No matter how perfect you may think you are, the fact this
there’s always some small way you can improve upon yourself. Whether it’s
broadening your knowledge or reducing your impact on the earth, there are
seemingly endless little things you can do to make a change for the better.
Here, we’ll discuss 100 of these steps, and how you can go about doing them.
Health
Good health is the foundation of a good life, so make these improvements, and
they’ll resonate out to the rest of your life.
Eat
breakfast every morning: Eating breakfast is important for your
health and mental power, supplying essential vitamins, minerals, and energy for
your day.Get a good
night’s rest: You just can’t have a happy and productive life if
you’re tired all of the time, so get some quality shut eye.Drink water: Step up your water intake to lose weight, feel
better, and improve your skin.Eat slowly: Slow down when you eat, and you’ll find that
you consume less while still feeling satisfied.Cut down on junk food: Junk food has a nasty way of
bringing your health down, so avoid it whenever possible, opting instead for
healthy food like fresh fruits and vegetables.Practice good
dental hygiene: Researchers have found that dental hygiene is
important for more than cosmetic reasons-it can help you chew food and even
avoid heart disease.Drink tea: Be sure to check out the powerhouse of benefits
that tea can deliver, which includes improved memory and prevention of ills such
as cavities, cancer, and heart disease.Get some exercise: Whether you need to lose weight or not,
exercise will have a positive effect on your overall health and quality of
life.Improve
your energy: If you’re feeling sluggish all day, chances are you’re
just not going to feel good about yourself. So take a few steps to boost your
energy, and you’ll be better in your daily life.Intensify
your workouts: Researchers have found that by doing more intense
workouts, you can enjoy similar benefits that you would with a more relaxed
workout for a longer period of time.Enjoy fish a few times a week: Eat fish, and you’ll get a
serving of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce heart disease.Wear better shoes: Don’t torture your toes with restrictive
shoes all the time-limit the amount of time you spend in uncomfortable
shoes.Protect your skin: Stay out of the sun to avoid skin
damage, or use sunblock to help.Eat at home: It’s easier and cheaper to prepare healthy
foods on your own at home, and skillfully cooking a meal is sure to impress just
about anyone.Get tested for
prediabetes: Diabetes is a disease that many Americans are
susceptible to, and by discovering it early on you can prevent it or lessen its
impact.Take a daily walk: Get a little bit of movement and clear
your mind with a walk every day.Lose weight: One of the best things you can do for your
health and overall quality of life is to shed a few pounds.
Mental
Improve your mind by taking these simple steps.
Go back to
school: Continuing your education does not have to be a complicated
endeavor. Take an online class, or just a weekend seminar.Read
classic books: Improve your mind by finally picking up all those
books you were supposed to read in school.Plan: Always have a plan for your life, so you’ll know what
you’re working toward.Quit procrastinating: Resolve to get moving, and you’ll
find that you have much more time than you originally realized.Get
inspired by a book: Read a book that will help you spark positive
changes in your life.Learn from your mistakes: Don’t let mistakes get you down.
Instead, consider what you did wrong, and how you can avoid doing so again in
the future.Stop
worrying: Let go of worry, and know that the future will come no
matter what you do about it.Learn to play a musical instrument: Pick up a guitar, or
even a harp, to improve your mental capacity and have something fun to do.Work to your own advantage: Improve upon what you can, and
let the rest fall away.Think slowly: Instead of jumping to conclusions, carefully
calculate what a situation means. Doing so can help you save relationships that
might be damaged by rash thinkingParticipate in a debate: Have a rational discussion with
someone of similar intellect to improve your knowledge.Learn
a new language: Broaden your horizons by learning how to speak a
new language.Visit Wikipedia:
Spend some time on Wikipedia learning lots of interesting facts you’ve never
realized before.
Social
Take these steps to change your social life for the better.
Join a book
club: Get some social interaction while improving your knowledge
with a book club.Get out of the house: Believe it or not, the world just
isn’t going to come to you. You’ve got to get out of your “zone” for social
interaction.Volunteer: For
a rewarding social experience, look into volunteer opportunities.Ignore
minor irritations: Whether it’s some jerk in traffic, or incessant
Facebook application requests, some things just aren’t worth dealing with.Start a blog: Spark an online discussion and network with
new people through a blog.Talk to strangers: Don’t hesitate to spark a conversation
with someone you don’t know-you just might enjoy yourself, or even make a new
friend.Don’t stereotype or label people: Avoid dismissing people
based on factors you don’t fully understand, and you may find that they have
something to offer you.Call old friends: You’d be surprised how many people would
be overjoyed to hear from you, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve seen
them.Go to church: Make new friends and get in touch with your
spiritual side at church or temple.Host a
party: Spend some time with good friends and enjoy yourself at home
by inviting others over for a party.Enjoy a hobby: Having a regular, relaxing activity will
bring you joy.Join a club: Whether
you’re into board games or photography, there’s a group out there for
you.
Emotional
Improve your emotional life with these simple strategies.
