10 ways to be the best version of yourself
How important are you? Are you on your own priority list? If you’re a parent, you no doubt consider your children your number one priority. If you work as a manager or business owner with people or goals to consider, you’ll justifiably treat work as vital. It’s important to take care of your staff and customers, earn a living, and be in a nurturing environment that supports you.
Family and friends are also important. They are often the reason we work so hard; to provide them with a comfortable home and lifestyle, good education and fun times together.
The big question is, where do you fit in all of this? If you went to a restaurant or consulted a specialist and saw that they were stressed, irritable and overworked, you would probably wonder why they accepted your reservation. The same is true if you are being pushed in all directions and you don’t feel up to it. Irritability, frustration, and resentment may begin to build. Nobody benefits.
Achieving a certain balance in life, where you recognize your boundaries and limits, allows you to be the best version of yourself. So everyone, including you, has a better experience and quality of life.
Here are 10 ways to be the best version of yourself:
– Positive practice of internal dialogue. Start noticing those automatic ‘I’m so stupid’ responses that can come up so easily when you’re stressed. Yes, something you did may have been a mistake, but that doesn’t mean you’re stupid. We often speak harsher to ourselves than to anyone else. Learn to be kinder to yourself and recognize the early warning signs of stress.
– Schedule time for things you know you do well. It’s especially important in the midst of tough or difficult times to remember your skills, talents, and abilities. Leave time for the things you enjoy and are good at. Sports, DIY, playing an instrument, volunteering can be ways to bring a positive mindset into your life.
– ‘Broadcast’ what you’ve done. Household chores, chauffeuring duties, errands that go unnoticed are often taken for granted. There’s no need to be harsh, but occasionally remind others that you’ve stocked the cupboards with food, clean clothes, and towels don’t magically replenish. Request recognition for those efforts that support the proper functioning of their lives.
– Smile and accept compliments and praise. Don’t shrug in an ‘it’s nothing’ way. Acknowledge, say ‘thank you’ and let them know that good manners and appreciation are important to you.
– go at your pace. Being the best version of yourself means being able to handle stress. Learn to recognize what you can and cannot do each day. There’s no use being invincible or feeling like you’ve failed if you can’t do it all. It’s okay to approach large jobs in stages.
– Let others help. If you work long hours or have many demands on your time, why not hire help with cleaning, gardening, ironing, or with business tasks like PR, accounts, and social media? The time freed up can be used elsewhere and is often money well spent. Delegate tasks to staff and encourage them to flourish and become more enthusiastic about their work. Let your children help. Even if their efforts are clumsy, it’s good to encourage them to be more independent.
– ‘No’ may be the most positive word in your vocabulary when used well. Saying ‘yes’ can become a negative habit if you automatically take on too much work, social commitments, or family responsibilities. We may be eager to please others, appear efficient and successful. But saying ‘no’ properly allows you to use your time well, focus on your priorities, and become the best version of yourself.
– Take care of your relationships. Our partners, families, colleagues, friends cannot be expected to be psychic, but they will often be understanding and supportive if told what is going on and asked for help. Let them in and you might even come up with some great ideas and suggestions.
– Have regular breaks. It may seem counterintuitive to take a break from work for a while, but regular breaks allow you to better manage stress and return to work with a fresh perspective and new insights. Being the best version of yourself means taking care of yourself and taking a break from time to time. Have a healthy snack, lots of water, and unwind for an hour or so before bed.
– Accept invitations and offers. that takes you out of your comfort zone. Scare yourself a little every day, even if it’s just by picking a different lunch, talking to someone new, accepting a challenge. Allow your confidence and self-confidence to grow by expanding your horizons. Keep a journal and record those mini-successes to sustain you through the tough times.
Becoming the best version of yourself means getting rid of old useless patterns that once worked well for you. And interestingly, once we become receptive to positive changes, other factors often work to motivate and sustain us.
