Self Improvement Strategies: How to Work on Yourself

We are in the age of self improvement. There are hundreds of books filled with self help tips, many of which you can find on The New York Times “Best Sellers List”. People are eating healthier, exercising more, and overall, trying to live a better life.

By focusing on your own self betterment, you are slowly changing how you see the world around you. Remember the old adage that change starts within. 

What is Self Improvement?

There’s a lot of buzz about self improvement but many may not understand the concept. According to The Emotion Machine, self improvement is “…the study and practice of improving one’s life, especially our career, education, relationships, health, happiness, productivity, spirituality, and other personal goals.” In a simpler context, self growth is about taking steps to improve yourself — and your relationship with yourself.

Why is knowing how to work on yourself so important? Because change starts within. It’s tempting to think our world is the problem, but in many instances, that’s not the case. How you feel about yourself filters your perception of the world. We tend to project our thoughts and feelings. If you are frustrated, annoyed, and believe everyone is out to get you, it will manifest through your actions. Consequently, What was once an illusion of fear becomes your reality. Learning how to better yourself and adopt the traits of self improvement is the antidote to a negative worldview.

Self improvement can be tough. It takes the development of daily habits, the setting of goals, and proper measurement of success. Learning how to better yourself is a personal process — no two people do it the exact same way, and each person has a different life situation. People have different amounts of money and free time, different existing habits, and different goals and metrics of success. Start by creating some free time to focus on what you want your journey to look like. Don’t wait. Now is the right time to start!

6 Ways to Work on Yourself

While many articles take a prescriptive approach, we wanted to give a list of 6 guiding principles that are crucial to the success of any personal development journey. Use it how you see fit. Good luck on your journey!

1. Identify Blind Spots/ Growth Areas 

Scientifically, blind spots are defined as areas that the human eye is incapable of perceiving. In the context of personal development, blind spots refer to those aspects of oneself that remain unrecognized or unknown. Discovering these blind spots plays a crucial role in identifying areas for personal growth and improvement.

One effective exercise involves observing and noting the things, events, or people that elicit feelings of annoyance, frustration, or anger throughout the day. These triggers serve as valuable indicators of one’s blind spots.

Once these triggers are identified, individuals can proactively work on addressing and overcoming them, leading to personal growth and development. By shedding light on these blind spots, individuals can actively engage in self-improvement and enhance their overall well-being.

2. Become More Compassionate

We are quick to shame ourselves when we make mistakes or don’t live up to our own expectations. This perfectionism can ironically undermine the development of great habits and personal success. Try being more compassionate with yourself! By being compassionate you are accepting your faults and mistakes. Did you know that mistakes are our greatest teachers? Try seeing your “failure” as an opportunity to have a clean slate and build from it. Take failures one day at a time and practice your habit of compassion.

Compassion not only gives you the space to accept your own mistakes but others’ as well. We are all human. No number of self improvement tips can change that. But, if we are capable of accepting our own mistakes, we can be more empathetic and accepting of those made by others. Your habit of compassion and empathy can help you build successful relationships and free you emotionally to grow in other ways.

3. The Power of Optimism

The development of a positive outlook enhances your chances of success. A principle to keep in mind as you seek to better yourself: You move towards what you focus on. Taking time each day to find the good can inspire you to take action on your plans and progress toward your goals.

Being optimistic also gives others hope. Hope is what keeps people going during tough times. In the end, the hard work pays off as you and those around you achieve goals and see success. Try looking at the brighter sides of things. Your optimism can be the catalyst for change!

4. Learn to Love Yourself

In order to spread love, we must first love ourselves. Loving yourself can take on many forms. Whether your self-love takes the form of meditating, exercising or spending time with your loved ones, you are unintentionally acquiring the tools needed to make effective change in others’ lives.  Love, generosity, kindness and empathy are the driving force for positive personal change.