10 Ways to (Help You) Become a Better Person Today
In a world dominated by the self-help industry, it is no surprise that everyone wants to become a better person.
A quick scroll on TikTok or Instagram is enough for you to be showered with videos and posts on “How to become her” or “How to finally be it girl”.
If those tips always seem too out of reach and superficial, then “I’ve got what’s right for you”!
In this article you’ll learn 10 actual ways that will help you become a better person, starting today. Are you ready to dive in? Then, let’s get started!
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Guest post by Giada from PurposefulDreamers
Why Become a Better Person?
It’s innate in human nature the need to grow and evolve.
If you’re not making progress in your life – or feel like you aren’t -, then I’m sure you’re familiar with the feeling of being stuck or lost in life.
What’s the cure for it? Improving. Evolving. Growing.
That’s why so many people turn to the self-help industry: they feel the need to expand, to grow into a higher version of themselves.
But, getting better looks different for everyone. So, the first important question to ask is:
What Does It Mean to Be a Better Person?
We all have different goals, dreams, and aspirations.
Some people are career-focused, others want to create a family and give it all they have, and some others want to travel the world independently. Some want all three. And – guess what? There’s nothing wrong with that!
As we’re individuals with different needs and wants, “becoming a better person” means something different for each of us.
So, before you start your journey to a better you, you need to get that clarity.
What does it mean to become a better version of yourself? Get crystal clear on it!
Only by doing so, you’ll be able to look back – one year from now – and see how far you’ve come.
- Do you want to be a better partner?
- Are you looking for ways to improve professionally?
- Do you want to develop a more positive mindset?
- Or do you wish to be happier in life?
Define what ‘better’ means to you, and start from there.
10 Tips to Be a Better You / Person
Are you ready to discover the 10 things you can do today to start your journey towards becoming a better person? Then, let’s dive in!
1. Take responsibility for your life
Who you are now is a result of what you did in the past. It’s as simple as that.
And I know, you might be rolling your eyes right now, thinking that’s not true.
You want to blame your parents for being so screwed up, or the government for being unemployed and broke, or your ex-partner for being so insecure about yourself.
Sure, you can take the easy way and blame them.
You can keep convincing yourself it’s not your fault if you aren’t the person you aspire to be. But, is blaming external sources going to change anything?
The truth is that, while you have no control over what happens to you in life, you’re 100% in control of the way you react.
Your reaction, your answer to what happens to you is your responsibility.
It’s true: you don’t get to choose your parents, the country where you’re born, or the money your family has in their bank account – but you get to choose what to do with what you’re given.
The sooner you embrace this truth – that you’re 100% responsible for your life and what you do with it -, the sooner you’ll get on the right path towards becoming a better person.
2. Start from gratitude
The first reaction to becoming aware that your life is your responsibility is to think “My life sucks”.
It’s so easy to notice all that’s going wrong, the mistakes you made in the past, the insecurities you have, or the doubts about your uncertain future.
Our default reaction is to focus on the negative – that’s just ingrained with our primordial need for survival. Scanning the environment for possible threats is what made it possible for humans to evolve as a species, after all.
But now our life is not full of life-threatening risks anymore, so it’s necessary that we distance ourselves from this toxic negativity bias.
One of the key steps towards becoming a better person is stepping away from all that you’re lacking, only to get closer to what you already have.
Appreciate what’s already within you. Be grateful for all you have in your life already, instead of constantly wishing it to be different.
Related: Read here “500 Things to Be Grateful for in 2024”
3. Develop a growth mindset
There are two types of people in this world: those who have a fixed mindset, and those with a growth mindset.
What’s the difference? Well, it’s all about how you perceive yourself as you approach life.
People with a fixed mindset believe they cannot change. They were born with a set of talents, skills, and qualities, and that’s how they’ll be for the rest of their lives.
On the other hand, people with a growth mindset believe in change and progress. They look at their weaknesses as opportunities to improve, rather than as limits holding them back.
If there’s one thing that’s going to make you a better person is developing a growth mindset in as many areas of your life as possible (if not all).
Don’t know where to start? Read here: “37 Abundance Journal Prompts for Growth Mindset and Life”
4. Focus on 1% daily improvement
The biggest struggle you might face if you want to become a better person is that you want to do it all – and at the same time!
The most common approach is to set 10 different goals, hoping to achieve them all by the end of the month.
While the online culture promotes this idea of “overnight success”, the truth is that most of the successful stories you hear online didn’t happen overnight at all.
You’re only seeing the results of consistent, daily actions taken over a long period!
If going after this idea of “overnight success” is what made you fail at achieving your goals, you need to start focusing on 1% daily improvement.
You cannot do it all – at least, not at the same time.
If you want to grow into a better person, you need to embrace that small, consistent action is what’s gonna take you the furthest in life.
So, next time you set new goals, ask yourself:
“How can I get 1% closer to who I aspire to be?”
Real change is the result of all those small, aligned actions repeated consistently, over time.
