Self-improvement can be a scary thing. It’s hard to change your habits and daily routine, but nothing worth doing ever comes easily. Some of these are much easier said than done, but that’s why starting to work on them today is so important. There is never an end on the journey to self-improvement, and today is as good a day as any to embark on it.
1. Register to be an organ donor.
If you haven’t done so already, do it right now. There’s no gift more precious than the gift of life. Signing up to be an organ donor ensures one final act of kindness after you're gone. It’s so beautiful to think that after you die parts of you can live on through someone else. It only takes five minutes to register, so there’s no excuse not to. Register here: http://www.organdonor.gov
Relationships end, people will hurt you, and sometimes life sucks. As long as you let someone’s negative behavior affect you than they are still the one in control. Anger isn’t the opposite of love, indifference is. If you try and overanalyze what went wrong or why they treated you that way you’re going to drive yourself crazy. People are allowed to not like you. There are seven billion people on the planet. Don’t get hung up on the few who treat you like sh*t.
3. Celebrate the success of others.
It’s easy to view the success of others as a reminder of your own shortcomings. Instead of wallowing in jealousy take this as an opportunity to see what qualities you admire in them, and embody those in yourself. Be secure enough to view the success of others as cause for celebration, not competition.
4. Make a list of things you’re thankful for.
It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of life and forget how lucky you truly are. But it ultimately boils down to this: grateful people are happy people. When things seem overwhelming that’s when you need to count your blessings the most. Take five minutes right now to jot down the things you’re thankful for. I promise you’ll feel better afterwards.
5. Stop making excuses.
At the end of the day you’re ultimately in charge of your happiness. Life hands you the cards but it’s up to you how to play them. If you only “kinda” try to do something you’re only going to “kinda” see results. If you want something bad enough then get off your ass and go work for it. If you aren’t willing to put in the effort then it wasn’t that important to you to begin with.
6. Talk less and listen more.
Sometimes holding your tongue is a good thing. No one learned anything new from running their mouth. When I say listen I mean genuinely listen to the person, not just plan your rebuttal in your head. Our differences make the world a more diverse and interesting place. You don’t have to agree with someone to respect their opinion. Chances are if you both have fundamentally different belief systems then you’re not going to change someone’s mind anyway. You might as well try to understand where they are coming from.
7. Buy local.
Invest in your hometown. By shopping local, you’re making a tangible difference in your community and helping to keep the culture alive. Mom and pop shops are great, but they can’t stay in business without your support. So give back to the community, help create jobs, and boost the economy by shopping local. Your neighbors will thank you.
8. Do something you’re afraid of.
The only way to get over your fears is by facing them head on. It could be something as small as talking to a stranger at the grocery store, or signing up for a public speaking class. When you can conquer your fears you can conquer the world.
9. Ditch the junk food.
You only get one body, so treat it with respect. Think of junk food as an occasional treat, not a staple of your diet. Food is fuel, after all, so make sure you’re giving your body the best.
10. Create a life mantra.
It’s always good to remind yourself of your sense of purpose or who you want to be. My personal mantra is "radiate positivity," and I have it tattooed on my body as a permanent reminder to do so. You obviously don’t have to go that extreme, but it is important to know what you stand for. Adopting a mantra helps keep you on track and hone in on what’s important to you.
11. Stop over-apologizing.
This one is huge. Obviously if you make a mistake you need to fess up, but if you find yourself walking on eggshells every time you’re around a certain person it might be time to move on. It’s okay to have a different set of morals from people. Ultimately, you have to do what’s right by your internal compass, and you should never apologize for being yourself or sticking to your beliefs. Some people may not like you, but that just gives you the chance to branch out and meet others who will.
12. Put down your phone.
When you interact with someone make sure you’re present. Technology is a wonderful thing, but it can also isolate us. Instead of looking at what everyone else is doing focus on making memories in the moment.
13. Love yourself.
You’re your biggest fan. Learning to love who you are is essential to living a happy life. You’re allowed to be proud of the person you’ve become. It’s not conceited to be content, it means you have a strong sense of self-worth. So take those selfies and be proud of who you are. You deserve it.
