With each new season I tend to ask myself “what’s next?” It’s a harmful question but tends to have some spiraling thoughts. Am I doing the best I can? What can I improve on? Is there something I need to focus on? All of these questions tend to get me in the cycle of learning to be more self-aware and really trying to understand my desires for the next season of my life.
By knowing more about myself, I’ve found I can be a better friend, wife, mother, daughter, and sister. I also love to encourage others to pursue the things that fulfill them, although pursuing the things we care about can oftentimes be scary and daunting. These kinds of thoughts can be paralyzing if we don’t understand what brings us life.
I wanted to give five helpful tips on how to answer these questions and get the most out of our one wild and precious life, to quote Mary Oliver.
5 Tips for Being the Best You
#1
Focus on Health. Sleep more. Breathe deeper. Eat cleaner. In doing some research I have found that most experts recommend health as the first step toward growth and mental health. This I think is also the hardest tip to master. Especially for my mamas out there Lord knows we don’t get enough sleep). Mental and physical health are tightly associated in our brains and it’s so important to give them the proper care they deserve. Sleeping, practicing yoga, and eating healthier are all great ways to improve your overall health. I’ll admit this one does take a bit of training but it’s so worth it!
# 2
Step out of your comfort zone. It’s so easy for us to be comfy and cozy (especially in the fall). It can be easy to forget that sometimes doing hard things is good for us. Challenging our hearts is just as important as challenging our minds. When we do something that is uncomfortable or scary it builds up your courage. I never want to do something out of the fear that I might fail. Instead, I would rather take the risk and if I fail know that I have a brave heart and strong mind to fall back on. Some of the things that have been the hardest for me {moving out of state, transferring colleges, quitting my job, our recent move, having a baby} have been the most worthwhile. You can do it!
# 3
Do something to stimulate yourself mentally. Something you guys know I’ve been trying to do is challenge myself to read more in my spare time. Since I’ve been using Audible, this goal has actually been pretty achievable because I can listen while I cook/clean/drive. Lately I’ve been listening to more self-help and business books and podcasts because of how inspiring they are. I’ve enjoyed You are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, The Power of Habit, and of course 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Next on my list is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. It’s a book I’ve heard a lot about recently because the author really tells you how it is in a raw, refreshing and honest way. Have any of you read this one or have other ones you’d recommend?
# 4
Clean and Minimize! Take out the garbage, clear off your desk, hang up your clothes. There are so many things that can flood our minds daily. Junk emails, negative thoughts or just plain old clutter. I find that cleaning out my inbox can be just as effective as cleaning out my closet. Regularly unsubscribing from emails that don’t offer you value is a great habit to get into. Your computer and your wallet will thank you for it. If you have a junk drawer just practice getting rid of one item in it a day. Really analyze whether this is something you need or can do without. I try to do this as often as I can.
#5
Be Easier on Yourself. Know what is most important in this season. Maybe it’s growing yourself or maybe it’s growing your business. Regardless it’s important to know what we can and can’t handle as unique human beings. If you know you aren’t good at something, that’s great. Pass the load on to someone else. This way you can focus on what you are good at and grow those attributes. Sometimes the hardest thing we can do is accept that we aren’t perfect. That’s okay. No one is. But knowing what you are good at can help you reach your goals sooner. Take a strengths test or ask your friends what you’re good at if you aren’t sure. I promise you you will feel so much better when you stop focusing on what you can’t do and start improving what you can do.
I hope you all enjoyed this post. These are tidbits I’ve picked up from these different books I’ve read and I’ve found them incredibly helpful so I wanted to share. Hopefully it will inspire you a little bit and give you some good things to think about!
xox
P.S. If you are interested in trying out Audible you can get your 30 day free trial here, it’s a life saver!
DISCLOSURE: Thank you Audible for partnering with me. All thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. I love working with brands like Audible that I genuinely love!
