If you were asked to evaluate yourself, what would be the outcome? Are you happy in your own skin, or do you find yourself wishing you were in the shoes of someone else? If you’re spending more time envying others around you, instead of working to achieve your goals, then you will never get where you’re looking to go.
It’s quite common to see others who have more and wish you were in their shoes, however the only way you can actually get there is through re-evaluating your life and working on self improvement. Why is self development so important? Because nobody can do it for you- teachers can teach, parents can pray, and pastors can preach- but at the end of the day it will be your very own self development tools geared towards self improvement which will build the bridge that will take you from where you are today, to where you want to go.
Making Life Better
Self improvement is often the gateway to success, regardless of one’s current status. Finding out what flaws are direct obstacles to reaching your goals, can help you better understand what exactly needs to change. Without a thirst to better oneself, there’s a huge chance that you could end up facing:
- Depression
- Financial Woes
- Relationship Problems
- Weight Gain
Working towards self improvement is important. Without improving one’s quality of life, there is a huge chance that depression and other problems will surface.
Avoiding Deep Depression
A feeling of inadequacy is often a symptom of low self esteem. When a person feels this way, it is important to take action, and begin working on areas which need to be altered. Without evaluating yourself, and finding out exactly what is causing you to feel bad about yourself, there is no real way of knowing what needs improvement- and no, a simple compliment is not all which is needed to feel better about yourself.
It takes something more than mere words, coming from the mouth of someone who sees your outer beauty. You must work from the inside out, and the only way this can be done is through self improvement. Changing certain things in your life can put a road block in any depression. Once you begin to feel better about yourself, the depression will subside, making for a much happier existence. While not every case of depression can be solved this way, those who feel bad about themselves, or have low self esteem can definitely benefit from self improvement.
Financial Empowerment
It is a well known fact that money is a necessity, perhaps not for happiness- but survival. Not making enough money can lead to all kinds of problems in your life, which can only be changed by making a complete 360. Empowering yourself with the tools needed to make more money is the first step to improving your life. If you’re not making enough money, or if your bills seem to be a bit more than your check, it is time to take a look at yourself. Going back to school for more education is a way of finding financial stability. Though it’s a common way of improving your life, it works. Chances are, if you go back to school, you will get a better paying job, and put all your financial woes to rest. Nobody wants to suffer, or have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to pay bills. Focusing on yourself, and how you can make more money will help put an end to your financial situation.
Making Relationships Work
When speaking of self improvement, relationships may not come to mind because its supposed to be a compromise. Most people believe that you should be accepted for who you are, therefore there is no need for improvement. This could not be more wrong. There is always a time for improving oneself, and relationships are no different. With self improvement, the relationship take on a whole new meaning. If your relationship is suffering due to low self esteem, insecurities or any kind of fear – even something like the fear of the number 13 – then it’s time to take a look at yourself. All it takes is to find what kind of behavior is not working, and change it. Sure, you deserve to be in a relationship that’s fifty-fifty, but there is nothing wrong with making sure you are up to part. You may need to alter your behavior, and consider self improvement techniques if your relationship is lacking or you find yourself:
- nagging
- crying
- jealous
- insecure
- argumentive
If you’re wondering why is self development so important, the answer is simple- especially in relationships. Although some people may feel that relationships should not be so demanding, without the intense bond which some people have, they will lack any sort of motivation in their life. There is definitely a change which is needed when you find yourself nagging a lot about every little thing, crying easily, jealous of your partner- and not wanting them to leave your side, insecure, and wanting to argue all the time. Take time to work on these behaviors, as not making sure they are properly handled could cause your relationship to end.
Improving Your Weight
Weight gain is another area of self development which could make a big difference in your life. Losing weight, and focusing on good health is important, as it could have an impact on all aspects of your existence. If you’re not at a desired weight level, your self esteem may be low, and your health could be in jeopardy. When this occurs, other problems also coexist such as relationship and financial problems. This is because when weight is an issue, often times one’s overall life suffers. Albeit due to not wanting to go out of the house, or due to not being hired- yes, some people do discriminate, even though it is not “nice” to do so. The world looks down at individuals of a certain size, therefore losing weight should always be a priority when looking to improve oneself.
Keeping an Open Mind
Self improvement covers a broad range of factors; there are many different ways which a person can change to make their lives better than what it is. It is safe to say that everyone could probably use some sort of improvement in their lives, regardless of how “great” life appears to be. Not everyone realizes the need to make themselves better, and therefore will not enjoy life at its fullest. However, being open minded can make a difference- even for those who may feel their lives are perfect. Having an open mind includes:
- accepting criticism
- accepting failure
- accepting losses
- accepting rejection
You must be able to accept criticism, if you’re looking to improve your way of life. Not everyone will like you, or what you do- so get used to being told “I don’t like this.” When you are able to take the voice of someone telling you that they are not interested in what you have to say, or that they did not like your work, you will be able to better understand what you may be doing wrong- and therefore work on improving it. This is not to say that you need improvement on everything which someone criticizes- face it, there are some people who just won’t like what you do. You can’t please everyone, however be open to criticism, and know when to change, and what to change in order to improve and become better at what you are doing. The way to getting what you want in life is by taking one step at a time, and working on your flaws will help to create more successes in the future.
Fleeing Failure and Gaining Success
So you didn’t pass the test you needed for promotion. Don’t sweat it, go and study so that next time you will ace the exam. Learn how to accept failure, and turn it around into something positive. There will be many failures in your lifetime, so get used to it. The good part of failure is that it teaches you to work that much harder the next time. You will be excellent in some things, and suck at others- that’s just how life is. There aren’t too many people who are good at everything, and for those who are, well, bless them. Accept failure with a smile, and say to yourself “improving myself means learning what I can’t do, so that I can work hard at mastering it.” When it comes to self improvement, failure makes successes. So take it with a smile.
Learning From Losing
You win some, you lose some- right? Well, your losses are much more beneficial than your wins. This is because when you lose, you are able to see what you need to improve, and once you begin working on your goals, you not only get better in what caused you to lose, but you’re gonna be that much better at your good points as well. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Keep an open mind when you lose, or fail for that matter. Losing makes champions- haven’t you heard that before? Well, if not- you heard it here, and it’s the truth. You will have more power and determination to improve and accomplish your goals when you receive a loss than with a win. Winning results in a passive, “I got this” frame of mind, whereas losing leads to a “I’m going to get this done” mindset. The only way to get it done is through self improvement.
From Reject to Respect
Everyone has been rejected- right? Nope, and it’s very unfortunate for those who haven’t. Although rejection makes you feel as if you aren’t good enough, it also gives you the drive to be better. When someone rejects you, whether it’s a companion, employer, teacher, sports team, cheer squad, phaternity, sorority…I could go on forever, but you get the idea- when you are rejected, what’s the first thing you do? Well, the second thing- after you let out your anger? You begin to question what you did wrong, and what this does is put you in a self improvement mode most commonly known as “I’ll show them.” But really, being rejected leads to a huge thirst for bettering oneself, so that the next time they make an attempt at it, they will deliver- and be welcomed with open arms.
Making a Change
When asked why is self development so important, the answer is clear. It is important on many levels. Having the pride, and being humble enough to know that there is room for improvement goes a long way. Nobody knows you better than you know yourself- and only you can make a change. So instead of wishing you were like the “Joneses,” get up, and work on making yourself what you desire. There’s nothing better than living life the way it was meant- happy, healthy, and with enough money. After all, you deserve it, just as much as the next person.