At the end of your life wouldn’t you like to say that you did your best, contributed what you could, and became the best person you could be? I know I do! There are some truly amazing people in the world who live at high levels of consciousness. These people didn’t get this way overnight. It took them a lifetime of building habits and seeking growth.
We are all meant to be wise, compassionate, and significant, but sadly there are many people who go through life unwilling to take the steps necessary to cultivate this potential.
They are not interested in personal development, and frankly could care less about becoming a better person. Why? Because they are so caught up in the fact that the world is out to get them it leaves them hopelessly living as a victim. Also, people don’t care about becoming better because they don’t believe they have greater potential than they are currently using. But, when we dispel these two myths we recognize that personal growth takes time and is a daily commitment.
It is not necessarily about doing more but is instead about becoming more!
When we are at our best physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually we will end up reaching much greater heights.
What if you committed to becoming the best-version-of-yourself? How would your life change?
If you committed to working on yourself consistently and did one thing each day to better yourself you would be 365 times the person you are today! To keep this simple, take for example the person who instead of watching an hour of mindless television decides to reads a book on self-improvement or exercise. Check in with these two people a year later and one will be happier, healthier, and on their way to their potential, and it’s all because of one small choice per day. So, clearly this doesn’t have to be complex and mind altering choices, but something simple that you can do each day. Here are some suggestions to get you started that only takes about 15 minutes.
Read a book
Go ahead, walk over to your bookshelf and grab a title that looks helpful. You may have to dust it off but don’t worry it’s still as good as new. There is a stat that 1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives. From this perspective if you read for just 15 minutes you’re way ahead of the pack. If this area of your life could be prioritized more set a goal to read something educational or personal growth related for about 15 minutes.
Get spiritual
I can attest to the fact that when I am engaging in spiritual practice on a daily basis I am a better person. I feel more congruent and whole, have less stress, and am more kind and caring. What is your choice of spiritual practice? There is a vast array of ways to nourish your spirit and soul. I choose to meditate, practice mindfulness, and pray. You could read religious scripture, go for a walk in nature, or sing and dance to music. Decide what works best to nourish your spirit and take 15 minutes to do so.
Get moving
If you have a lifestyle or routine where you are sedentary be weary of the long-term effects. Staying active is medicine for our mind and body and a sure way to be at your best. When you’re physically healthy you will feel better and have more energy. Get moving for your physical and emotional health. Go for a walk, play sports, or simply get up a stretch.
“We are either progressing or retrograding all the while; there is no such thing as remaining stationary in this life.” – James Freeman Clarke
Do something kind
There are countless moments throughout the day where we have a chance to do something kind or generous for someone else. Take advantage of these moments to fill yourself with kindness and compassion. Doing a random act of kindness rarely takes a large amount of time or energy, but it will significantly boost our mood and help us feel more positive.
Engage in your passions
How often do you neglect what you want to do because you are occupied with what you believe you have to do? Take 15 minutes to do something that your passionate about. What hobbies or interests do you have? This might be one of the previous ideas mentioned so you could kill two birds with one stone.
Meet with a coach or mentor
He who calls in the aid of any equal understanding, doubles his own; and he who profits of a superior understanding, raises his powers to a level with the height of the superior understanding he unites with. – Edmund Burke
We all need outside guidance. Find someone who you can confer with about difficult decisions. Take 15 minutes to explore and learn from this person. When we have someone to ask us the difficult questions it can totally change our perspective and help us get moving and making progress. When we are taking care of ourselves and have balance between our mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical life we can be at our best. If we are consistently feeling better, we will do more and do a better job! Don’t be your own worst enemy! Make choices each day that help you grow into your potential.