We've all made mistakes in our lives. There are things each person regrets, and there are things each person is proud of. As we continue to progress with our lives, we learn more about who we are and what we want out of life. No one's perfect. We all have room for personal growth, albeit in different ways. Here's some ways to better yourself and live a more fulfilling life:
1. Listen.
To really show someone respect, you have to listen to what they are saying. This means letting go of any preconceived notions or prejudices and sincerely giving your time and understanding to those around you. Don't listen with the intent to reply, but listen with the intent to understand. By listening and understanding what those around you have to say, you learn new things, gain new perspectives, and have new experiences. Listening to what others have to say is an art that involves putting your ego aside and putting others before yourself.
2. Don't make excuses.
Blaming others, pointing fingers, and making excuses in life will get you nowhere. We all make mistakes. It takes courage to admit them, own them, and learn from them. Excuses and lies are separated by a fine line, and an individual who constantly relies on excuses is only setting themselves up for failure. Learn to make efforts, not excuses.
3. Give what you can.
The only way we can make this world a better place is by acting with kindness in all aspects of life. Anything that goes towards helping others is never a waste. We lift ourselves by helping others rise, and a heart that gives is a heart that gathers.
4. Educate yourself.
Take the time to understand what is going on in the world around you, and let go of preconceived notions you may have that are not based in fact. Ignorance breeds hatred, distrust and frustration. It isolates humans from each other and detracts from the true essence of humanity. Education and understanding promote interconnectedness; awareness produces well-roundedness. Knowledge allows you to understand viewpoints different from your own.
5. Be yourself, love who you are.
An original is always worth more than a copy. You cannot be accepted and understood by others if you do not accept yourself. Pretending to be someone you are not will wear you out mentally and emotionally, and allow for feelings of self-loathing to harbor. Being yourself and accepting that individual allows you to add value to who you are. Trusting in that, forgiving yourself for the mistakes you have made, and loving who you are will enable you to empower yourself.
6. Be thankful.
Life isn't fair, and it's most definitely not perfect. There's always going to be people who have more than you, who you envy, who seem to have it together so much more than you. But there are always going to be people who think that about you. There is always, always, always something to be thankful for. Never forget the things you already have in light of the things that you want. Wake up every day being thankful for simply being alive. Go to sleep at night being thankful for having another night to sleep. Be thankful for friends, for family, for freedom and for everything else that you have--take nothing for granted and you will be happy.
Every day is a new beginning, an opportunity to for you to be better than the person you were yesterday.
