Many psychologists consider the process of self-improvement as the goal and basis of an individual’s life. This is due to the fact that a person has to work on himself throughout his life. Let's take a closer look at where to start self-improvement, what network of ways and methods for implementing the process and technique. Do you need a plan or program for self-improvement?
Self-improvement where to start
The need for self-improvement, to realize one’s potential, serves as the main motivating factor for starting to work on oneself. By and large, this process occurs automatically as one grows older and develops a personality. First, in kindergarten, we are taught basic rules of behavior and basic knowledge and skills are laid. Then we improve them at school, university or vocational school. Having started work, we master new techniques and technologies related to our specialization. In addition, we are constantly in society, therefore we acquire skills in communicating with people, influencing them, manipulating, learning to resolve conflict situations, etc. That is, every day the process of development “automatically” occurs. The ability to self-improvement is determined by environmental conditions. Of course, if we assume that a person performs the same actions day after day, then the development process stops. But it is probably impossible to create such conditions; one way or another, we are faced with something new every day. Even the flow of information from outside is the engine of progress. But all this is uncontrolled, natural self-improvement. Is it possible to set a vector while working on yourself? Self-development and self-improvement where to start? First of all, it is important to determine your goals, that is, the result you want to achieve: become a professional in your field, learn to draw, speak in front of a large audience, etc. To achieve the goals, you can use various methods, techniques, methods.
Stages
- Self-knowledge. A person must have a clear idea of his own life priorities and ideals that force him to move forward.
- Setting goals. They can be long-term or short-term, but must be flexible and not contradictory.
- Achievement options. Self-improvement is a rather personal process. Articles for self-development will not give precise advice on how to obtain the desired result. You can look for the answer in smart books, rely on fate, or sit down and think carefully about how to get what you want.
- Actions. Dreams will remain so if you don’t put effort into them. By taking just one step, you are already closer to what you want.
Ways of self-improvement
The path to personal self-improvement goes through three main processes: • self-knowledge; • self-development; • self-realization. Each of them is a stage that smoothly passes into the next.
That is, as we see, it all starts with self-knowledge - studying yourself, your positive and negative qualities, strengths and weaknesses. In addition, it is important to analyze your abilities and talents, which may not be realized to any extent at the moment. The conclusions obtained will be required to form the process of self-development, develop a plan and algorithm for further actions in working on oneself. First of all, it is necessary to eradicate the shortcomings that prevent the development of positive qualities and new skills. To achieve your goals, you will need to create a specialized step-by-step algorithm of actions. At the third stage, self-realization becomes an essential factor in self-improvement. You finally realize your capabilities, which need to be put into practice and brought to life. But without going through the previous two stages, the process of realizing your potential is not possible.
Recommendations for men
For dessert, I have prepared for you gender-specific recommendations for self-improvement. They will help highlight your strengths and achieve harmony. Let's start with men's.
Develop physically
Strength training and cardio are a must. They can be diluted with gaming and extreme sports, sports tourism, yoga. If you haven't done any of this before, start gradually.
Learn martial arts
I highlighted martial arts as a separate item, since this is training not so much for the body as for the spirit. They develop courage, patience, endurance - qualities so necessary for men.
Train your masculine character
In addition to the three listed, there are at least a dozen more truly masculine character traits. Diplomacy, endurance, ability to take responsibility, dedication and others. Think about which of these are lame in you, and focus on them.
Learn to make decisions
Every day a man has to make many important decisions. The fate of other people, for example, a wife and children, depends on some of them. If situations of serious choice put you at a dead end, you need to learn to make decisions. Otherwise, one day you will hear an offensive “not a man” addressed to you.
Ways of personal self-improvement
In the process of working on yourself, you can choose those methods of self-improvement that are more accessible and, most importantly, suitable for realizing your goals. One of the most effective for most tasks is reading as a way of self-improvement. The main share of all acquired knowledge comes from this source of information acquisition. Regardless of what is your priority in the near future, reading will allow you to gain knowledge that you can put into practice in the future.
There are other ways of self-development and self-improvement: • studying or improving already acquired knowledge of a foreign language (on your own, with a tutor, seminars, courses, webinars, etc.); • travel is a source of new knowledge, impressions, positive emotions; • self-education - accustom yourself to a correct and healthy lifestyle, to a rational and balanced diet, to a harmonious rhythm of wakefulness and rest; • eliminating bad habits and “parasite activities”, eradicating laziness and procrastination; • playing sports is a good way to throw out negative emotions and maintain health; sports are a possible source of self-improvement for every person; • visualization of your goals and dreams. Choose methods that are suitable for you, include them in an individual program of self-improvement and development.
