Panache

You already know where you are in your life and you know where you want to be. You want to become the best version of yourself but you don’t know how. The path seems long and self-discovery along with healing seems like a lot of work.

But what if you decide to take little steps to make your life better bit by bit, day by day, every day?

Below are the 10 things you can do to improve your life and take a small step towards a better future. Of course, take what resonates with your life and situations and let us know which one step you need the most.

1. Take Supplements.

You feel tired throughout your day but you don’t pay attention to it. We tend to give ourselves excuses about the same. Too much screen time, lack of sleep, or stress about work are some of the factors that we often blame as the cause of our debilitating health.

However, regular check-ups can reveal how our body is deprived of basic nutrients and minerals that it needs to function smoothly. Hence, taking supplements as per your body’s requirements do not only improve your bodily functions but it also improves your mood.

Drinking enough water throughout the day, and cutting on coffee or nicotine can also make a dramatic change in your mood and your living. The only condition is that you should be determined enough to take care of your body, mind, and soul.

• Cut off toxic friends and people from your life.

 Have you ever imagined how much energy, time, and mind space you waste when surrounded by toxic people? It could be that narcissistic boss that you work for. It could be that irritating colleague you can’t stand but somehow have to entertain since you have no other option.

But if you see your life from a broader perspective, you need to take a major step towards such behavior for your wellness. According to Robert Greene, a celebrated and world-renowned author, if you work in an abusive or toxic environment, it can traumatize you for your whole life. And, maybe, you cannot be yourself at work ever again.

Only if you understand the serious consequences of it on your life you would not entertain this toxic behavior ever again. As to how you are going to imply that in your life is what the next point is about.

Also read: How to identify toxic friendships?

Also read: 6 types of Toxic People at Workplace and how to deal with them.

Also read: 8 ways to protect yourself from the toxicity around you.

• Practice saying “No” / Maintain sustainable boundaries.

I had been among the people who call themselves a “yes person”. We are such people pleasers that “No” does not exist. But we often realize late that such habit has dire results on our lives.

Try to understand that only we are responsible for our own decisions, and we have limited energy, time, and resources to invest. Hence, our “yes” should be selective and must come only after analyzing the situation for what it is. It would be hard initially. And I am not asking you to become unkind and rude towards people but practice saying “No” a few times instead of regretting it later.

Some people are good at setting solid boundaries while others let people walk over them. You can easily see the difference between the quality of life of both people. The moment you decide that your life, time, and energy are precious and can only be shared with a few, selected people would be the day you would start making boundaries.

Also read: Are you a yes person? learn 5 ways to say “No”.

Also read: 10 instant signs you do not have healthy boundaries.

Also read: 10 effective ways to maintain healthy boundaries.

• Try to automate what can be automated.

There is quite a large number of people who are against AI and automation of services. Though there is no harm in doing things on your own and improving your skills, there are a few disadvantages.

While you invest your decision-making capacity, energy, and precious time in these tasks you keep yourself devoid of things that you can master or excel at. For example, if you can automate that part of the business, you dislike doing, you can always make time for the guitar or crochet lessons that you always wanted to take.

This advice may seem specifically for entrepreneurs but that is not the case. For example, investing in a Roomba, a good vacuum cleaner, an efficient washing machine, deciding on a weekly food menu or other things can save so much time and energy that would make you feel less exhausted and more efficient throughout your day.

• Keep yourself active through Exercise or Yoga.

Every year comes with a greater commitment to being in good shape, physical goals, gym registrations, and other health-related resolutions. However, we never stick to those goals and by February we tend to fail and get on with our unhealthy lifestyles.

But what if I tell you until your health goals do not align with your current lifestyle and goals then they are bound to fail? In an interview, Benny Blanco, the songwriter and music producer expressed his amusement towards the trend of ice baths. He mentioned that if you are a business person, an ice bath is not going to increase your capability of making better decisions. But this is for athletes and it suits them.

Similarly, you do not need heavy health goals to keep your body active and healthy. Instead, you just need to keep your body moving. A walk to the nearest department store for groceries, a hiking date on the weekend, or a regular walk to the office can keep you fit. Do not forget about the combined effect of a 7-minute walk every day instead of a half-hour treadmill exercise at the end of the week.

• Cut on alcoholic or artificial beverages.

People have felt a significant change in their lifestyle ever since they decided to decrease their coffee consumption. The famous content creator Ray William Johnson had anxiety for years and was not able to cope with it. One of his friends suggested he cut off on his morning coffee and his anxiety significantly improved.

It is not just him; other people have reported a drastic change in their mood when they have decreased their alcohol glasses every day. Try to understand that completely quitting alcohol, artificial beverages, or coffee could be a big goal. But decreasing the consumption can not only be your start but you can track your progress and make the change accordingly.

• Practice Deep breathing.

It is a myth that we use part of our brain every day but it is true that we are using part of our lung capacity every day. There are countries that are covered in smog and the air quality is so low that breathing would only mean inviting more diseases.

So, if you are in a country or environment where you can breathe fresh air, you need to utilize it to its full capacity. The other thing is realizing how to relax your brain. Meditation is often suggested to calm your mind. But it should rather be called concentrating on your breath.

If you take deep breaths by filling your lungs with air, the oxygen supply to your brain increases and you will experience extreme calmness and a hint of dopamine.

This method is often utilized by CEOs and executives. Try doing it maybe you will be able to control your nerves.

• Stop thinking about what the world thinks.

“I spent my whole life thinking what the world thought while the world was never thinking about me.” These are the words of a person on their deathbed. In today’s society, the world is so busy sustaining their lives, worrying about their future, and living that they barely get the time to think about you, what you are wearing, how you are behaving, or what you are doing.

But this thinking could be exclusive to your own beliefs and lifestyle. But once you stop thinking about the world and set off on a journey towards freedom, you will realize how much weight you had on your shoulders that you were planning to lead your life with.

It is the most liberating feeling to live with once you stop thinking about the world. The first step is to keep the world out of your personal circle and know that they neither know you nor understand you the way you do yourself. It is your life, and no one can know it better than you. Hence, if they were making an opinion, that opinion would be based on limited facts, and their thought process that is not accurate.

• Filter Your Social Media.

Every time, you open your social media, you hate the travel photos that your school friend posted. You hate the celebrity gossip portal follow and don’t remember doing it. And yet, you continue consuming the content the algorithm serves you, losing precious time and energy.

If you want to create a change in your lifestyle, try to filter and clean your social media off of pages, accounts, and things that no longer serve your purpose or do not align with your thinking and life. By doing this you would be making a conscious decision of what you would let in your brain and what you would be avoiding.

Social media apps always have “not interested” buttons, you can always choose that and make sure to tame your algorithm to serve you the content you want. You can add the pages that would relax you in the middle of the day like ASMR pages, nature pages, philosophical or spiritual pages, etc.

Also read: 9 signs you need to quit Social Media.

Also read: How to quit Social Media effectively?

1.  Work or Invest in the things eating away at your Self-Esteem.

What is that one thing in your life, your physical appearance or your personality, if removed would increase your confidence 10 folds? It could be the acne marks on your face, the crooked teeth, your posture, your fashion or styling choices, those spectacles, your inability to handle a task/ job, etc.

Once you work on these things and improve them, you will experience a dramatic shift in your life. You would feel a before and after change that would reflect in your attitude.

Life is too short to be held by these tiny things. Instead, put in some work, make that change, and see how to live your life to your fullest potential.

Also read: 10 ways to improve your Confidence.