HOW DOES SELF-IMPROVEMENT HAPPENS?

Change is meant to be the only constant in the universe. Cliché, right? But in an ever-changing world, how do humans keep up with it? What are their ways to improve themselves? Or do they even improve? How does self-improvement happen, really?

If we are to be asked, all of this begins with, first, the awareness that we must make space for personal development. Achieving inner stability and personality development are all connected to self-improvement. It is the result of self-assurance, self-awareness, and self-esteem. Second, we must set meaningful and attainable objectives for ourselves. These goals can help you become a better and more complete person. When we open our minds to self-improvement, we boost our chances of reaching our goals. Don’t really know how to start? Here are some more  easy tips on how you can improve yourself. (Alorro, Gerome) 

1. Heal with all the unnecessary emotions. (Tagupa, April Ann) 

Remove your feelings of insecurity, guilt, mistrust, and resentment toward others. Allow yourself to do whatever you want, and always keep a smile on your face without hesitation. You don't have to ruin other people simply to say you've improved because you can assess your ability to increase your well-being here. Maintain a positive attitude in order to increase your self-assurance. Keep in mind what you want to become and what your aims are. The change will begin with you, not with others, and it will not always depend on how you take care of yourself, but on your attitude. 

2. Motivate yourself. (Bosiyo, Jacel Ann) 

Doing this is very important for you to mind yourself, and also your energy. Nothing will change unless you want to. I'd like you to keep it consistent and balanced. Use your power. You  have the ability, a power to make your life worth the time. Believe that you can change, that you are a good person. Make yourself the central figure in your own life. If you're going through tough times, rest, but do not quit. Keep going and stop wasting your life. Take advantage of this opportunity to achieve improvement in your life. You have the ability to succeed and continue to succeed. Stop being lazy. Get up and become something, become someone. Make it to the finish line. 

3. Be kind to people. (Luayon, Shella Mae) 

Kindness is mutually beneficial. When we are kind to others, we improve their life, and we benefit as a result. Making time for oneself might be difficult enough, but being kinder may be the simplest kind of self-care—and we're not the only ones who gain. We need to feel like we're connecting with others and alleviating their burdens to genuinely live in the moment and feel good about it. We all know how nice it feels to be treated with kindness, and how it may increase our self-esteem and self-worth. It boosts our self-esteem, enhances our relationships, and may turn a poor day into a good one. 

4. Believe in yourself. (Medina, Hazel) 

Believing in oneself is one of the most essential aspects of self-improvement. You can't do anything if you don't believe in yourself.. Having self-confidence simply implies believing in your own ability. Of course, you must surround yourself with positivity in order to have self-confidence. When you dedicate yourself to positivism, you have more fun or like doing something more. You will feel more motivated to act. You must believe in yourself that you have the abilities, skills, and passions necessary to realize all of your goals and overcome any obstacles. Believing in yourself requires trusting in your ability. It implies believing that you are capable of accomplishing something. 

5. Prioritize giving yourself some ‘me’ times. (Delos Reyes, Mary Angeline C.) 

Others may find it absurd, but ‘me’ times are also important to achieve a healthy self-improvement of the individual. This is when you get to ask yourself what your strengths and weaknesses are, or what it is that you have to change to become better. By doing this, you are allowing yourself to keep in track with your own inner self, and see how it has really been recently. Oftentimes, we do not need to wait and ask people to point out what we have to change in ourselves, because the answers will only be based on their perceptions of you. Instead of doing that, spare yourself some time to be alone, to unwind even just for a short while. That is the time when realizations and other unattended matters will be voiced out by your inner self. And if you know that it will make you a better person, then you must listen to that little voice.

6. Make an effort to learn new things. (Vasquez, Regine)

Trying new skills and activities is one of the finest ways to develop oneself. This allows us to see what more we are capable of and how we'd go about doing it. Learning new things is beneficial since it makes you more adaptable and it improves your ability in several fields. Being productive with the goal for new knowledge is an important approach to stay healthy and live a better life. Not sure where to start? You can first start teaching yourself by searching and testing how to see if the skill or activity is simple and easy to do. You can also attend classes in the skills you want to enhance. With the assistance of professionals, achieving your goals will be much easier and effective. Next, trade skills with your friends or peers. If you're curious about your friends' skills and activities, see if you can join them. 

7. Take care of your body. (Carado, Jyreh Mark) 

When you are abusing yourself, more problems may come, such as sickness and loss of confidence. Practicing self-care and treating your own body well is something that we should do. This feels right because you're doing something positive for your mind, body, and spirit—and you'll naturally feel more confident as a result. Make a diet plan that includes a rainbow spectrum of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products for every meal. You need to exercise everyday or in your leisure time. Doing this regularly also benefits our entire body, and including the mind. Lastly, regular sleeping habits release hormones that help your body to stay healthy. It helps our body and mind relax, and prevents the release of stress hormones. Also, sleep helps our brain to function more. Keep in mind that self-improvement is more possible when physically healthy. To do this, you only need to strive to focus more. 

Self-improvement might be hard and consuming, but it is a matter of choosing a daily dose of progress to become a better person. It is in improving oneself that humans need consistency, balance, responsibility, and a lot of hard work. How about you? What other ways do you do to improve yourself? What is one thing you can do to make yourself proud?