5. Give it your 100%
The principle behind “1% daily improvement” wants to bring you closer to living your dream life.
You might be wondering if this “getting better” ever stops or if it’s destined to be an endless race…
Well, the truth is that – while it would be amazing to always be on top of it all, it’s also extremely unrealistic.
The secret to still moving forward – even on those days when it seems like you aren’t making any progress -, is to focus on giving your 100%.
Give it all you have, every single day. And yeah, your 100% will look different on a Tuesday and a Sunday afternoon. Who cares?!
As long as you give it your 100%, you can rest assured that you’re making progress! So, keep going and never give up – that’s the key!
6. Act like your “dream self”
If you struggle to make progress in your daily life, one reason for it is that you keep on acting based on who you were, not who you want to be.
To become a better person, you need to imagine your highest self and act upon it. When in doubt, you must ask yourself:
“What would my ideal self do now?”
Then, go do it!
Stop thinking about what you’re used to doing, and focus on what you want to do more of in the future.
With this mindset shift, you won’t struggle as much when trying to make positive changes in your life. Why? Because the actions you’ll take will feel in alignment with your new identity – rather than crash with your old one.
Here are some examples of how you can start acting like your dream self daily:
- Want to become more fit? → Think of yourself as a healthy person who prioritizes movement and healthy food
- Aspiring to become a blogger? → Sit down at your laptop to brainstorm ideas, do keyword research, and write articles
- Want to wake up earlier? → Create a wind-down bedtime routine and prioritize sleep over partying
Shift your identity based on where you’re going next, instead of looking back at who you used to be.
7. Keep your promises
What’s one thing that your dream self would certainly do? Keeping promises.
When you do what you said that you were going to do, you’re practicing one of the highest forms of self-love.
Not only that, but you’re also reinforcing the belief that you can indeed trust yourself.
Have you noticed how we’re all generally good at maintaining the promises we make to others, yet we fail at keeping our own?
If you manage every day to show up at work at 8 AM, why wouldn’t you show up for your side hustle – despite saying that’s what you really desire?
If you have the consistency and commitment to fulfill others’ requests and expectations, why would you not do the same with yours?
It’s time for you to:
- Wake up at the time you said you were going to wake up
- Go to the gym even if you’re tired after work
- Put in the hours working on your side hustle (even if it’s the weekend)
- Reach out to your friends more often if you want to have better friendships
- Call your mom at least once a week if you said you wanted to strengthen your bond
I know it’s tough but, if you don’t show up for yourself, who do you think will?
8. Consider starting therapy
Enough with the biases and the stigma around it! One of the proven ways to become a better person is to start therapy.
Not everyone is at a stage in life where they can afford therapy but, if you do, please don’t postpone it.
It will feel uncomfortable, but let me tell you: it’s supposed to feel uncomfortable at first!
You’re getting in touch with new parts of your identity, discovering hidden traumas, and learning about your triggers. But, you want to know what you’re also doing? You’re growing and evolving.
It’s through self-knowledge and by tapping into self-awareness that you can progress towards a better you.
Related: Read here “30 Mental Health Goals for a Peaceful Life in 2024”
9. Practice active listening
If you’ve ever had a friend that was all “me, me, me”, then you know how annoying and frustrating it is when you don’t feel heard.
In most of our interactions, we focus too much on what we’re going to answer rather than on what the other person is saying.
So, if you want to become a better person and have a tangible way people can see your improvement, you must practice active listening.
Here are some tips to become a better listener:
- Look at your interlocutor in the eyes
- Pause to reflect before responding
- Be aware of the body language
- Put away your phone when interacting with another person
- Commit to fully listening rather than thinking about your response
If you want to be heard, make sure you’re listening first.
10. Treat others the way you’d like to be treated
The final tip to becoming a better person is to start treating others the way you’d like to be treated.
It’s always so easy to notice what others are not doing for us. How many times do we stop and think about what we’re doing for them in return?
For once, instead of focusing on how others show up (or don’t) in your life, why don’t you reflect on the way you show up in their lives?
For example:
- If you want to feel loved → Give love first!
- Need to be heard? → Make sure you’re listening to what others have to say
- Seeking connection in your friendships? → First make sure you’re there for your friends when they most need you
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, you won’t become a better person overnight. Adopting these 10 strategies, though, will certainly put you on the right path.
The first step was reading this article, and – if you’ve come this far -, rest reassured that you have what it takes to become a better you! I believe in you.
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About Giada
Giada Crepaldi, the author behind “PurposefulDreamers”, has one mission: to help you become the BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF so that you can create and live your DREAM LIFE!
On her blog, she shares the most effective productivity hacks, time-management techniques, healthy habits and routines, and all the mindset work you need to do to live up to your FULL POTENTIAL. Are you ready to change your life for the better? Take now the first step towards the life you’ve ever dreamed of – it’s only one click away…
You can also find me on Instagram (@purposefuldreamers) and Pinterest (purposefuldreamers)
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