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On the one hand, the call to “become the best version of yourself” is quite understandable: you need to use your potential and give all your best in order to live the life you want. On the other hand, it is not entirely clear how to define this very version and by whose standards it is the best – is it not by the standards imposed by society? We tell you how you can change your life without trying to become someone else.
1. Don’t be afraid to express yourself
There are days when we want to curl up on the couch and cover our heads with a blanket. To bury oneself in your favorite book or series, to eat problems with homemade cookies … Just not to solve any issues and not make difficult decisions. And in the moment, thanks to these actions, we really feel better.
But constantly hiding from life is not the healthiest strategy. According to Arena Brown, professor of psychology at the University of Houston, when we take the first step despite all our fears, we become braver and psychologically stronger. Because we allow ourselves to live life in all its manifestations.
2. Determine what is important to you
And most importantly – why. If you are sure that some desire of yours is true, that it was not imposed on you by someone from the outside, then it is useful to figure out why this is so. Why does this goal motivate you? Why does this activity make your heart beat faster?
To do this, it would be good to figure out who you are, what your childhood was like, in what environment you grew up and how all this affects your behavior now. What triggers you and makes you cry, and what encourages you or makes you laugh. What are your weaknesses and what are your strengths.
This is a laborious and emotionally difficult job, but such costs always pay off in the long run.
3. Don’t lose interest in yourself
Interest in your personal development and personal growth, in your dreams and hobbies. Basically anything that inspires you. Do not merge with others, do not turn into someone else’s “appendage”. If you know and appreciate yourself, then you will always have someone who will support you in bad days.
4. Keep doing what you are doing, but not at any cost
In the words of economist and scientist Peter Drucker, “Plans are just good intentions, as long as they don’t immediately turn into hard work.”
This is true: plans are just the beginning. If you want to achieve something, develop your talent or business, achieve career heights, or take place as an artist or a creative person in general, you will have to work hard and be consistent in what you do, not give in to difficulties.
However, there is an important “but” here: hardly any job in the world is worth sacrificing your health and relationships with loved ones for it. Don’t lose sight of the “big picture” of your life and don’t forget about yourself and your needs. Know how to stop in time – before you burn out or lose interest in everything in general.
5. Seek New Opportunities
As one of the founders of coaching, Thomas Leonard, rightly said, although sharply, “opportunities don’t knock, they whisper, so shut up and listen.”
Of course, it is important to know your goals and approximately understand what will help you achieve them. But the truth is that our world is changing rapidly, and it is extremely difficult to predict trends and changes. So, while remaining true to yourself, you need to be ready to change the path leading to the achievement of the goal more than once.
A lucky chance can turn up at any moment, so be on your guard and don’t miss it.
6. Take life easy
Yes, life is hard sometimes. Stress lies in wait for us at every turn: relationships sometimes crack, a business idea can turn into a complete failure, and a successful company can go bankrupt. But for those who walk through life lightly and look at everything with moderate optimism, it is easier to experience all this.
Learn to enjoy the simple things. Be spontaneous. Laugh more often. Fool around and at least sometimes act like a child. After all, as one professor from “Harry Potter” said, “happiness can be found even in dark times, if you remember to turn to the light.”