Find a role model
A well-known wisdom says: do not make yourself an idol. And that's good advice.
However, it is useful to have guidelines. Read biographies of famous personalities or their advice. Try to learn something from your favorite artist/scientist/politician/blogger.
Or you can simply spy on the style and makeup of some celebrity similar to you.
It is important here not to indulge in empty imitation. Remember that you are also an individual.
On the subject: Monica Bellucci Quotes: 57 Lessons of Women's Wisdom →
Self-improvement methods
Methods of personal self-improvement are: • various areas of self-development; • spiritual practices; • well-developed methods of influence, including hypnosis, self-hypnosis, etc.; • processes of self-analysis; • planning; • self-control; • self-education. Which methods to use is a choice for each individual. You can use already proven methods or develop your own, depending on the direction of improvement and your priorities. The main thing is not to make a mistake in selecting tools, so that the work process does not turn into a boring routine, delaying the results. You should not use meditation if you do not believe in it or do not know how to perform it correctly.
The best option is to combine several methods, such as planning and self-control, spiritual practices and self-education. It is possible that in order to achieve each specific goal, you will need to apply individual methods of self-improvement and develop specific strategies.
Conclusion
It is impossible to develop, focusing only on action, without receiving a response in the inner world. This quickly leads to psychological burnout. You can't get very far with self-control.
Business, occupation, work should complement the picture of the inner world, improve self-esteem, and help improve. Realizing this, many see a mistake in choosing a profession. But don't despair. It's never too late to develop.
Self-improvement strategies
Self-improvement strategies are divided into types: • standard; • copyright. Standard strategies include clearly defined norms, tasks, exercises, and techniques. The algorithm of actions is already predetermined and planned, which simplifies its application. This is due to the fact that the theoretical and practical parts have already been tested, errors and possible consequences have been identified. Take it and act! The author's methods are unique and cause a lot of disagreement among both specialists and users. But they are worked out for each person individually. The choice of strategy is determined by a number of factors: • the set objectives of the chosen direction of development (for example, for losing weight, a strategy of physical self-improvement is suitable, for career implementation - professional, for affirming philosophical beliefs - spiritual development); • the result of self-analysis, that is, identified positive and negative qualities, priorities, areas of self-improvement, etc. • studying the types of strategies to consider the possibility of adapting them to your needs; • opportunities for self-control and tracking the results of the work done. When choosing the right option, you can make adjustments according to your resources, needs and desires. Some people need training 5-6 times a week for several hours, while others need 2-3 sessions. Do not forget about self-education as the main form of self-improvement.
Advice from experts: the path to self-development
People who are engaged in self-development have subordinated their lives to a specific idea, which they intensively carry out through practice, there is no time to get bored, waste time on comparison, envy.
They do not suppress their own consciousness. They are busy and enthusiastic. Perhaps the high level of stress slows down their development a little. But it's not a problem. The situation will change, you just need to put your life in order. Personal self-development techniques in psychology concern changes in physical, emotional and mental state.
Enough time to sleep
Reducing the amount of sleep below the required 6-7 hours is not worth it, because this is a path to stress due to increased cortisol levels. You need to optimize your regime: go to bed no later than 23:00. The production of growth hormone will help concentration and memory.
Favorite morning
In the morning, a rested nervous system is ready to perceive information. It is believed that this is the best time for memorization. Use it before stress builds up. Important decisions come in the morning.
Love healthy rituals: water with lemon, healthy breakfast. Walk to work while listening to audiobooks. Keeping your brain healthy is important.
Setting priorities
“I don’t have time” is a desire to please someone, but not yourself. Give priority to what will provide a foundation for the future - the implementation of the idea. Move towards your goal, and don’t sacrifice for the sake of one-day benefits and worries. They're not going anywhere.
Positive thoughts
Submit to events, count lessons? No, it is better to benefit from what is happening. No to humility, but to possibilities. Replace the question “For what?” with the question “For what?”. Analyze, ask questions, set goals. This is an example of the thinking and behavior of a person striving to become a better person.
Smile
A forced smile is only beautiful in appearance. Forcing yourself to smile all the time will not work. Therefore, you need to listen to yourself, notice not only the bad, but also the good. There are plenty of such feelings. This is a warm shower after a walk in the cold season, a cup of your favorite tea, an unexpected idea. Notice the pleasant things, watch nature, people on the street. Smile at the beautiful.
