Becoming Your Best Self
One of the biggest things I have noticed thus far in my travels abroad is just how much I’m changing. Not only is my Chinese improving and my cultural knowledge growing, I find that I am picking up on many attributes within myself that went previously unnoticed. When placed in a completely new and different environment, you are forced to get to know yourself on a deeper and more meaningful level. While this is an incredibly wonderful process, it is also a deeply uncomfortable one. It is difficult to stand face to face with yourself, flaws and all. It is because of this discomfort, though, that I am growing so much as a person.
I had a moment a few weeks ago when I realized just how much I was previously cruising through life, never taking a moment to truly evaluate who I was or why I was making specific choices. Who was I, really? As I began to evaluate my own being, I was able to pick out the parts of myself that weren’t entirely genuine, the habits I had picked up to please others, or coping mechanisms that weren’t entirely healthy. I was able to notice the areas in my life where I wished to improve, and even the areas where I was already flourishing.
After undergoing this process, I felt that I could now take tangible steps to become my best self. For most of my life, improvement was focused more on being like someone else-- a role model, or even someone I knew that I admired. I had not stopped to consider how wonderful it would be to not chase after someone else’s image, but to instead better my own. Rather than idolizing others, I am now choosing to pursue my own best self. Here are a few steps and habits that I have found beneficial in my journey of personal growth.
one: think about who you are and who you want to be
The first step to improving is to stand face-to-face with yourself. Be honest here-- notice what you LOVE about yourself, and also what you feel needs improvement. For instance, I love how driven and passionate I am, but I feel I need to improve my confidence and I need to work on coping with my anxiety. It is so important that you do not shame yourself for your flaws, though. Think of them as areas of improvement. These habits and tendencies are not permanent, and you can work to grow as a person if you are aware of them in a positive light.
two: write them down with tangible steps
It is one thing to hold these thoughts in your head, but it is another to actually write them down and solidify them. According to a scientific study featured in Forbes, people who write down their goals are 1.2 to 1.4 percent more likely to achieve them. I like to take things a step further by laying out tangible steps to aid me in my growth process. For example, I began by writing down some of my general goals-- stop biting at nails, exercise more, feel good in what I wear, etc. Underneath these general statements, I wrote tangible steps to help me achieve them. I had to do a bit of research for this step, such as tips and tricks on how to break bad habits, or what the best free exercise apps are (I’ve been LOVING Nike Training Club.) By doing this, I was able to see just exactly how I could achieve my goals.
three: incorporate these steps into your routines
If you are anything like me, you have sacred morning and night routines. These routines help me start and end my days on a good foot while keeping me on a schedule. When I decided I wanted to better myself, it seemed fitting to incorporate my new tasks into my routines. For instance, I added “write down three things you are grateful for” to my morning routine and “plan tomorrow’s outfit” to my night routine. Don’t be afraid to move tasks around if they aren’t working for you. For instance, I tried to add exercise to my mornings. Unfortunately, no amount of motivation can make me do an intense ab workout at 7 AM. Instead, I moved my workouts to the evening. This works much better for my schedule and makes it much easier to stick to this practice.
four: hold yourself accountable
It is easy to start out strong with this new habits and goals, but it is so important to stick with them for the long-run. I find that rereading my written goals and tasks each morning reminds me of why I am doing these things. I also have been using the Habit app, which sends me notifications when I need to complete certain tasks. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t follow your plan completely or “mess up.” Instead, just make choices that will help you pursue your goal in the future. Eventually, these tasks will become second nature, and you won’t have to remind yourself everyday to do them.
Growth is an uncomfortable process, but one that ultimately makes you a better person. As I have gone through this process, these tips, as well as a positive mindset, have allowed me to become happier with who I am and see how much room I have to continue to grow. I hope this post helped you in some way, and I wish you the best of luck. Happy growing!
XOXO,
Sadie
