3 Strategies to Becoming Your Best Self
Something I am a huge advocate for and always talk about is learning how to consistently improve and be your best self. It’s extremely easy to become complacent and settle for what and who you are now, rather than simply working on small habits or strategies to improve from your current state. On this post, I dive into three strategies I have used and still continue to use to constantly improve and “be a better version of myself”.
*Improve Your Health and WellnessMy top priority is always my health, both physical and mental. I am a strong believer in that in order to be your best self, you have to be able to feel and look your best self. And this part of your life will always be changing and improving, so it is a work in progress, not just a singular point to achieve.
Let’s say you are at a point in life right now where you barely work out and you eat sometimes healthy and sometimes carelessly. You are at a great point to just pick up and start because one small change is already significant improvement, whether that is increasing your minimum workouts to 1-2x a week and/or eating more clean and homemade foods. The key is that if you’re just starting, then look at only one small change to make consistent. Don't try to change your whole lifestyle regime and routine, because hate to break it to you, but it’s just not going to last for more than two weeks—I can guarantee it. Pick a day or two to designate as your workout days of the week and stick to it. Don’t let anything negotiate that part of your routine, so make sure you pick a day and time that is very realistic to you. For me, I choose to work out Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and sometimes Saturday, all typically in the morning around 9am. When I start my day with a workout, I know I don’t have to worry later in the day to hold myself accountable because I know (self-awareness) I have a bad habit of not sticking with it as much when it’s later in the day, unless it’s a scheduled and prepaid (holding me accountable) SoulCycle or Pilates class.
*Surround Yourself With Like-minded Individuals
“You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with most.”
Even if you are improving other aspects of your life and habits, if you are not surrounded by the right people and those who are likeminded and on a similar trajectory, it will be much more difficult to be your ultimate best self. Something I am very adamant about is solely being surrounded my friends and individuals who uplift my mind, make me be accountable for my life and decisions, and ultimately make me feel supported to make the right decisions in life. If I find that someone in my life is not quite on the same “frequency” (not on the same level of life goals and vision) as where I am or who I want to be, then I simply let them go. *For those who find this harsh, I do this without making it "personal". If someone chooses to take it personal, that's up to them. But at the end of the day, I want my life on my terms and the people I share my life with are my decision.
Some might find that too “harsh” or unnecessary, but the thing is, if you truly want to be your best self, then you will not settle for anything less. Sure, if there is a circumstance where a friend you’ve had for 10+ years is not on your frequency but you want to keep them in your life, perhaps pushing them more as a distant friend is wise. But, being around them a few times a week will not do you good and that will simply be your own judgement.
For me personally, I choose to be around specific types of people. I can confidently say every close friend of mine are all focused and driven about a specific goal/vision in life and choose to prioritize a healthy lifestyle, all of which I align with.
*Create a Morning and Evening RoutineOne specific part of my morning routine that has improved my overall “best self” is my consistent wake-up time. During my Junior year of college, I recognized that I did not have a very consistent wake-up time and morning start and as a result, I was always struggling to get to morning class on time and get myself out of bed. Towards the end of 2017, I began to push myself to wake up at 8-8:30AM every day, no matter what my class schedule was for the day. This helped me feel a sense of consistency and I felt physically and mentally better for the beginning of my day and throughout the day. By the time I got to Senior year, I pushed my wake-up time to 7AM to give myself more relaxing time in the morning to read for 10-15 minutes, drink coffee, stretch, and have morning peace before diving into my work and busy day. I also did this to allow myself to adapt to the 9-5 work life early on because I genuinely believe that is one of the biggest transitions for recent post-grads.
Even if you don’t like having a routine, then I’d recommend just having 1-2 consistent habits you keep to start and end your day. I can guarantee it will make your body and mind feel better over time and will also help you be more productive for other parts of your day.
What are your thoughts on these strategies? Let me know if you resonate with any or decide to give one a try!xx