How To Be A Better Person To Others And Yourself
It’s normal to feel like you could be doing more when it comes to self-improvement.
Being a better person doesn’t involve being overly hard on yourself. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
The more self-kindness and self-compassion you can foster, the more equipped you’ll be to treat those around you the same way. Plus, doing good for others can give your life a deeper sense of meaning. It may even help to improve your physical and mental health.
Below you will find some ways to build self-improvement into your daily routine and let go of those negative thoughts about yourself and maybe others.
Greet Everyone You Meet
Whether you nod or smile to strangers passing by or say “good morning” to everyone who enters the office, make an effort to acknowledge those around you when you see them. In doing so, you’ll notice you might find yourself feeling more present and connected to those around you, even if you don’t have a close relationship with them.
The more you greet, the more you establish good relationships with everyone around you. Meet new and exciting people to broaden your social bubble.
Eat At Least One Meal Mindfully
When you’re caught up in the middle of a hectic day, it’s tempting to rush through your meal without listening to your body. Mindful eating gives you a chance to check in with both your physical feelings and your emotions. It gives you a chance to reflect on yourself. Pick a meal, even if it’s just a sandwich, and take your time eating it. Notice the different tastes and textures. Try to eat as slowly as possible to notice these effects, and experience them yourself.
Clean For 30 Minutes
The way you feel about your home can influence whether your time there is restorative or stressful. The next time you have a spare 30 minutes, set a timer, and tackle some quick household chores that’ll add a little brightness to your day. Reward yourself by taking some time to enjoy your refreshed space.
Research has suggested that having a clean, organized room leads to increased mood and happiness. But also decreases anxiety and depression.
Forgive Yourself And Others
Holding on to regret, pain, and resentment hurts others. But it also hurts you. When you feel any of these emotions, it affects your mood and how you treat everyone, including yourself. Try to take it easy on yourself and realize that this isn’t the end of the world.
Get Enough Sleep
Not feeling fully rested can make you feel grumpy and unproductive throughout the day. Try to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
Find ways to improve the quality of your sleep by reducing your caffeine consumption late in the day, taking a melatonin supplement, or relaxing in a warm bath or shower before bedtime.
Getting a good night’s rest is pretty important. The less we sleep, the more negative effects we encounter throughout our lives. That includes depression, anxiety, struggle to keep up with work, and even relationships. When it comes to sleep you should never, ever underestimate it.
Be Kind To Yourself
Many of us have the habit of lingering on something that was said to us, replaying it often in our minds. Instead of taking things personally and being self-critical, offering empathy and understanding to the other person, as well as ourselves is important.
Think of all the ways you make a positive impact on those around you and try writing them down each day. Again, these don’t have to be grand gestures.
Maybe you held the door open for someone carrying some heavy bags. Or started brewing a fresh pot of coffee at work when you noticed it was getting low.
“Tomorrow is a new day, so if you beat yourself up today about something, let yourself off the hook and start fresh tomorrow.”
At the end of the day, whatever struggle, problem, loss, obstacle you may encounter, all you gotta do is sit down and realize that you’re just as human as the rest of us are. There’s nothing wrong with being who you are. We all make mistakes no doubt. The difference is that we all win whatever we do. We’re all humans.
