As the New Year approaches, it’s not uncommon for people to start thinking about all the things they ought to start or stop doing to live a healthier, more productive life and reach their fullest potential. It can easily get overwhelmed thinking about all the different facets of personal development, so kickstart your growth and start gaining momentum to reach new heights with these first four personal development to-do’s.
1. Eat Healthier
The first step in taking control of your life and maximizing your potential is getting some control over what you’re eating.Processed foods have hardly any nutrients, leaving your body in desperate need of real food to function properly. Junk food leaves you feeling sluggish and unmotivated, but nutritious foods have been proven essential to emotional, physical, and cognitive health.
Think about it; your brain needs fuel to function. You cannot stay focused, problem-solve, and deal with high-stress situations if you aren’t eating well. I know no one wants to hear a health and wellness lecture, but healthy living sets a solid foundation for achieving your goals. Take better care of yourself for the sake of your dreams and remember that health is wealth. It’s totally understandable that old habits die hard, but if you break down a larger goal like transforming your lifestyle into smaller parts, like giving up soda, it becomes much more manageable and far less overwhelming. Use supplements, like this Kratom extract for sale, to get your body the nutrients it needs as you work on making better choices consistently. Stop putting it off and start thinking healthier right now.
2. Practice Mindfulness
The term "mindfulness" refers to practices that promote awareness of the present moment. Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness has benefits such as reduced anxiety, depression, and stress, increased focus and information processing, better working memory, and improved reactive thinking.
Meditation is a great way to practice mindfulness. If you’ve never enjoyed the benefits of meditation, yoga, or other forms of mindfulness, there are things you can do right now to start learning the basics and experience the peace. Find a quiet spot and get rid of distractions. Close your eyes and take deep, relaxing breaths, listening first to the rhythm of your breathing, then focusing outward to the different sounds around you. Since you’re in a distraction-free zone, you’ll most likely be drawing your attention to various elements of white noise in the room around you. Do some flex and release of muscles around your body to help release tension, always keeping your mind on the physical world and sensations you’re experiencing.
3. Get Off the Couch (and Away from Your Desk)
In an increasingly technology-driven market, more and more people are working jobs that require a great deal of sitting and focusing, but your physical health and movement is just as critical to your brain’s function as the food you eat. Movement has nearly endless benefits, boosting endorphins and reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise can alleviate symptoms of low self-esteem and social withdrawal, and if you are trying to get out there and make a name for yourself, you’re going to have to start stepping outside your comfort zone.
According to a study published in Primary Care Companion, just thirty minutes of moderate intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, is plenty to gain these benefits. The best part is that these 30 minutes don’t even have to be consecutive; the study supports breaking up your thirty minutes into smaller chunks to fit your schedule or current health status.
4. Develop Confidence
If you start taking better care of yourself by eating better, getting moving, and practicing mindfulness, developing confidence will be a natural byproduct. You need to be committed to a positive, energetic, enthusiastic mindset and believe you can accomplish the goals you are setting for yourself. You’re guaranteed to face some ups and downs on the road to self-improvement, and you’ll need that confidence to survive the inevitable lows. Whatever you need to do to start feeling better about yourself, start doing it.
Maybe you want to repair your credit and pay off debt, or stay off your phone when you’re playing with your kids, or want to be more affectionate toward your spouse. Whatever you need to do to put a little skip in your step, make it happen. One great way to establish some swagger is to practice affirmations; look at yourself in the mirror and say things to affirm you’re capable and strong. It can be simple: “I am smart. I am strong. I am successful. I focused. I am well.” You may feel a little silly saying these things to yourself at first, but that’s a lack of confidence speaking. There are tons of benefits to practicing affirmations, so give it an honest shot before writing it off as weird and awkward.
Mental and physical health are absolutely critical to achieving your goals. Make these adjustments first; start believing in yourself and nurturing your body and mind. Once you’ve mastered these first four to-do’s, you’ll feel empowered to tackle even larger personal development goals.
