We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.
Oprah Winfrey
If you have been wanting to drastically change yourself, your lifestyle and the current situation, you are growing and becoming wiser. But is it easy to become a better version of yourself? And how to develop the willpower? Let’s figure out the basic ways of self-improvement and find out where to start.
Make a clear decision
If you feel that you need changes, do not delay it. If you don’t understand whether this is worth doing, then ask yourself the questions: “If I continue to live like this, what will my life be like in a year? Two? Five? Will my life suit me? What kind of people will surround me,” “ If I change my life, what will it be?”
Find yourself a goal
Sometimes we need some kind of kick, some goal, for the sake of which we will change and change the situation around us. Try to make a list of goals that you want to achieve. Does your current lifestyle give you the opportunity to reach them? If not, then something should definitely be changed.
Start cleaning
To change yourself, it is also worth changing what surrounds you, both in life and in virtual space. Start with social media feed, because what we read or observe on social networks directly affects our mood. Unsubscribe from negative and not interesting people and pages. Revise your communities. Organize and create a new feed for yourself that will motivate, educate and cheer you up.
Time for analysis
Think about your strengths and weaknesses, but rather, write them down in two columns. Analyze what you should do to change for the better. Who or what prevents you from changing? What scares you? Identify it all and decide how to change it. Remember, there is no single way, as everything is individual.
Use your time wisely
When you get a free minute, read a book, watch a movie or listen to a lecture. It’s time to train yourself and stop spending so much time on social media. Instead of seeing people that you are no longer interested in, visit a museum or exhibition. Spend time the way you want, and remember that it’s not always selfish to do it your way.
Changes never end
Remember that the self-improvement never ends. Every evening, find 5-10 minutes to analyze: how the day went, if everything from the list was completed and if you had some quality time for yourself. Plan for tomorrow. As a general rule, do not stop asking yourself questions. Write them down to understand yourself and your condition, to conclude what will be best for you.
Find a friend
It is sometimes difficult to change alone. If you wish, you can find a friend who will help, mentor and support you. You can compare your emotions and feelings, monitor changes and move towards the goal together. Also more interesting!
For those who want to develop their individuality but do not want to read.
☻ CHALLENGE YOURSELF
If you pay attention to the person whose bid has won, you can see the sparkle in his/her eyes. We do not suggest you run away and bet on the local hockey team. You can always challenge yourself. Arrange a “hell week” or risk to do a split in a month (although, we already doubt whether this idea is so good.) Come up with a reward and punishment. This excitement will help you open a second wind.
The book on this topic: “On the limit. A week without self-pity ”- Eric Larssen
☻ CHANGE ROLES
Do you know the film “Love-Carrot” where the characters exchanged bodies? To understand each other, they had to try on completely new, unusual roles. You can take an example and start acting differently. This is especially useful if you consider yourself a victim.
A book on this subject: “SUMO. Shut up and do it ”- Paul McGee
☻ LISTEN TO YOUR BIORHYTHMS
For example, the month before the birthday is most often the time of recession. And what to do in order not to expose the physical and psychological state under attack? There is only one answer: synchronize the biological and social schedule. If you understand that it is most productive in the morning, you should not try to squeeze the last juices out of yourself in the evening.
A book on this subject: “Always On Time” – Michael Breus
☻ DOWN WITH THE EXCESS
First, imagine that the hat on you is the personification of one of the obstacles. Like all the trash that accumulated in the apartment for a long time. Now is the time to get rid of this.
A book on this topic: “A Flexible Mind” – Estanislao Bachrach
☻ INTRODUCE NEW HABITS INTO YOUR LIFE
Yes, sometimes it’s difficult, and laziness often attacks, but you are not required to rush headlong into it. You can start reading daily for five minutes a day. This will be the first step toward success. And so with every habit.
A book on this topic: “Changing Habits” – M.J. Ryan
Life without purpose is life without meaning and life without meaning is life without hope.
Many of us doubt ourselves at times. Many are afraid to try something new, something different. Many feel paralyzed by the fear of failure. And, many feel like giving up. Nick Vujicic is an example of why the most important thing for a dreamer is to hang on to hope.
