Everyone thinks of changing the world,
but no one thinks of changing himself.
Often when your doubts, fears and insecurities begin to tie you up in knots, you may stumble into thinking that you’d rather be someone else, anyone else. More often than not, you think and begin to believe that someone or rather almost anyone is better off than you are. But in reality that’s usually not the case at all.
It’s actually kind of funny and sad at the same time. We look at other people, envy them for looking so outrageously perfect and wish we could trade places with them, while often they are looking at us thinking the same thing. We all have some insecurity about something. Many people suffer from low self esteem, lack of self confidence and lose hope in their self-improvement processes because they become enveloped by a quiet sense of desperation, feeling like they are not making any progress. So how do you get back on track for pursuing your self development?
Communicate
One key to pursuing self improvement is to listen and talk to a trusted friend. Listening seems to be the key to most of the things in life we wish to accomplish. Find someone you are comfortable opening up to. Start by asking questions like: Do you think I’m rude? Do I always sound argumentative? Do you feel like I think I always have to be right? Do I talk too loud? Do I talk too much? These kinds of questions will help them lower their defenses. The other person should be able to see that you are genuinely interested in open and honest answers. Open your ears and your mind for comments and criticisms and resist the urge to push back against them. What’s pushing back? Saying things like, “Don’t exaggerate”, “That’s just the way I am.” Open your mind as well as your heart. This will likely take your friendship to a new and deeper level. And in return you can be helpful to your friend…if asked.
Love Yourself
One of my favorite songs sung by the late Whitney Houston songs has lyric which said, “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.” That is very true. In order to love others, you must first and foremost love yourself. You cannot give what you do not possess!
Walk the Talk
Before telling other people ways in which they can improve themselves, let them see that you are making some significant progress in this department. Self improvement makes us all better people, and once that change begins, we can inspire other people more positively.
Fix Your Thinking
It is time for you to stop thinking of yourself as a second class person!!! Forget those repetitive thoughts, “if only I were richer, ” ” if only I was thinner,” and so on. Accepting your true self is the first step to self improvement. Just like loving yourself is important, so too is knowing yourself. You need to stop comparing yourself to others only to find out much later that you probably have no reason to envy them at all. Every life and lifestyle comes with its own difficulties.
We all have some insecurities. No one alive is perfect. We always wish that we had better things, better features, better body parts, better friends, better, better, better… But your life need not be absolutely perfect for you to be happy with it and with yourself. Self improvement and loving yourself is not just a matter of going out and shouting to the world that you are perfect or that you are the best. Self improvement is the virtue of acceptance and contentment. When you begin the process to improve yourself, and then begin to feel an increased sense of contentment and happiness, life will be much so more peaceful and pleasant.
Thoughts?
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/angela7/7116651711/sizes/z/in/photostream/
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