With 10 Simple Self Improvement Goals, this post is here to help you become the best version of yourself!
Each year people gather around friends and family and decide which self improvement goals they’ll be trying out. Maybe it will be the diet that hasn’t worked for three years in a row, or maybe it will be to use the treadmill that is collecting dust in the guest room.
Whatever the new year might look like for you, this post will have some realistic yet simple self improvement goals that are perfect for anyone wanting to improve. Because, when it’s all said and done, self improvement should not leave you stressed.
What Are Personal Development Goals?
Personal development, sometimes called self improvement, is something you – or anyone – can do to become a better version of who you currently are. You will likely set goals for yourself to read this other version of yourself, and you will choose things that make you feel better in your day to day life.
That’s what personal development goals are – attempts to be better. They are attempts to become who you want to be; healthy, strong, patient, understanding, active, and so on.
Why Do Personal Development Goals Matter?
When you set personal development goals, you’re working to become better. You’re wanting to be the best version of yourself you can be, and you’re taking that one step at a time.
According to an article by Life Coach Training, setting goals can have multiple benefits for you, including: clarity, motivation, increased focus, increased productivity, and more! Not only that, but they can be a great boost in self confidence when achieved.
10 Simple Self Improvement Goals:
1. Read One Book A Month
While this self improvement goal might not seem that impressive, reading is a fundamental part of growth, even for adults. Ask any intelligent or hard working person if they read, and they’ll likely tell you yes, and often. Set a reading goal for yourself. Maybe try reading one book per month in a topic of your interest, or an area you want to grow in.
Reading often can improve your vocabulary, reduce stress, and even improve sleep! Like movies on TV, reading can allow you to escape reality for a time, and instead venture into an unknown world.
2. Journal Daily or weekly
Journaling is a powerful tool for personal development because it allows you to get a better understanding of your emotions, you can set and keep track of goals, and more.
One thing I recommend you journal are your emotions. Try to reflect on how you felt throughout the day and how you can better handle your emotions when they rise.
3. start a new hobby
Even if it’s something you aren’t great at, start a new hobby. It’s healthy to have something you can go to in your free time so you avoid pointless social media scrolling. Maybe your hobby is reading, or maybe it’s something a little more crafty such as soap making, sewing, painting, refurbishing furniture, or woodworking.
4. Make time to exercise
Staying active is so much more important than some people make it out to be! You need to stay moving, and be sure to use your body so it keeps it’s strength and mobility. It’s like letting a car sit out for months or even years, then expecting everything to work the same as it did before you stopped moving it and using it – it’s an unrealistic expectation.
5. Stop procrastinating
Yes, I’m talking to you! Stop saying “I’ll do it tomorrow” because tomorrow never comes. You will always be “too busy” if you decide to be, and you will always think something else should come first – so just do it. Do the thing you don’t want to do, so you can have less on your to-do list at the end of the day or week. Doesn’t that sound nice?
6. Practice living in the present and leave the past alone
In the Bible, Genesis 19 discusses how Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt. Why? Because she looked back. She looked back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and God turned her to salt.
Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland”.
God makes it very clear in the Bible that we should not look back, and instead we should focus on what He is doing in our lives NOW.
7. Practice gratitude Daily
How often do you let something small and silly ruin your day? While it may not feel small and silly in the moment, a lot of the things we get upset over are nothing worth a second thought. Maybe someone pulled out in front of you on your way to work – so what? Did you get hurt, are you okay, and will it keep you paying attention so you’re a safer driver? Find things to be grateful for, even when it’s hard and it seems there is no good.
While this won’t always feel possible, such as after a loss of a loved one, you can still be grateful for the moments you spent together. You can be grateful you had one more year than you could have with them. Find something to give yourself peace and joy over.
8. Try living minimal
Do you have any idea how much stress you can feel over having too much stuff? For me, my battle is with clothes. I have so many I struggle to get them all washed and put away before I need to wash again. I use two outfits a day – one for work, and one for when I get home. That’s a lot of laundry, and for someone like me who hates to do laundry, it adds a lot of stress to me. Why? Because I procrastinate (I struggle with procrastinating sometimes, too!) putting it away, and it leads to big heaps of unfolded laundry in my room.
This is something I am working on in my own life to help reduce stress and workload. I’m getting rid of A LOT of clothes and just trying to keep some basic pieces I can mix and match. Then, with less clothes, I’ll HAVE to do them, but there won’t be that much to do in the end.
9. Improve Personal Relationships
In Daring Greatly, Brené Brown says, “Connection is why we’re here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” The link to her book is an affiliate link, meaning if you purchase from it I might earn commission.
By becoming a better listener, showing empathy, and being there for someone in their time of need, you can begin to develop stronger relationships with the people around you.
10. Practice patience
Practicing patience can lead to many benefits, such as clearer thinking (which leads to better decision making), better relationships with the people around you, a less stressed mind, and more! Mindful says that when you’re in a relationship with someone, patience toward them is actually an act of kindness to them. “Patience involves emphatically assuming some personal discomfort to alleviate the suffering of those around us,” write Debra R. Comer and Leslie E. Sekerka in their 2014 study.
BONUS: 2 Self-Improvement Podcasts for Motivation
1. Arnolds Pump Club
This podcast by Arnold Schwarzenegger is a daily dose of “I can do anything I put my mind to”. I absolutely love Arnold, and he is the reason I have my blog. He inspires, motivates, and so much more. I highly recommend you check out his podcast, especially if getting healthier physically and mentally is your goal!
2. The Marie Forleo Podcast
Marie is said to be like a personal development god-mother. Her podcast has a goal to help you become the person you most want to be, similarly to my blog. While I’m new to listening to her, I like what I’ve heard so far.
Let me know in the comments what you thought, and which goal(s) you’ll be trying!
These 10 self-improvement goals look great. They are ones that almost everyone can work for and aren’t hard to accomplish either. I would say I have already done most of these but there are a few I should work on.