It’s finally September, which also happens to be National Self-Improvement Month! Really, we should always be striving to better ourselves as people and make sure we are the happiest, most productive version of ourselves that we can be, but sometimes it’s nice to have a special day to remind us of that. In honor of National Self Improvement Month, here are six good habits to start incorporating into your routine.
- Wake Up Earlier
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Waking up earlier not only gives you more time in the day to get things done, it naturally makes you feel more productive and motivated for the day, too, which goes hand in hand with the former. It’s a chain of effects: you wake up earlier, you feel more motivated, you get more things done, you feel happier and more fulfilled.
- Maintain a Reading Habit
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Reading—whether its novels, articles, short stories, or any other literary form—enhances the mind. It makes you think, and it exercises your brain. Even if reading may not be your cup of tea, fitting in some sort of reading every day will expand your knowledge and help you learn more about the world you live in. This, in turn, will make you feel more satisfied with life as well as keep your mind staying active.
- Exercise
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Going off of the last point, exercising not only your brain but your body, as well, will help you achieve a more well-rounded sense of self-improvement. Even if it’s just once a week for 30 minutes, finding time for even just a little bit of exercise a week will not only improve your physical health, but your mental health, as well. Release those endorphins, girl!
- Set Personal Goals
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Setting personal goals is a great way to stay motivated. When you set your own goals, you tend to feel more motivated than when you’re trying to meet the goals of others. Staying motivated by your goals—whether it’s working out a certain amount of times a week or reading a certain number of books by the end of the month—is so important because it’ll keep you from feeling like every day is a drag. Instead, you’ll have things to work towards and will actually want to go out, be productive, occupy yourself and do the things you set your mind to.
- Be Mindful of Your Daily Water Intake
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I’ve learned this the hard way, but I guess that makes me an expert in the field now. Be mindful of your daily water intake. It does impact the way you feel, both physically and mentally, and it does affect your productivity and overall wellbeing. I cannot stress enough how important this point is. If you have to, download a water tracker app that will help you keep track of your daily water intake. Believe me, you will start to feel a difference once your body isn’t grappling with dehydration every day.
- Work On Combating Those Negative Thoughts
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This point is so very crucial to anyone’s overall wellbeing. Let’s face it, we all get negative thoughts. Because we’re human, and humans are complex beings with so much going on in our minds 24/7. But actively working on combating those negative thoughts will start opening the door to more positive thoughts and will help you radiate that positivity to those around you. It’s the law of attraction: what you put out, you will get in return. Even if you aren’t knowingly putting negativity out into the world, your negative thoughts may be reflecting in your aura. Some ways to combat those thoughts, aside from actively thinking the opposite as soon as the thought comes up, are placing sticky notes somewhere you’ll seem them every morning and night (like on your mirror or bed stand), or wearing rubber bands on your wrist—each one of them representing a negative thought that you may have—and lightly snapping it when you notice yourself thinking about it. You can get creative with your ideas, as long as you find something non-harmful that works for you!
Hopefully this list gave you some ideas and motivation for National Self-Improvement Month, and maybe you’ll try to take up some of these new habits in your daily life or think of other good habits not listed to add, as well. We all deserve to feel our best. I wish you all the best of luck and so much happiness!