Design
There is no limit to perfection. The self-development project includes the steps necessary for self-realization. Supplement or change them as you achieve your goals.
Self-improvement techniques
Having decided on the methods and strategy for self-improvement, all that remains is to select the appropriate techniques: • mnemonics – aimed at developing memory and accompanying thought processes;
• visualization of the past – to eliminate blocks, fears, mistakes that interfere with the implementation of assigned tasks; • neurolinguistic programming (NLP) - independently agree with yourself to carry out some activities, even if not very pleasant ones, in order to overcome some negative qualities, for example, laziness;
• neurobics – the use of special exercises for the brain;
• art therapy – drawing with the aim of reflecting and destroying negativity, in some cases, mental healing;
• coaching – achieving set goals under the guidance of a “coach”;
• Hellinger constellations – a method for solving problems that arise in various areas of life;
• Socionics – the study of personality types and the relationships between them.
Again, a certain technique is suitable for everyone, which will help speed up the process and completion of tasks to unlock your own potential.
Develop your body
Do some strength exercises daily
At the gym, don't spend all your time on the treadmill or elliptical machine. Do strength exercises too. With dumbbells, barbell or body weight. Start with regular squats.
Replace unhealthy foods with your favorite fruits and vegetables
Well, yes, it sounds boring. And again blah blah blah... But this advice does not lose its relevance. With food we can harm or benefit the body. Instead of a bag of chips, eat a fruit or vegetable that you like. Should there be such things?
Try group classes
A cheerful instructor and like-minded people are often a great motivator for classes. Invite a friend to practice with you. Perhaps you both need some friendly kicks to get to workouts regularly.
Drink water
Still, nothing quenches thirst as perfectly as water. Don't stop drinking when you feel thirsty. Carry water with you so as not to buy at exorbitant prices and not be tempted by sweet sodas.
Self-improvement tasks
We found out what is necessary for self-improvement: • defining goals in accordance with priorities; • choosing a strategy in accordance with the direction of self-improvement; • applying suitable methods and techniques to work on yourself. All this together should be aimed at completing tasks that contribute to the acquisition of new knowledge and the development of skills: • read every day, a certain period of time or a planned amount of text; • visit museums, galleries, theaters, exhibitions; • take part in thematic discussions in groups, forums, seminars, etc.; • analyze the past every day, draw conclusions and let go of accumulated negativity; • watch your speech, try to construct sentences correctly, do not use filler words; • refrain from making critical statements about others; • try to always think positively; • get rid of the old, update your wardrobe, make repairs or simply rearrange; • master new technologies, not only in the IT field, but also in everyday life; • move more, play sports; • expand your horizons. Even by changing the trajectory of your journey home today, you have laid the foundation for a new neural connection in the brain, remember this.
What prevents a person from changing his life?
It is always easier to find those to blame for your own failures and failures. When a person is accompanied by troubles everywhere, he attracts negativity to himself like a magnet, which means the root of the problem is in himself. The inability or unwillingness to recognize this truth often leads to degradation. He becomes nervous, dissatisfied, aggressive, and hot-tempered. Marriages break up, friends are lost, people are fired from their jobs. A person closes himself within four walls and withdraws into himself. He's depressed. Life went downhill. And it’s all to blame for his reluctance to look the problem in the eye and look for the cause of his problems in himself.
Fear of change
There is another reason why it is difficult to change your life. This is fear. Fear of the unknown. “I’m tired of work, the boss bothered me, and they pay me pennies. There is no more strength to live like this!” The way out of this situation is obvious - quit your job and find something more worthwhile. But these “pennies” are much more than pennies for a person. For him, this is stability, this is a guarantee that tomorrow will not be worse than today. And if a person leaves his job, he does not know what awaits him next, how quickly he will find a new source of income, and whether he will find it at all. This fear drives him and does not allow him to decide to take a serious step. And he continues to work, counting the days until his next paycheck and patiently listening to the boss’s complaints and accusations. But if he did decide and overcome his fear, he would soon find many alternative options, one better than the other. And this is a fact, because everything that is done is for the better.
Environment
You need to understand that a person is what surrounds him. The environment plays a significant role in shaping the personality of every person. The company in which he spends most of his time determines his set of qualities, worldview, system of life values, outlook on life and priorities. If in a company (colleagues, friends, family) it is common to drink, smoke, and swear, then it is unlikely that a person will be able to improve himself in an atmosphere where no one will understand or support him. There are two options: either a person leaves everything as it is, or starts life from scratch. Not everyone can break with their past life, abandon old “friends” in order to start living the way they want.
