Five Simple Ways for Self-Improvement to Change Your Life

Hey Team,

One thing about life is TIME is the great equalizer.

We all have the same minutes, days, and hours daily. How you use your time is really up to you. Will you waste it…or invest it?

Investing your time will pay dividends later. It continues to pay you back in the future without having to do anything else.

How true is this for your health: mental health, physical health, and emotional health?

Grow today to help you tomorrow! Personal growth will pay you DIVIDENDS.

Today, I present to you ways to aid in your Self Improvement. What does this mean? Part of self-improvement is being uncomfortable… if it doesn't challenge you- it doesn't change you!

Have you told yourself you want to start painting, drawing, or different artwork? Maybe you want to learn to sing, play the guitar or the piano. Again, we all get the equivalent seconds, minutes, and hours in a day.

TOP 5 WAYS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

1.         Use your time wisely:  Do you say inside and watch TV, Tik Tok, or Facebook? The time is there for you to take. This is your time… make it a priority to use it! What you do after work, off days, and during an injury… will change your life!

2.         Be consistent and focused: What will you do with this time? Prepare. My former basketball coach always said that luck is preparation for meeting an opportunity. If you are not ready for the chance… because of lack of preparation… it passes you- you missed it! This is your time to decide what improvement you want: fitness, art, music, or learning a new skill. Focus on what you want to make a change in and be consistent. Schedule the time and make it a priority. Consistency is like a muscle. The more you use it…, the more it grows.

3.         Embrace the suck: Sometimes we get frustrated, fearful, scared, and unsure… embrace your emotions. Life is full of obstacles and challenges. Embrace all of these emotions to help you learn but also absorb them. Do not dismiss or resist these emotions, as they will continue to return. What you resist…persists! So embrace these each time and find out why you feel them…they are there to help you.

4.         Get out of your comfort zone: If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. Why? Because actual growth is hard. Learning an instrument, a new skill, or a task is challenging. We need discipline, consistency, and patience. If it is easy… we genuinely do not grow in self-improvement. Challenge yourself just outside your abilities. Too much of a challenge leads to disappointment and discouragement. Set realistic goals and get them!

5.         Live in the NOW: Think about this: out of the past or the future… only the present exists. The past is behind us and is clouded by emotion. Over time we remember the feeling we had in the situation, circumstance, or memory. Our emotion tends to intensify the problem more than what happened. Overall… the past tends to blend the truth… but is gone forever: IT NO LONGER EXISTS. Same with the future… it is our hopes and dreams… but it does not exist. So the only area of our life that exists is the NOW. Whoa… deep thought there. Once we realize it is the only genuine part of our life, it helps us stay there. Be mindful of your current circumstances and bring your mind back to where it belongs versus stressing about the past or future. This is the hardest for me as I like to plan.

BONUS SECTION: A couple more ways to help with your quest for self-improvement: get up earlier than usual to use more of those minutes and seconds. You will be surprised by the impact on your life with an extra 30-60 minutes daily. Also, exercise daily helps your health and mind, so the world seems a little brighter. Last, be available to help others. By assisting others… you genuinely are helping yourself. Invest your time in someone else. The gratification and satisfaction from knowing you are helping another person pays you dividends.

Ok Team, there is a roadmap for you.

Now is your time; your time to find your quest for self-improvement. Be intentional, be consistent, and be in the moment…today. You are the best part of your life….you are the captain.

Drive that ship to the activities you want to give you joy.

Honestly… the most challenging part is deciding where you want to grow and making the roadmap.

Overall, thank you for your feedback in the last few weeks. I love hearing from our loyal readers, and I hope you are "Making the Most of Each Day!"

•          The author, Rob Sumner, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and owner of Sumner Specialized Physical Therapy. He's happy to answer any questions about this article, wellness, fitness, or physical therapy overall by phone at (509) 684-5621 or by email at Rob@SumnerPT.com