10 Things You Should Do That Will Make You A Better Person
There are certain things in life that we all aspire to have in our life: we all want success, love, happiness and prosperity. We all want to do things better, improve ourselves a little more and consequently become a better person. However, nobody is perfect, and we will never be, but that does not mean we should give up on improving ourselves. So, here are 10 things to help you along the way of becoming the best possible you you can be.
1. Stay true to yourself
The first step to being a better person is to stay true to yourself. Admit what is good and what is bad about yourself and take it from there. To improve yourself as a person you need to be truly aware of who you are and who you are not and focus on the positives while working on the negatives.
2. Forgive and let go of anger
Learning to forgive, letting go of pain, anger, resentment, bitterness and all the other emotions that keep us down and tear us apart is not easy. If this is something you are struggling with you should think about the fact that all you have is this present moment: this breath, this heartbeat, this opportunity to grow and improve. This is a moment you will never get back again, and since you don’t know ow long you will live, do you really want to waste precious moments feeling negative feelings? Be present and let go, this will make you a better person.
3. Accept responsibility
Good or bad you are always responsible for the consequences of your actions. We all make mistakes, so no one expects you to be perfect and always do the right thing. However, when you’re in the wrong, admit it and apologize for your mistakes, you’ll be a better person for it.
4. Do random acts of kindness
Doing random acts of kindness can impact more people than you can imagine. Offering your seat on the bus to an elderly passenger, opening the door for someone else, paying for someone else’s coffee are only a few examples of little acts of kindness that can mean a great deal to others.
5. Be willing to learn by admitting ignorance
Very few people seem comfortable admitting that they don’t know something. They probably feel that admitting ignorance about anything will make them seem stupid, so instead they pretend to have some knowledge on the matter and go with the flow of the discussion. This can quickly become more and more of an issue, when people pretend to know something they don’t. The universe if full of things we don’t know anything about, but the only way to grow and change is by opening ourselves to opportunities to learn.
6. Have respect for others and yourself
Being respectful of others’ time, ideas, thoughts, lifestyles, work, feelings and everything else is incredibly important. You don’t have to agree with anything, but people have a right to their opinions and yours is not always correct. At the same time, you should respect yourself and your opinions too. You are amazing and you should own up to it.
7. Set goals for yourself
The best people to be around are those that work hard and set goals for themselves. They are the people that put the extra hours in, who do the work without praise, take the opportunities that present themselves to them and who are often the people who volunteer when needed.
8. Smile at strangers
It’s hard to do when you are in a hurry or in a bad mood, but smiling at strangers, especially in the morning, makes the day brighter for everyone, including you. Smiling is contagious, so be the first to spread some happiness in the air.
9. Step out of your comfort zone
This can mean many things, you can immerse yourself in a subject you don’t know much about, or that makes you slightly uncomfortable, learn a new language, go to a place you have never been before, try new food, etc. Every experience helps us grow as an individual, and even if you didn’t quite like whatever you tried at least your opinion comes from a place of experience and awareness, rather then just judgemental aversion.
10. Act locally
It might not seem like a big deal, but recycling (or even making eco bricks), supporting a local cause, buying from local farmers’ markets and businesses, donating old clothes are all simple ways to help your area. You might not be able to singlehandedly save the world but you can make a difference in your town or neighbourhood at the very least.
