As you sift through endless life hacks and tips to improve yourself and your life, know that results may not become apparent immediately. Some techniques can certainly be practiced in just a few minutes per day, but a dose of realism will help you achieve long-term. Some of these will require stretching and courage on your part. Some mental reinvention may even take months, which may explain why more people don’t attempt this.
Whatever the case, you can become a better person. Plenty of it has to do with your commitment to change. So, if you’re willing, here are six changes you can make this week to enjoy your journey more and to make your life better. Let’s get started!
- Discover your purpose.
Working 12 hours per day, five days a week until you’re 70 years old, only to retire near a golf course in Arizona or Florida, is not your purpose in life. Your purpose is to discover your true calling and enjoy each step of the journey along the way.
Your purpose is what you can’t help but do day in and day out. You would do it every day anyway even if you weren’t getting paid to do it. When you discover what this pursuit is, following through will make you come alive.
To apply this concept this week: Think about the things you love to do. Consider your personal history, and ask your friends and family for their input. If you’re stuck, think about how you would spend your time if money was not an issue, which pursuits feel like they set your soul on fire, and what your perfect day would look like.
- Be grateful.
Your circumstances could be worse than they are. You may not feel like you’re rolling in the dough, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, if you make more than $25,000 annually, you earned more than 43 percent of Americans, or more than 141 million people. If you made over $50,000, you earned more than 70 percent of Americans, or roughly 230 million people. If you made over $75,000, you earned more than 84 percent of Americans, or nearly 276 million people. And if you made over $100,000, you earned more than 90 percent of Americans, or more than 295 million people.
To apply this concept this week: Make it a habit to give thanks every day for the things you’ve been taking for granted.
- Commit to change.
Nobody makes perfect choices every day. We all make choices in life that negatively affect our relationships, career, or health. Making intentional changes can have a wide range of positive effects, including helping you sleep better, increasing your energy, improving your focus at work, and lightening your mood
To apply this concept this week: Write out or make a verbal declaration of promise to yourself. For extra accountability, include one or two people who are close to you that you don’t want to let down. To keep you focused on your commitment, ask yourself, “Why does it matter?” When temptations derail you from attaining your goals, remind yourself why you set those goals in the first place—to make your life better.
- Ignite your curiosity.
Albert Einstein famously explained his genius by saying, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” Curiosity is an exceptionally advantageous attribute that most people—not just geniuses—can use to our advantage.
According to several studies, curious people connect more effectively with others and have more satisfying relationships. People are more easily attracted to and feel socially closer to others that exhibit curiosity.
People with a higher “curiosity quotient” generate more original ideas and are more inquisitive. Over time, this thinking style leads to higher levels of knowledge acquisition. Curiosity is the ultimate tool to discover simple solutions to complex issues.
To apply this concept this week: Follow through on your curious impulses. Don’t be afraid to grow and learn. Passionate curiosity will foster further growth and learning, which will lead you to become even more curious. See, there’s a bit of Einstein in you after all!
- Be more patient.
Patience is something most people need to practice more. Patience aids not only with relaxation but also with reevaluating situations when it feels as though things are spiraling out of control. This is especially true when it comes to effectively managing emotions, especially anger. Impatience hurts you far more than it hurts those around you.
Patient people are slow to anger. They receive less acclaim and attention than more charismatic people with that elusive inner drive, but they also possess large egos and short fuses. In the end, patience will win because patient people can exercise self-control. Their conduct is always rational, manageable, and steady.
To apply this concept this week: Step back in stressful situations to gain perspective. Resist the impulse to allow others to provoke you and to jump to the worst possible conclusions. Try not to stir up conflicts, and practice forgiveness.
- Soak up wisdom from others.
Time for another quote! Ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius wisely stated, “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” Smart people expand their base of knowledge besides basic academic activities. They’re constantly learning by soaking in wisdom from other people. This takes humility, as they’re recognizing that they don’t know everything.
To apply this principle this week: Take some time to view yourself as a small fish in a big pond. Seek out appointments and connections with “bigger fish”—people who are further along the path than you are. This will expose you to new things, inspire you to learn more, and maybe even help you discover a new passion.