How to change yourself for the better when there are so many obstacles on the way? Everything is very simple - you only need a great desire and willpower.
Individual program of self-improvement and development
How the process of working on oneself should ultimately occur is fully reflected in the self-improvement program. It includes the following stages of self-improvement: 1. The first stage of self-improvement is the definition of the ideal self, that is, the definition of what you are striving for, what you want to achieve. 2. The second stage is the “I-today” analysis. This process involves an objective assessment of the real self, with all its positive and negative aspects. 3. The third stage is determining directions for self-improvement. 4. Based on the previous three points, plan a step-by-step algorithm of actions, taking into account your resources and capabilities. 5. Move from theory to practice - start implementing all the actions today! 6. Get rid of a toxic environment, look for those who will support your endeavors. 7. Record results, analyze successes and failures. Don’t try to imitate someone or completely repeat someone’s success, strategy, methodology, become an example for those who are just embarking on the path of self-improvement.
Master meditation
This advice has not been mentioned anywhere before and, probably, many people are tired of it. However, it really works.
Meditation is, in a narrow sense, the same thing as concentration. This practice improves your ability to be in the present, increases mindfulness, and relieves stress. The person becomes calmer and more positive. And therefore it becomes easier to develop yourself.
A simple example of meditation:
- Lie on your back and relax all your muscles.
- Close eyes.
- Focus completely on your breathing for 10 minutes.
Even washing dishes can be turned into meditation.
Self Improvement Plan
When creating step-by-step instructions, take into account a number of important nuances: 1. Planning work on self-improvement must necessarily take place in accordance with the chosen areas of development. 2. The algorithm of actions should reflect both short-term and long-term goals, the former will become an incentive for the latter. 3. When drawing up a plan, take into account the deadlines and mark the results of self-improvement. 4. Develop a project based on your capabilities and resources. For example, if you cannot afford to go to the gym and work out individually with a trainer, this can be done at home by choosing a suitable video on the Internet or using applications that outline training programs. 5. Calculate your strength; the degree of activity is not always the same. 6. Follow all the points of the plan, trying not to miss planned activities. 7. Pay special attention to daily rituals aimed at developing self-discipline, self-control and self-education. 8. Include different techniques and methods of improvement in your plan.
Our whole life is a process of working on ourselves, our own development and improvement. We can let everything take its course, or we can set the right direction for our activities and achieve success in all significant areas of life, and therefore become happy, live in harmony with ourselves and with the world around us. There is no limit to self-improvement!
Basic mental processes
Development is a change in a person’s inner world under the influence of external factors and one’s own actions, purposeful activity to achieve a result. This is a conscious work that requires quantitative and qualitative changes. Self-development, according to psychology, is development that occurs due to the high activity of the person himself.
From an early age, parents guide their children through training and education. Under the influence of external and internal factors, personality is formed, intellectual, moral, and physical qualities appear.
Development takes place in different ways. Some move from class to class, then go to university because “it’s necessary,” and go to work in their specialty. Others try themselves in different fields, change directions, and look for something new.
Where does the activity come from? From the interaction between man and the outside world. The mediator is human cognition and its basic mental processes:
- sensation is what life begins with, the influence of warm, cold, hard and soft;
- perception – comparison of the characteristics of objects to create a complete picture;
- thinking is the process of establishing connections between objects or their characteristics, as well as analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization and abstraction, obtaining new knowledge about the world;
- imagination is the transformation of knowledge about objects of the external world, ways of interacting with them;
- memory is the process of accumulating knowledge about the surrounding reality, one’s own experiences, thoughts and conclusions regarding objects and processes;
- attention is the selective direction of consciousness towards solving a problem.
Most people are endowed with the same sense organs, but other mental processes are a reflection or processing of information received at the sensation stage.
Perception is selective. Depends on the strength of the stimulus, interest, experience and focus. Thinking is aimed at solving a problem, and the problem comes out of a problem or problematic situation, one that forces you to look for a non-standard solution. Imagination is the process of creating images that reflect reality and its processes - experience. Ability directly depends on experience. Memory is the selection and recording of significant information, which is mediated by emotion, interest, and purpose. Attention is associated with feelings, interests, experiences.
Why is a person given all these abilities? For survival. The ability of an individual to adapt to new circumstances depends on its development. The need for adaptation is one of the mechanisms of personal development and growth in psychology. Her breakdown is the same crisis of self-development.
