Is your happiness directly related to good things happening in your life? If it does then you ain't living to your fullest potential. Every day we learn and with each day we should aim to improve our well being. With life's harsh realities how then can we construct a positive self-concept of ourselves? I have been reading quite extensively lately and this is what I'm finding out.
- Daily positive self-affirmations
Positive self-affirmations are statements that one states to help validate one's value and worthiness. Research has shown that positive words can help improve one mood, one's health and by repeatedly positively validating oneself it helps build one's self-esteem. The internet provides great links to examples of daily self-affirmations such as https://www.developgoodhabits.com/positive-affirmations/, try them today and let me know how they make you feel.
- Self-compassion
This involves being aware of one's faults and failures and viewing such experiences as normal human experiences necessary for growth and maturation. It is thought to have three components:
• Self-kindness - this involves being gentle, loving, caring and warm to yourself.
• Mindfulness - is the process of awareness of the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
• Common humanity-this involves reaching out to create constructive human connections.
When one develops self-compassion one is then less likely to be self-critical, anxious, or depressed. In addition, to this, it has been linked to greater life satisfaction.
- Set realistic goals
Goals should be long term and short term. Short-term can be daily or weekly while long term can be every three months, six months, yearly or every several years. This gives one something to work towards hence generating some form of motivation. This may be intrinsic, extrinsic or both. Whatever you plan should answer the following questions.
• Specific - What is to be done?, How will you know it is done? and describes the results.
• Measurable -To what extent can something be evaluated against a set standard.
• Achievable- Can it be done within a set time frame, is there an opportunity for it, and are there resources to do it?
• Relevant - Why should it be done? and What will be the impact?
• Time-Oriented - When will it be done?
- Establish a comfortable environment
A comfortable environment encompasses having good friends, a job you enjoy doing, room to perform the hobbies you love, effective communication and finally being open-minded.
"So remember it is not who you are that holds you back but rather who you think you are not."
Anonymous
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