The Heartbreaking Early Years
Nick Vujicic was born in Australia in 1982 with the extremely rare congenital disorder, tetra-amelia syndrome. He was born without any arms or legs but with two small malformed feet. His left foot, his chicken drumstick as he refers to it, had toes that were fused together. So, early on, Vujicic underwent an operation to separate his toes so he could use them as fingers to independently perform some of his daily activities.
As Nick grew up, other kids made fun of him and bullied him. He would pray to God for arms and legs. As the abuse continued, he started to lose hope. Kids told him he could never get a job and that he would never get married. They mocked that he couldn’t even hold a wife’s hand or pick up his kids if they were crying. Nick started believing he was not good enough. He recounts that “I started believing I was a failure.” At age 8, he began thinking he would be better off dead. He felt there was no purpose in life for him. He wondered if he was just alive in order to die. The relentless bullying continued and he felt he had nothing to look forward to. Most painfully, he considered himself a burden to his parents.
At age 10, Nick tried to give up. He told his dad that he wanted to relax in the bathtub. The first two times he rolled his face over into the six inches of water he was trying to figure out how much air he held in his lungs. Before he rolled for the third and final time, he pictured his parents and brother crying at his grave. He realized then that it would be a greater burden on his parents to bury a child that had given up. This saved him in the short term.
As Vujicic continued to grow up, he was continually bullied. However, his mother was also exposing him to other people’s pain and misery stemming from their own difficult life circumstances. This helped him understand he was not alone and it was okay to not understand why this had happened to him. At age 13, he began feeling thankful for what he had rather than angry about what he didn’t. He was no longer angry that his prayers weren’t being answered.
Hope Leads to Purpose
After not finding happiness for many years and continuing to wonder WHY, Vujicic’s transition to hopefulness was sealed at age 15. He was reading a story about Jesus coming across a man who had been born blind. Jesus told the man that he had been born blind so the works of God could be revealed through him. After reading that, Vujicic thought to himself, “If you have a plan for the blind man, you do have a plan for me.” His plan was revealed by his high school janitor, Mr. Arnold. Mr. Arnold said, “Hey Nick, you’re gonna be a speaker.” Vujicic called him a crazy old man. For three months, Mr. Arnold implored Nick to share his story with a Christian group in the school. Resistant, Vujicic responded that he wasn’t going to speak to the ten people in the “Christian nerd section”. But, eventually, he did.
After that, Vujicic began speaking at high schools, churches and other gatherings. While talking at a high school, a young weeping girl put up her hand and asked to come up and hug him. She cried on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, “No one has ever told me that they love me. No one has ever told me that I am beautiful the way I am.” This was when Vujicic truly became aware of the path he was meant to take.
After graduating from college at 21, Vujicic’s purpose was further cemented after meeting a man in the last throes of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Unable to walk and unable to talk, the man used a laser attached to his head to type and sent out motivational messages to hundreds of people on the internet. Vudijic could walk. Vujicic could talk. He thought that if this man can reach hundreds of people without being able to walk or talk, what could I do?
Vujicic has gone on to become a well-known motivational writer and speaker. In addition to his many books, Vujicic has spoken in seventy-three countries, reaching over 730 million people of all creeds and races. He is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit organization Life Without Limbs and founder of the inspirational company Attitude is Altitude. Vucijic is also happily married and the Father to four children. His wife is his greatest champion.
Nick with his wife Kanae Miyahara
Helpful Thoughts
Like us all, Vujicic has bad days and good. He gets scared. He cries. He wishes he was a better husband. Vujicic has accepted that some things are out of our control and cannot be changed, but he keeps a regular pair of shoes in his closet, just in case. Lufian has compiled a few thoughts from Vujicic which we hope will help you on your own journey:
Your greatest disability is your own mind. Believe in yourself and not in what others say about you. Do not listen to others’ lies as they will take root and become invasive in your mind. Make the choice to believe in yourself.
Persevere toward your purpose. You go through storms in your life and you don’t know how long those storms are going to last. Even when you can’t see it and don’t know what it is, your purpose is still coming. Every time you fail, learn something new and press forward. Make each day count no matter how many times you fall.
Make the choice to get up, not give up. “Once you give up, there is no hope.” Let go of any anger as it will keep you down. You can’t take your next step until you get back up. No matter how many times you fail, as long as you choose to try again, there is always a chance, there is still hope.
