How important are you? Do you appear on your own priority list? If you are a parent, you undoubtedly consider your children to be your number one priority. If you work as a manager or owner of a business with personnel or goals to consider, you will justifiably treat work as vital. It is important to take care of your staff and clients, earn a living and be in a stimulating environment that supports you.
Family and friends are also important. They are often the reason we work so hard; to provide them with a comfortable home and lifestyle, good education and fun times together.
The big question is, where do you fit into all of this? If you went to a restaurant or consulted a specialist and saw that they were stressed, irritable and overworked, you would probably wonder why they accepted your reservation. The same applies if you are being pushed in all directions and you don’t feel able to cope. Irritability, frustration, and resentment can start to creep up. Nobody benefits.
Achieving a certain balance in life, where you recognize your boundaries and limits, allows you to be the best version of yourself. So everyone, including you, has a better experience and quality of life.
Here are 10 ways to be the best version of yourself:
– Positive practice of internal dialogue. Start noticing those ‘I’m so stupid’ automatic responses that can come so easily when you’re stressed. Yes, something you did may have been a mistake, but that doesn’t mean you’re stupid. We often speak to ourselves more harshly than to anyone else. Learn to be kinder to yourself and recognize the early warning signs of stress.
– Schedule time for things you know you do well. It is especially important in the midst of hard or difficult times to remember your skills, talents and abilities. Make time for the things you enjoy and are good at. Sport, DIY, playing an instrument, volunteering can all be ways to bring a positive mindset into your life.
– ‘Transmit’ what you have done. Household chores, chauffeur duties, errands that go unnoticed are often taken for granted. There’s no need to be harsh, but from time to time remind others that you’ve stocked cupboards with food, clean clothes, and towels don’t magically replenish. Ask for recognition for those efforts that support the smooth running of their lives.
– Smile and accept compliments and praise. Don’t shrug your shoulders in a ‘it’s nothing’ way. Acknowledge, say ‘thank you’ and let them know that good manners and appreciation are important to you.
– go at your own pace. Being the best version of yourself means being able to handle stress. Learn to recognize what you can and cannot do each day. It is no use being invincible or feeling that you have failed if you cannot do everything. It’s okay to tackle big jobs in stages.
– Let others help. If you work long hours or have a lot of demands on your time, why not hire help with cleaning, gardening, ironing, or with business tasks like PR, accounts, and social media? The time freed up can be used elsewhere and is often money well spent. Delegate tasks to staff and encourage them to flourish and become more enthusiastic about their work. Let your children help. Even if their efforts are clumsy, it’s good to encourage them to be more independent.
– ‘No’ may be the most positive word in your vocabulary when used well. Saying ‘yes’ can become a negative habit if you automatically take on too much work, social commitments, or family responsibilities. We may be eager to please others, appear efficient and successful. But saying ‘no’ properly allows you to use your time well, focus on your priorities and become the best version of yourself.
– Take care of your relationships. Our partners, families, colleagues, friends cannot be expected to be psychics, but they will often be understanding and supportive if they are told what is going on and asked for help. Let them in and you might even come up with great ideas and suggestions.
– Have regular breaks. It may seem counterintuitive to take a break from work, but regular breaks allow you to better manage stress and return to work with a fresh perspective and new insights. Being the best version of yourself means taking care of yourself and taking a break from time to time. Have a healthy snack, lots of water, and unwind for an hour or so before bed.
– Accept invitations and offers. that takes you out of your comfort zone. Freak yourself out a little every day, even if it’s just choosing a different lunch, talking to someone new, taking on a challenge. Allow your confidence and self-confidence to grow by expanding your horizons. Keep a journal and record those mini-successes to sustain you through tough times.
Becoming the best version of yourself means letting go of old, useless patterns that once worked just fine for you. And interestingly, once we become receptive to positive changes, other factors often work to motivate and sustain us.
