What Makes You The Best You?
Jackie Goldhar
Oh, to be your “best self.” We all want to be at our best, however we define that for ourselves, but it’s easier said than done. After all, life is busy! So many of us work a full-time job, juggle a busy family, play sports, and maybe even have a side hustle or two. It’s easy to get caught up in how busy we all are. With life going by at a mile a minute, it’s also easy to put yourself on the back-burner. If you don’t focus on yourself, you’ll never be at your best. How do you ensure that you’re on the top of your game, ready to tackle each day, head on? You have to work for it! Here’s 7 simple habits that will allow your best self to shine through
1. Get Enough Sleep
There was a reason that your parents made you go to bed early when you were a kid. You’ll never be at your best if you’re sleep-deprived. When you’re well-rested, you’ll be more productive, make better choices throughout the day, and ultimately, your body works better. Your brain needs the time to shut down and recharge its batteries. Try going to bed an hour or two earlier. It may seem like you’re losing precious time out of your day, but it will help in the long run.
2. Find a balance between work, social, and alone time
While the amount of time a person needs to spend alone versus with friends and family differs, aim to find that balance. Spending time with loved ones will bring you happiness and excitement, which translates into other areas of your life. Just make sure not to over-do it. Everyone needs “me” time once in a while, too
3. Spend time outside
A few minutes outside each day will do your mind and body wonders. Even if you’re not a fan of the snow, or if you hate the humidity, there’s aspects of each season to enjoy. We’re so fortunate to experience all 4 seasons in Canada, so if you try to find the positive in each one, you’ll feel better!
4. Regularly perform acts of kindness
It’s amazing how big of an impact a small gesture can have one someone’s day. You could surprise your co-workers with treats during a stressful week, buy a stranger a coffee, or donate some old clothing to a local shelter. It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to perform acts of kindness, and by doing so, you’ll not only make someone else’s day, but it will make you feel good, too.
5. Celebrate your wins, don’t dwell on failures
I think it’s safe to say, there’s a lot of us out there, always striving for perfection. The reality is, no one is perfect! I know it can be easy to drive yourself crazy about where you went wrong, or why you don’t have what someone else has, but what good does that do? Instead, shift your mindset and focus on the positive. Reward yourself for your wins! As sad as is it, society isn’t going to reward you for every little thing you do well, so celebrate yourself, girl!
I’ll be honest, this is an area that I struggle with, but I’m working on it. So often, I get bogged down by my shortcomings, primarily because I compare myself to others. Do you do that too? One of the ways to change this behaviour is to actually make note of your wins and accomplishments…and then you can be proud of them! A shift in thinking will not only change how you feel about yourself, but also, the type of energy that you give off to others.
6. Be more confident
I know, confidence isn’t a switch that you can turn on and off, but like so many things in life, you need to make an effort to change your habits. Even if you don’t feel confident…fake it! Try to compliment yourself, and don’t worry so much about what other people think. This takes a lot of practice, but give it a try and see how you feel.
7. Surround yourself with positive people
No matter who you spend time with, you’ll pick up certain habits and traits from each other. If you spend a lot of time with people who are negative, complain all of the time, but refuse to change anything in their lives…the odds are, you’ll find yourself being negative with them. On the flip side, positivity will rub off on you, too!
Ultimately, you need to make a conscious effort to be at your best, whatever that means to you. You’re responsible for yourself, so you should always strive to be the best you can be.