Nick Vujicic with his wife and four kids
Find Your Strength
Vujicic found his strength in Jesus Christ but believes that we are going to find our own strength wherever we happen to find it, as long as we don’t give up hope. Lufian believes that a life with hope leads to a life with purpose which leads to a life of meaning. Hope is the soil in which dreams are sown and the nourishment by which they are realized. Never give up hope!
You can learn more about Nick Vujicic and his inspirational message by reading some of his many books or visiting his websites.
Throughout history, women showed courage, intellect, and strength that is worth admiring. Human history was cruel to women at times, but they never stopped proving that everything is possible. We made a list of the most outstanding women of all times who engraved their names in the history of mankind forever.
Try a new recipe twice a week. Impress your loved ones!
Drawing
Take a sheet of paper with a pencil and draw. It doesn’t have to be perfect and might seem hard in the beginning, but sometimes the best thing you can do is start and enjoy the process.
Sports
It’s time to diversify your activities and try something you always had in mind. Maybe it’s basketball, karate, yoga or chess.
Hand lettering or calligraphy
Always wanted to find that special channel of creativity? Then this hobby is definitely for you! It’s not necessary to immediately buy sophisticated tools; try first-hand materials.
Board games
Playing a new board game with a group of friends over the weekend sounds like fun? If it does, you should try a new board/card game that will challenge you. Maybe this one will become your favorite?
Blogging
Have you been keeping your thoughts in a diary? Maybe there’s something worth sharing with others? You can always share your ideas, stories, and photography on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, and other platforms. And who knows, maybe soon you will become a popular blogger with a large audience?
New language
Want to travel to Paris, Barcelona and feel like a fish in water? French, Spanish or even Chinese… muscle your brain and learn new cultures!
Movie theater
Do you like to watch good movies? Why not make a hobby out of this and become a movie fan? Your TV and laptop screens can’t cover those emotions that you get from watching a movie on a big screen with an excellent sound in the movie theater.
Do not forget to set goals and deadlines to bring your new activities into your life!
1. Formulate the exact goal that you want to achieve. For best results, write it down in your diary or planner and review it each time to motivate yourself to work.
2. In order for you to make it clear and realistic, divide the general goal into several stages or subgoals that you will be following step by step.
3. Watch more interviews of successful people, follow their projects and get inspired by their productivity. Very often when you take it seriously and learn the history of their success, you get charged with motivation to work.
4. In order to fight the obstacles, you need to follow the subgoals and work on them daily. Soon it will become your favorite habit. Avoid feeding your brain with drama movies, negative news and surround yourself with smarter and successful people.
5. Be sure to set a timeline for the general goal as well as for the subgoals to make your dream come true. The deadline stimulates the growth of productivity for absolutely any person. There are chances to approach your goal if you are specific in your moves and consistent with meeting deadlines.
6. Do not chase the target. Usually, those who spend every minute working without proper rest, burn out in the last stages.
7. Despite the fact that failures will always be on the way to your goal, do not stop. If you don’t want to start working on achieving your goal all over again, you need to follow the simple rule of consistency and meeting deadlines.
8. Look after your health and start new healthy habits like a regular walk in the fresh air, more movements throughout a day, cosmetic procedures and eating right. Forming habits like these, we shape our lives and our attitude to everything around us.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
A popular book about personality development. This book is not so much about business, but about how to consciously approach your life, building it step by step, achieving your goals.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
The book is for those people who need motivation for action. Each chapter tells inspirational stories and working formulas for success. After reading, you get a wild charge of ambition and a desire to move forward.
The Answer by Allan Pease and Barbara Pease
The authors teach readers to believe in themselves and not listen to anyone but themselves. The book helps to correctly set goals and not be afraid to change them. Everything that happens in our lives is the result of our thinking and environment.
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy
The book provides information that is surprising at first glance, which allows you to look deeper into the world. The text is filled with positive ideas, goodness and faith in success. It inspires and truly motivates you to control your thoughts and direct them in the right direction.
I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It By Barbara Sher
The book contains answers to questions that concern many: why should we engage in unloved business and live life aimlessly, how to reveal our abilities and talents which prevents us from realizing and achieving success. It’s recommended to all those who want to understand themselves, striving to become better and find their calling.
