One of the truths of life is that to live and to improve our selves, positively in necessary aspects of our lives. Self-improvement and self-esteem are important factors in personality development. Some times whatever care we take and however we tend to lose our self-esteem due to various factors but we should try to maintain it at any cost. Maintaining self-esteem helps for self-improvement. Let us see 7 ways to improve ourselves:
- Know your purpose:
In spirituality, it is said that everyone on this Earth is born with a purpose and they should fulfil it in their lifetime. One should try and identify their purpose or mission statement whether it is health, happiness, prosperity etc and should try to achieve it. It acts as our compass which leads to our true north(success) in life. Achieving that purpose may seem tricky and one can find themselves at dead-end sometimes but with hard work and sincerity, there will be a way to turn things around which can make a big difference to ourselves.
- Know your values:
Everyone values something in their lives. One should know what are their top five values in their lives. They may be security, freedom, family, spiritual development, gaining knowledge etc. Our purposes or goals should match with our values. If the goal does not align with any of our top five values, we should reconsider them or revise them. In this process, one should not be discouraged but should be motivated to achieve the goals which are in sync with values. This leads to fulfilling our dreams which have purposes and values.
- Know your needs:
Needs are a little bit different from goals and values. One should know what we need physically, mentally and to survive in this society positively and they require immediate attention. One may have the need to be acknowledged for their hard work, need to be right, need to be in control, need to be in love etc. If the need is not met, it may lead to an unauthentic life. Many people live their lives without having a proper idea of their needs and they end up being stressed or depressed. Overcoming stress and depression is an important aspect of self-improvement. List your top four needs and get them met before it’s too late!
- Know your passions:
Passions add colour to life. They make one realise who they are and what one truly enjoy in life. One shouldn’t suppress passions with obstacles like doubt and lack of enthusiasm which hinder the progress and lead to the derailment of one’s chance to become the person they ought to be. Fulfilment of passions leads to satisfaction which is an important treasure in life. In this process gratitude and honour should be expressed to the people who had encouraged and supported.
- Know your strengths:
Strengths and weaknesses are part of human personality. Identifying one’s strengths and developing them is the symbol of self- improvement. One should have an idea of their strengths, positive traits and special talents like imaginative, witty etc. List the top three strengths and if one finds difficult to realise, don’t hesitate to take the help of your near and dear ones. Sometimes they would know our strengths better than us. Explore different ways to express your authentic self through your strengths. Self-confidence improves when we share what we know with others.
- Know your inner self:
Some times we should listen to our inner self. Feel what our inner being is silently saying to us. There are many things by which we can awaken our inner person like daily spending some time in silence. Silence speaks many things and it helps to find answers to our most complicated situations or problems. Take a deep breathe when the mind is distracted. Make a 5-minute meditation as a part of your daily life. Try to spend some time in the lap of nature for peace as most of us are city stickers who can’t find peace and quietness even in our own homes. One of the powerful things in this nature is music. Listen to the music of your choice as it does soothe our inner self even if it is a beast.
- Know how you can help others:
There is an old saying in Sanskrit- “Paropakaaraardhamidham sareeram” meaning this body should be used to serve others that means we should help others as much as possible in our lives. When we live authentically and are true who we are, we develop an interconnected sense of being. When we give our talents to the world around us, we give back in service what we came to share with others. We come to this world with the help of parents, we grow by sharing many things in this world and it is our turn to help or to serve others. The rewards for helping or sharing our talents with those in need may be simple or great. It may be an appreciation or gratitude in the eyes of a stranger whom you served. Helping others gives a level of contentment which may not come or experienced elsewhere.
On the final note, self-improvement is a work of worth and shouldn’t be confined like a building or four walls of a room but it should be like flying openly in the sky. Remember the difference lies within ourselves and how much we want to change for the better.
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