We never stop growing or learning, which is good news when we find ourselves in ruts, making poor life choices, and not doing right by ourselves or others. Most of us won’t live our lives constantly being good people, but there’s always room for improvement. When you’re trying to live life to the fullest, be kind to yourself and others, and even be more environmentally aware, it can be worth putting time and effort into doing some of the following things:
Contributing to charitable causes doesn’t mean you have to donate the money you don’t necessarily have. While donations can help several people in need, there are other ways you can help. Even visiting the best Goodwill for secondhand shopping can be how you make a difference or volunteering at your local soup kitchen.
If you have a set of skills your local charities could benefit from, consider donating your time. Helping others benefits the recipients, but it can also make you feel good about yourself at a time when you possibly needed the boost.
We are far too quick to tell ourselves off for doing something wrong or being imperfect, but we rarely compliment ourselves for doing something right. Make it a part of your daily routine to tell yourself at least one good thing about yourself.
You might tell yourself that your hair looks nice today or that you’ve done a great job finishing a project at work, even though it made you stressed. You may be surprised at how helpful a compliment can be, even when it’s directed at yourself.
Shopping at your local Goodwill store can be an excellent method to help people in need, but you don’t always have to spend money to help. You just need to find a way to make someone else’s life just that little bit easier each day.
You might help someone cross the road who is struggling to manage or help load groceries into the car of a stressed mother who has her hands full with children. You may even be helpful by offering to collect someone’s mail while they’re on vacation or feeding your neighbor’s cat while they’re away.
These small gestures don’t cost you anything, but they can mean the world to the recipient of your helpfulness.
Mindfulness is a type of meditation that teaches you to calm down your mind and body while letting go of negativity and slowing down your thought processes. You perform tasks with more intention and become far more aware of every sense in your body.
Many studies delving into the potential benefits of mindfulness practices have produced some surprising results. Those who integrate such practices into their lives may be able to benefit from reduced anxiety, depression treatment and prevention, improved body satisfaction, and even better cognition.
Some people also notice that they are less distracted and more focused, which is good news for those living a high-stress lifestyle. Both you and your loved ones may see the value in incorporating mindfulness exercises into your regular routines.
The next time you hold a conversation with someone, ask yourself whether you’re genuinely listening or you’re just waiting to speak. You can gain insight into whether your listening skills could do with some fine-tuning.
Being a great listener may enable you to enjoy stronger relationships with people while gaining respect and increasing your likeability. Get into the habit of asking yourself if you’re hearing or listening to the next time you engage in a conversation to develop new habits.
Anger is a natural emotion to feel when you believe you’ve been wronged or something has frustrated you. You’re entitled to feel anger but avoid holding onto it. Not only does letting go of anger put you in a much better mood, but it may also reduce the risk of some health problems. According to research, you may be more at risk of a stroke from a blood clot in the two hours following an angry outburst.
Repressed anger may also be associated with heart disease, and it might even weaken your immune system. Harvard University scientists discovered that healthy people thinking about an angry experience experienced a decrease in immunoglobulin A levels, which is your cells’ first line of defense against infection.
While you don’t have to tell your spouse that they overcooked dinner and it wasn’t pleasant, you can be a better person by being more honest with the most important things in your life for better personal development. Refrain from lying about things that matter the most, and be honest when communicating with your loved ones to solve problems. Honesty leads to trustworthiness, and both of these things can be crucial for solid relationships with those nearest to you.
Being a better person doesn’t happen overnight. It can be a series of small changes that make you feel better about yourself and your position in the world. If you’re starting to feel like you’re not reaching your full potential in life, don’t be content to remain as you are. Any of these ways above could be how you begin your journey to being better for yourself and those around you.