own inner strength – no gimmicks or fake claims of empowerment.

Because true empowerment needs to come from within.

In his excellent free video, Rudá explains how you can create the life you’ve always dreamed of and be a better person because of it.

So if you’re tired of living in frustration, dreaming but never achieving, and of living in self-doubt, you need to check out his life-changing advice.

Click here to watch the free video.

6. Level up your skills.

Leveling up is mostly used in video games, especially RPGs. It basically means gaining experience so you can be better and stronger.

If you’re a blogger, you can learn how to level up your writing skills.

If you’re a speaker, you can level up your public engagement abilities.

The point is that everyone of us have skills and you can level up.

7. Wake up early.

Waking up early has been acknowledged by many successful gurus. (Check it out here)

They attribute it to productivity improvement which directly makes your life better.

Maybe it’s because when you wake up early,your mindset is already set to continue the momentum, thus making you proactive.

Many successful people claim that 4 a.m is the most productive hour of the day, due to the lack of distractions, and it gives you a sense that you have control over your life.

8. Have an exercise routine.

You can’t be better if your health is failing. So a better you also means being in better physical shape.

You can start to jog at least 3 times a week, at least 30 minutes each time. You can also mix it up with gym sessions, swimming , and martial arts for variation.

And remember, exercise doesn’t have to be annoying. You can enjoy it, too.

If you hate jogging, try weights. Hate weights? Try machines. Hate machines? Try something else.

The bottom line is this:

You are there to get fit and that means doing whatever exercise you can commit to consistently.

9. Get out of your comfort zone.

It is more than facing your fears. It’s about hard work and improvement.

Being too comfortable in your comfort zone makes your growth stagnant. But when you get out of your comfort zone, you make yourself better.

Get ready to shake your routine up and do something different.

By going out of your comfort zone, you’re literally growing as you learn to act in new circumstances.

As Roy.T Bennett suggests, you can never grow unless you get out of your comfort zone:

“The comfort zone is a psychological state in which one feels familiar, safe, at ease, and secure. You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.”  – Roy T. Bennett

10. Ask for feedback.

No matter how we try to improve ourselves, we will always have blind spots. That is why asking for feedback is important because it gives us an additional perspective.

Start approaching people who can give unbiased feedback – friends, family, colleagues, boss, or even acquaintances. They can present their feedback objectively.

Feedback helps you become self-aware and understand things beyond your own biases.

11. Stay focused with to-do lists.

Start your day with a list of tasks that you want to complete and STICK to it.

Having a to-do list will help you stay focused to achieve your goals for the day. You will realize how unproductive you are without a list once you’re using it.

Remember, keep the to-do list simple, achievable and make sure to always finish MITs (the most important tasks).

12. Acknowledge your flaws.

Everyone of us makes mistakes. But what is important is to understand them, acknowledge them, and address them.

When you address your flaws, you confront yourself with the things that needs improvement.

13. Act now

I can tell you hundreds of ways to better yourself. But still, the best way to learn and improve is to take action.

Act immediately on what needs to be done because waiting doesn’t get anything done. Taking action gives you immediate results and inspires you to improve more.

14. Learn from people who inspire you

Think about people you admire – speakers, life coaches, financial gurus, authors, and others that inspire you.

For sure, these people have certain qualities that you want to have for yourself too. Next, focus on how you can learn to acquire those qualities.

15. Get in touch with your emotions

Our emotions often dictate our behavior. Learning to live with your emotions without feeling stressed, upset or tense isn’t easy to do.

But if you can master your emotions, you can turn your life around drastically.

When I felt the most lost in life, I was introduced to an unusual free breathwork video created by the shaman, Rudá Iandê, which focuses on dissolving stress and boosting inner peace.

My relationship was failing, I felt tense all the time. My self-esteem and confidence hit rock bottom. I’m sure you can relate – heartbreak does little to nourish the heart and soul.

I had nothing to lose, so I tried this free breathwork video, and the results were incredible.

But before we go any further, why am I telling you about this?

I’m a big believer in sharing – I want others to feel as empowered as I do. And, if it worked for me, it could help you too.

Secondly, Rudá hasn’t just created a bog-standard breathing exercise – he’s cleverly combined his many years of breathwork practice and shamanism to create this incredible flow – and it’s free to take part in.

Now, I don’t want to tell you too much because you need to experience this for yourself.

All I will say is that by the end of it, I felt peaceful and optimistic for the first time in a long time.

And let’s face it, we can all do with a feel-good boost during relationship struggles.

So, if you feel a disconnect with yourself due to your failing relationship, I’d recommend checking out Rudá’s free breathwork video. You might not be able to save your relationship, but you will stand a shot of saving yourself and your inner peace.

Here’s a link to the free video again.

16. Quit a bad habit.

When we say bad habits, we think it’s only about vices like smoking and drinking.

But it literally refers to anything that’s not good for you. Habits that are as simple as oversleeping, sedentary lifestyle, being late, slouching, and nail biting are also considered as bad ones.

17. Avoid negative people.

“You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”. – Jim Rohn

No matter how we shield ourselves from negative people, we are always bound to meet on.

What we can do is learn to avoid them. Don’t spend too much of your time around them because they’ll only drag you down.

18. Learn to deal with difficult people.

Sometimes, we can’t help but deal with difficult people especially if they are our workmates.

Learning how to deal with difficult people is considered as “people management skills”. When you do it right, it will go a long way in working with people in the future.

19. Reduce the time you spend on social media

I am not against social media. But we have to learn how to control ourselves in using it or we will be controlled by technology.

Spending too much time on social media will get nothing done. In fact, it results in a lot of wasted time, which can be used to spend on other productive activities.

20. Stop watching TV

Yes, you read it right. Most programs and advertisements on mainstream TV are usually of a lower consciousness. They’re not empowering you, they just mold you to a mindless person who believes on every word they say.

The time you spend watching TV can be used constructively for other purposes, such as connecting with close friends, doing hobbies you enjoy, exercising, making memories with family, and the like.

21. Meditate

Meditation helps to calm you and be more self-aware.

Meditation also helps you sleep better. It’s like a clearing process of your brain after a day’s work.

22. Take a break

Sometimes, our anxieties stem from being burned out from work.

If you’ve been working too hard, take a break. We all need one.

Self-improvement also means taking care of our mental health. So take some time off for yourself every week.

23. Be committed

Lastly, be committed to do what you have listed to improve yourself.

A list is nothing but a list – if you don’t act and stick to it, everything is useless. It doesn’t matter what gurus tell you, what matters is doing what should be done.

One you make the decision to commit to your personal growth, embrace yourself to a life-long journey of growth and change.

In Conclusion

Self-improvement is not easy. Although some results can be seen immediately, others take time to develop.

But if you keep to it, you’ll start seeing positive changes in yourself and your life.

Remember that the sooner you take these actions, the faster you see the results.

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