Make an effort to be happy: Whether you actually feel happy
or not, make it a point to attempt happiness. It will help you feel better, as
well as others around you.Consider religion: If you’re not a spiritual person,
consider becoming more involved with religion to improve your emotional
well-being.Stop taking things personally: Although it may seem to the
contrary, know that not everyone is out to make your life harder.Be
optimistic: Put a positive spin on things and feel better about the
future.Know
when to lose sleep: Sometimes, you have more important things to do
than sleep, but they key is knowing when that should happen.Step out of your comfort zone: Make it a point to step out
of your comfort zone once in awhile. It’s a great way to advance yourself.Get rid of ill-fitting clothing: Clothes that don’t fit
right will just make you look bad and feel worse about yourself. If you love a
piece, but it just doesn’t look good, consider getting it tailored.Spend time with a child: Look at the world through a
child’s eyes and get inspired. You’ll learn to appreciate simple things and see
life with excitement.Pamper yourself: Take care of yourself, whether that means
getting a pint of ice cream now and then, or just getting a spa treatment.Celebrate your successes: When you’ve accomplished
something great, take a moment to feel good about it!Quit
your technology addiction: Although you may love your BlackBerry,
you’ll feel a whole lot better if you just step away from the screen for a
while.Set
goals: By setting goals, you’ll give yourself something to strive
for and look forward to.Feel good about yourself: Make a decision to improve your
self-confidence, and you’ll feel better. Others will notice it, too.Be thankful: Every now and then, take some time to
acknowledge all of the good things you have in your life, big and small.Cut yourself some slack: Avoid inventing your own
impossible, stringent rules that you have to stick to-they’ll only make you feel
nervous and guilty.Let go of the past: Don’t hold grudges-let go, and you’ll
free up emotional space.Don’t be dramatic: Stop inflating small problems, or you’ll
make yourself more anxious than you need to be.Express yourself: Let your emotions come out through art,
writing, or other forms of expression.Meditate:
Take some time out every day to have an inner dialogue with yourself.
Financial
Make these changes to improve your life’s financial outlook.
Pay off
debt: Nothing will improve your finances better than simply getting
rid of debt.Build
an emergency fund: Keep an emergency fund to save yourself from
plummeting into the red when something pops up, and you’ll be much more
secure.Track your spending: At some point in their lives, nearly
everyone has wondered where all their money goes. Try this exercise to finally
get to the bottom of it, and identify spots where your money could be better
spent.Be frugal:
Embrace frugality in your life, and you’ll save money while living more
simply.Make extra payments: Pay off mortgage and other large debts
early, and you’ll take a load off.Diversify
your income: Provide yourself with some financial security by
finding multiple sources of income.Save: The concept is simple-save money, and you’ll have
more financial power to do the things you’d like to do.Eat at home more often: Eating out all the time may be fun,
but preparing meals at home is a better financial strategy.Invest: Investing is not only fun, it’s an excellent way to
make your money grow.Set a goal: Give yourself a financial goal to achieve,
whether it’s saving for a particular item, or doubling your investments.Save for retirement: Don’t give your future self a huge
mess to take care of-save now, and you’ll enjoy it later.
Habits
Make these changes in your daily life to improve upon yourself.
Quit smoking: It’s
the single most important thing you can do for your health, appearance, and
energy. You’ll smell better, too.Wake
up early: Be an early riser, and you’ll find that you have more
time to get things done.Spend more time outside: Head outside to become more active
and enjoy the world around you.Be organized:
Make things easier on yourself by living a more organized life.
At Work
You spend so much time at work, but probably don’t often consider how you can
improve upon this important facet of your life. Take these steps to make things
just a little bit better.
Make friends with your coworkers: One of the easiest and
most important things you can do to improve your career is to practice inner
networking. Socialize with your coworkers, and they’ll be more willing to help
you when you need it.Improve
your writing skills: If you improve upon your writing skills,
you’ll instantly sound more intelligent and persuasive.Collaborate:
Don’t go it alone-ask for help, and give help in return.Keep your inbox
empty: Reduce anxiety and simplify by clearing out your inbox as
much as you can.Leave
work at the door: Don’t bring work home with you, or you’ll stress
yourself out at home.Join a
professional association: Network with others in your field for fun
and career advancement.Ask for a raise: Simply asking for a raise you deserve is a
no-brainer way to feel better about work and your paycheck.Improve your
resume: If you’re not happy with your job, give your resume a
facelift and consider seeking a new position.Improve your system: If you’ve got a messy desk, or
generally lead a disorganized work life, take charge by reorganizing.Start your
own business: One of the best ways to improve your career is to go
into business for yourself.
In Your Community
Getting involved in your community is a great way to improve upon your life.
Try these methods for getting out there.
Vote: Impact your community’s future by participating in
the election of officials.Donate unused items: Instead of holding a garage sale, pass
your old items on to people who need them-like books to schools, and clothing to
shelters.Support charitable endeavors: Whether it’s with money or
time, do what you can to help out charities in your community.Be a coach: Offer to coach a youth sport, and you’ll shape
young lives while having fun.Visit your local library: Take advantage of your
community’s library to both save money and broaden your mind.
In the Environment
An excellent way to improve upon yourself is to reduce the negative impact
you have on the world. Take these steps to get greener and change your life for
the better.
Work to reduce
your carbon emissions: Find out about the many things you can do to
help cut your carbon emissions, and then take action on them.Improve
your gas mileage: Drive more slowly and coast as much as you can to
improve your gas mileage.Turn off the lights: Cut your waste and energy bill by
turning off your lights whenever you don’t need them.Get a reusable water bottle: Keep plastic water bottles out
of our landfills by getting a container you can use over and over again.Reduce
your trash: Take steps to cut down on the waste you put in
landfills.Buy local and organic food: Support your health and local
farmer by purchasing local, organic produce.Adjust your thermostat: Let your heater and AC take a small
break by adjusting your thermostat to reduce waste.Stop
using plastic bags: Quit using plastic bags, and you’ll both reduce
your impact and save animals.Take shorter showers: Save a precious resource by reducing
the amount of water you use in your daily shower.
