September is self-improvement month. With everything going on around us, it might seem pretty trivial to focus on just ourselves, but what better way to change the world than by being the best you can be personally? If each of us takes time to improve the life we are living, the ripple effect will be pretty powerful, don’t you think? 

I have some ideas on ways to improve life, starting now; here are 5:

Educate Yourself. As you set out on your self-improvement journey, one of the most important first steps to take is that of education. Expanding our knowledge and understanding helps us to make sense of the world, to have empathy for others, and to gain a better picture of the world at large, for example. We can also gain a more fulfilled lifestyle by learning how to express ourselves through art or design, or perhaps learning another language. Maintaining our curiosity is a great way to foster a sense of wonder, and that wonder is one of the things that makes life worth living. 

Limit Connectivity. So much of our time is spent on the internet these days, and at the end of the day you may feel as though that time was not well-spent. Aside from what you do for a living, it might be a great investment in yourself to establish some digital boundaries. Studies are showing that too much time spent connected is negatively affecting our levels of contentment and happiness. 

Sleep. We’re all aware that good sleep habits are essential to both our physical and our mental well-being, and getting your circadian rhythms into check will go a long way towards improving your life. A routine surrounding your sleeping hours will give you great results; try to go to bed at the same time every night, remove glowing screens from your line of sight, silence notifications, and maintain a dark room to give yourself healthy sleeping conditions. A great night’s sleep will have you looking, feeling, and performing better every day. 

Love. Be kind to yourself, and cut yourself some slack. As a business owner, you are always thinking about performance on some levels, but it’s okay to make mistakes and to be human. Also, you are beautiful just the way you are; size, colour, quirks and abilities. You are nothing less than special! Another healthy step you can take is to remove negative, unloving voices from your life.

Loving others is another important part of improving your life. We all know the old saying “It’s better to give than to receive”, and each of us has experienced that glowing feeling that comes after doing something nice for someone else. Life is better when you commit to loving and respecting people no matter who they are, where they are from, or what they might have done to you.

Be Consistent. Consistency is defined as “the quality of always behaving or performing in a similar way, or of always happening in a similar way.” Often, the difference between a person who is successful and a person who is not has little to do with talent or ability, but rather the level of consistency that is practiced. What are you doing to improve your business and personal life each and every day? Keep going! It might not seem like much is happening when you look at each day alone, but over the long haul the improvements will be obvious and tangible. I’m AnnaVija McClain. I’m committed to the small business owners here in the Nashville area and beyond. As a business owner myself, I know the challenges you face every day, and I am here to help you grow and expand your business. Call me today and let’s talk about the programs and services I’ve developed with you in mind.