Happy Self-Improvement Month! Self-Improvement Month takes place every September. Generally, everyone wants to improve themselves in some way, shape, or form and this month presents itself as the perfect opportunity to do so. One of the best aspects of self-improvement is that it can be uniquely tailored to fit your needs. In other words, it can take on different forms and have distinct meanings for each person!
From a young age, we are taught to do well in our schoolwork and extracurricular activities. As we get older, these responsibilities shift to a larger scale- from paying bills to raising children. It can often seem like you prioritize your responsibilities over your own mental and physical well-being. It is important to know that, regardless of your age or obligations, self-improvement and personal development should never be paused.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with psychotherapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, and couples with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, and life transitions. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and telehealth (video/phone) sessions to residents of New Jersey and New York.
To improve, you must prioritize your life. Understandably, this can be difficult, especially when you are balancing family, work, friends, and other life responsibilities; however, it is always possible with dedication. By improving yourself, you can strengthen your mental health and amplify your strengths. Additionally, self-improvement moves beyond yourself and can even have the ability to help heal relationships.
It can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what you want to improve on since it does require self-reflection. It can be convenient to attempt to forget our flaws or refuse to notice them, but those tendencies do not produce change. If you truly want to improve yourself, you cannot run away from your weaknesses. Instead, you must face them head-on.
While this can seem like an overwhelming task at first, you can take it slowly and begin to simply become more self-aware.
So, how do you become more self-aware? You can try to:
Meditate
Write down life goals and priorities
Ask for feedback from mentors/bosses
Ask credible friends and peers for comments
Take psychometric tests (e.g. Myers Briggs and Predictive Index)
Talk to a licensed mental health counselor
When you have a better comprehension of yourself, you can begin to separate yourself from external distractions. That is to say, you can experience your uniqueness and feel empowered to make positive life changes. You can add to areas of strength and develop your weaknesses.
Self-improvement should never stop. If you want to learn about specific ways to improve yourself during this Self-Improvement Month, keep reading!
Find a Mentor
No matter what field or profession you are in, mentors are extremely helpful. Mentors can inspire you and have a direct impact on your personal and professional progress. By outlining aspirations and providing feedback, a mentor can assist you. Also, mentors are a great source for listening. When you have an innovative idea, your mentor can be a resource to gently guide you and give you suggestions. They can offer neutral advice given their related knowledge and experience.
A crucial component of a mentor-mentee relationship is reliance. Your mentor should be an ally for you. You should not be afraid to confide in them and you should be able to trust that you are receiving correct and sincere guidance. By regularly communicating, you both can help build trust.
Some benefits of having a mentor include:
Increasing your network
Improving your leadership skills
Enhancing your communication skills
Elevating your confidence
Pinpointing and achieving your professional goals
Fill in gaps in your knowledge
Being encouraged to improve yourself
2. Invest in Self-Improvement Books
While some self-help books tend to get a bad reputation, they can truly be helpful for whatever experience you are going through.
Self-improvement books can discuss:
Healthy Habits
Divorce
Building stronger relationships
Boosting productivity
Becoming successful
Discovering happiness
And much more!
When you are investing in self-improvement books, it is essential to be intentional. Self-help books are excellent ways to teach us new life skills. From being more assertive to effectively solving your problems, these books can be amazing resources. You need to ensure that you are picking a book that fits the skills that you are trying to improve.
After you pick a book, make sure that you are actively engaging with the text as you read. Merely reading the book is not enough. Instead, you can try to take notes as you read, highlight, and/or bookmark pages that you think may be helpful for you in the future. By becoming involved with the text, you are practicing critical thinking which can eventually allow you to make major positive changes in your life.
3. Create a Vision Board
When you are envisioning the best version of yourself, you must be specific. Therefore, a vision board is a perfect solution! A vision board can give you an exact idea of who you want to be and what you want your life to look like. It can help put things into perspective by allowing you to see your current self, your future self, and the steps you need to take to achieve your dreams.
Benefits of having a vision board include:
Enhancing your motivation
Releasing stress by showcasing your creativity
Clearly outlining your goals
Assessing your path
Overcoming personal limitations
Summarizing your thoughts
Regularly reminding you of your desires
The best thing about a vision board is that you can keep it for months to come or until your dreams are achieved. After the goals on the board have been reached, you can always make another board with updated aspirations.
4. Learn a New Skill
Learning new skills can be a fulfilling experience both personally and professionally. Whether it is learning a new language, taking up a sport, or getting better at organizing, learning new skills can invigorate you and enhance your self-image. Not only can learning skills help you achieve your goals, but they can also enhance your confidence and motivation.
This type of learning keeps both your mind and your body engaged. It allows you to receive new information and better understand the world around you. By consistently learning new skills, you expand your adaptability. Even your willingness to learn new skills is crucial to your confidence levels and growth mindset.
Overall, self-improvement is a never-ending process. While it can be difficult at times, it is certainly worth the obstacles. We hope that you use this September as an opportunity to practice self-care and enhance your life!
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is currently an undergraduate student at the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark, looking to study Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the graduate level. As a Social Media Manager at Anchor Therapy, Victoria is committed to producing content for and managing the office’s social media presence and blog.
