8 Ways To Become The Best You

Stop saying you’re sorry

Do you feel like just about everything is your fault? Believe it or not, this is most likely a result of your daily language.

Many people get in the habit of saying “I’m sorry” for things that are out of their control or when they haven’t done anything wrong. If you’re not careful, you may eventually end up apologizing for everything you say or do!

Once you stop saying “I’m sorry,” your self-image will seriously improve. Try to find replacement words to get “sorry” out of your vocabulary. For example, if someone offers constructive criticism at work, don’t say “I’m sorry.” Instead, say, “Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

Reprioritize whenever possible

Here’s a sobering exercise: at the end of today, try to write down everything that caused you stress. You might be surprised how long that list really is!

Once you know what is stressing you out on a regular basis, you can remove a lot of that stress by adjusting your priorities. If you’re worried about things that are out of your control (like whether it will rain the next day or what other people think of you), then cross those out. When you can’t change something, you shouldn’t let it stress you out ahead of time.

For things you can control, take the remaining list and write down an idea next to each stressor. These should be ideas for what you can do to take control of that situation. And once you start taking control, you’ll feel like you’re in control. It’s that easy!

Cultivate a positive inner circle

If you have issues like low self-esteem or poor body image, it may not be your fault. This may be a result of toxic feedback from people in your inner circle.

Maybe you have a “friend” who likes to comment on your recent weight gain. Or you have a boyfriend who doesn’t pay much attention to the projects that matter to you.

Negativity from others leads to negativity from yourself. But if you surround yourself with supportive friends, family, and loved ones, their positivity will help you feel better about your own life.

Know when to complain

Imagine this scenario: you’re at a restaurant with friends and the food starts coming out. Suddenly, you notice your order is wrong. What are you going to do about it?

For many of us, the first instinct is to say nothing at all. Why rock the boat and annoy other people? This may sound noble in your head, but it reinforces the idea that you are less important than other people.

Like we said before, there are things people can’t change (such as bad weather and the expectations of others). But when someone treats you wrong and it’s possible to fix things, you need to know when to complain.

There is nothing wrong with asking for what you ordered or reminding someone they need to respond to your text message. Not only does this reinforce your importance, but it helps get things done!

Love the person in the mirror

Here’s an interesting secret: becoming the better you involves playing a lot of emotional Judo. That means taking the things that make you feel bad and turning them into things that make you feel better.

The mirror is a great example of this. Many of us hate looking at ourselves in the mirror because it is (quite literally) reflecting our flaws back at us. However, it’s important to remember that the mirror is reflecting your entire image — not just your flaws.

Take a few minutes each day to admire yourself in the mirror. Pick something positive (such as your awesome outfit or your rocking hairdo) and allow yourself to feel good about your appearance. You can even write positive affirmations on the mirror itself in washable marker, like “You are so beautiful!” and “You look great!” Pretty soon, that mirror will lift you up instead of bringing you down!

Find your affirmations

To an outsider, someone’s affirmations often look a bit silly. But these affirmations are one of the most powerful ways to change how you feel and how you act.

An affirmation is typically short and positive. For example, “my hair is beautiful” and “I love my body” are both great affirmations. You don’t have to limit yourself: create as many affirmations as you want!

Say these affirmations to yourself in front of the mirror or whenever you are feeling stressed out. Eventually, constantly speaking about yourself in a positive way will lead to consistently positive thinking.

Make exercise fun

Let’s do some word association. What is your immediate reaction to the word “exercise?”

Many of you probably groaned just now. And why not? Exercise can often be annoying, sweaty, and even painful. Despite this, exercise is a great way to take control over how you look and how you feel.

What’s the solution, then? Make exercise fun! If you hate going to the gym, try jogging around your neighborhood while listening to your favorite podcast. And you can do routines with hand weights at home while watching your favorite trashy TV show.

By pairing exercise with activities that you already love, you can make exercise fun. Eventually, you’ll start looking forward to those exercise sessions instead of groaning!

Take responsibility for your life

The biggest side effect of low self-esteem is a sense of helplessness. You begin to feel like you’re not in control of your life. And this can lead to further misery and even depression because you feel like there is nothing you can do to make things better.

And this is why you’ll never become the “best you” until you take responsibility for your life. If you have a problem, start making an action plan of steps you can take to improve your situation. If you are weighed down by a toxic partnership, don’t hesitate to dump this person and start living a better life.

Remember: only you can change your life. Nobody can do that for you.