Flashback: 6 Things to Do to Better Yourself
Birth of Clarity #33
Welcome to the Birth of Clarity newsletter on Substack.
Before we dive into today’s flashback article, I just wanted to let you know that the Birth of Clarity website is back up and running. Please check out the latest article via the link below:
Today is a throwback to September 2020 during the first year of this newsletter’s inception - as I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been on Substack since the early days, before it was cool!
I will sporadically release these old, formerly published articles for you over the coming year.
For some of you who have been with me since the beginning, these will hopefully provide some poignant reminders of how far you and I have come since those days.
For those who are new here, I hope you enjoy these archive releases.
The article below acknowledges people’s quest for personal improvement and proposes six easy-to-implement practices to help them achieve it.
6 things to do to better yourself
1. Get Honest (with yourself & others)
I can’t stress this enough:
Get honest - with yourself and others.
Until you truly get honest you will constantly be on edge.
You will constantly be looking over your shoulder.
You will constantly be wondering when you'll get caught out.
You'll start to develop shame, guilt and self-hatred - all negative feelings that will destroy your inner peace.
You'll start to forget who you really are. You'll forget what lies you've told and to whom.
This honesty with both yourself and others will transform your life.
It'll make your goals more achievable.
It'll set you free.
So, it’s best to get honest.
2. Practice Gratitude (simple & complex)
The KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) method can be applied to all sorts of things and is a very effective tool, however, I find that for gratitude purposes it works really well.
It’s a perfect starting point if you’re feeling down or have nothing going for you.
And this simplistic approach to gratitude can then be built upon.
Here’s an example of simple gratitude:
I'm grateful that I have my legs.
I'm grateful that I have my sight.
I'm grateful that I have my hands.
I'm grateful that I have my hearing.
Whatever is applicable in your life.
These may sound super simple but if you concentrate and focus on them, they'll hopefully get you out of your negative mindset for a while.
You can then be more complex with the things you are grateful for.
I know it's not always easy to do this when you're stressed, struggling or in pain but remember, even if you can’t see it in the moment, you still have things to be grateful for.
Repeat, daily. Practising gratitude techniques can help you navigate adversity, build resilience and improve your outlook on life.
3. Build a Routine (morning, fitness & daily)
The importance of having routines cannot be underestimated, especially in the morning.
Getting your day off to a good, productive start can sometimes be the difference between having an awesome or awful day.
Figure out what is best for you. Do your research. Decide what you would like to fit into yours.
Having some structure to your days will allow you to dedicate set times to projects you’re working on - without missing the important day-to-day tasks that you need to get done.
Maybe start with something simple, such as getting up an hour earlier than normal and doing a 20-minute walk, 10-minute shower/coffee time, 10 minutes of meditation and 20 minutes of writing or reading.
Give it a try.
4. Start Writing (journal, books & other)
Some may not believe in this one but trust me when I say that writing each day has given me a better understanding of myself and my capabilities.
Whether it’s writing out my gratitude list, this newsletter, journal entries or trying to write a book, putting pen to paper - or fingers to keyboard - is such a powerful tool.
It is an underutilised skill.
Start simple. Write out how you felt your day went at the end of each day. You can elaborate on that topic as much as you want.
Give it a go.
5. Do some good deeds (daily, monthly & sporadically)
Doing good deeds is something everyone should add to their daily life, especially when it's done without seeking anything in return.
Do a good deed without anyone knowing or for self-seeking motives.
Incorporating this new aspect into your life will empower you in all other areas because the positivity it brings is something you may not have experienced before.
It doesn’t have to be big but a simple act of kindness goes a long way to restore peace and love to your heart and other people’s.
6. Find Your Tribe (camaraderie, accountability & support)
I am passionate about finding your tribe, as you may have guessed.
It’s an important part of my daily life. I highly recommend you add it to yours.
We all go through ups and downs in life, but if they can be shared with a group of like-minded people who will support you and celebrate your successes, it makes everything a lot easier and far more rewarding.
Stay in constant contact with your Tribe via phone calls, face-to-face meet-ups or messages and really embrace the camaraderie and community.
Thank you for reading “Flashback: 6 Things to Do to Better Yourself.” If anything in this article resonated with you and you’d like to ask a question or comment, please get in touch:
Check out the last post: “Essential Advice for Young Adults.”
Take care,
Birth of Clarity
If you’d like to support this newsletter, please upgrade your subscription below:
Enjoyed these reminders! Regarding No. 5, someone recently suggested to me that instead of asking our kids what they did at school, we could ask how they helped someone at school or how they were kind to someone at school. Of course, we can apply this rule to ourselves, too, and I’m trying to apply it daily (with a mixed success rate—progress and not perfection, as they say). And, regarding No. 6, I think that’s why I made a Substack: to find my tribe and build/find a supportive community. So far, so great. Thanks again for the reminders!