You know that old saying about walking the walk, not just talking the talk? Have you ever noticed that it’s easier to encourage another person than to believe in ourselves? Truth be told, even people who appear confident often have hidden insecurities. I’m here to tell you that you need to quit being so hard on yourself. We’re often succeeding in life more than we realize! If you accept the four self-improvement challenges that I’m about to share in this post, you’ll not only be successful, you might feel better about yourself, as well.
When your goal is self-improvement, it means that you want to be healthier in mind, body and soul. We’re always looking outside ourselves when we should be looking inward. Stop comparing yourself to others. It’s okay to be inspired by someone, as long as you don’t use his or her success against yourself. You do you. Be the best YOU that you can be. These four challenges will help!
Overcome resistance or fear for self-improvement
Are you afraid of success? Do you fear failure? Are you resistant when it comes to trying new things because — because ??? Do you suffer from anxiety when you have to speak to a group of people or interact with someone you don’t know well? Are you self-conscious about your weight, your height, that scar on your tummy or — or??? When you overcome a fear, you succeed in life! Many fears are closely connected to an overall fear of failure. Each time you conquer a fear, you’re learning, growing and embracing a risk-taking attitude that, when applied in healthy ways, can be beneficial.
What are you resisting out of fear? Is there someone you want to get to know better but are too shy to start a conversation? Think of the opportunities that might arise if you overcome your fear. Perhaps there is a new job out there that is perfect for you, if only you’d overcome your fear and fill out an application. Fear is a vital emotion because it helps keep us out of harm’s way. If we want to reach our full potential in life, however, we must strive to overcome fears that are driven by insecurity, not danger.
Attain self-improvement by adapting your mindset or attitude
Being stubborn, obstinate or selfish can keep us just out of arm’s reach for success. It’s important to remember that there’s nothing you do about another person’s actions. There’s A LOT you can do about your reaction to an action or to a situation. Your mindset and attitude toward people and experiences in your life has a significant impact on your quality of life. Notice your thoughts. Are they usually positive or negative?
Part of being successful and achieving self-improvement is to acknowledge and accept the fact that you can control your mindset and attitude. Are you a complainer? If so, there’s a good chance that your complaining mindset is impeding your potential for success and satisfaction. If you’re plagued with bad thoughts, especially thoughts that are unkind to yourself, such as thinking you’re ugly or useless or stupid, etc., it’s time to adapt your mindset and attitude. Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Your brain produces chemicals that are either good or bad for your health depending on what you’re thinking. Find the truth in your thoughts. Disregard the untruths. Learning to adapt your mindset can help improve your attitude and succeed at self-improvement!
Have the courage to stand up for what you believe is right
Alexander Hamilton is often quoted as saying, “A man who doesn’t stand for something will fall for anything.” Being successful means that you’re courageous and willing to stand for your convictions. Are you always feeling intimidated or afraid to speak your mind because of what others might think or say or do. It’s especially challenging to stand up for what you believe is right if you’re surrounded by people who disagree with you.
There are definitely times in life when it pays to be silent. In fact, in some situations, silence speaks volumes. At other times, however, you might feel a lot better about yourself if you’d stand up for your beliefs. When you believe something to be true, you do yourself a disservice if you’re afraid to act with conviction. True self-improvement means that you are always willing to be true to yourself. Having the courage to stand up for your beliefs is part of that process.
Always be moving toward your goals
Self-improvement doesn’t occur all at once with finality. It’s perpetual, or, at least, should be. As long as you’re taking steps toward achieving your goals, you’re succeeding. Let your desire to be stronger, healthier, kinder, etc., compel you to keep trying. Don’t let a day pass without doing something that propels you in the direction you want to go in life. It might be something as simple as refusing to be down on your own appearance or smiling at a person at work who gets on your nerves. Maybe you want to lose weight, so you make healthy food choices for an entire 24-hour period. Baby steps. Positive thoughts. Good choices.
Nobody is perfect. We each have room for self-improvement. And, like I said, it’s an ongoing process. These four challenges can help you take steps in the right direction. Stop being so hard on yourself. Try to accomplish these four goals. When you succeed, do it again and again, and again. Four challenges that can lead to more joy, more self-love, more confidence and satisfaction and more peace of mind! Start today!
