Self-improvement is not a one-time event. Rather, it’s the result of a series of habits and hobbies with betterment and growth in mind. The best habits, of course, are the ones that you can steadily commit to and feel sustainable to your lifestyle and day-to-day routines, but it can be tricky to discover what habits to adopt to give you the best, most fulfilling outcome. 

Fortunately, this guide can help you to direct your efforts in ways that will expedite your self-development journey and help you to achieve your goals on a timeline that feels progressive and satisfying. 

1. Vocal Self-Advocacy

Self promotion is a skill that seems to have been reserved for salespersons and confident entrepreneurs, but this ability is an important one for everyone to develop. The better you’re able to advocate for yourself and all that you have to offer, the easier it will be to set firm boundaries in relationships, volunteer for bigger, career-advancing responsibilities at work and even bring in new opportunities that you’re certain would benefit from your personal skill set. 

Whether you confidently mention your creative endeavors to your peer group or you volunteer to teach a new trainee how to export After Effects compositions at work despite your limited knowledge, the more you advertise your skills, the more you’ll attract lucrative chances to show them off. 

2. Regular Exercise

Your mental and physical health have a synergistic relationship. Regular exercise is often associated with aesthetic objectives, but the practice goes far deeper. When you routinely get your heart rate pumping, you’re more likely to sleep more soundly, experience mental clarity, maintain a stable weight and sustain a healthy, functioning immune system that is better equipped to fight off illness and disease. At least 150 minutes of moderate exercise is recommended on a weekly basis, and the benefits are strongest if exercise is completed daily. 

3. Active Listening

Many believe that good listening skills are merely defined by the ability to stay silent while someone is talking, but this isn’t always the case. Active listening is a process that involves the demonstration of undivided attention through nonverbal cues, reflecting the speaker’s words back to them and resisting the urge to interject judgements or advice. Active listening not only helps you to absorb more information, but it also gives your relationships, whether it’s one with a coworker or a partner, a significant boost. 

4. Routine, Purposeful Solitude

It’s not easy to be alone, and the constant noise in both the tangible and digital worlds have left many people with a reliance on regular mental inputs. Many in modern society find it hard to find comfort in silence and solitude, but these states of being have numerous benefits for your nervous system. 

Purposeful alone time, or that which is spent dedicated to a task that is strictly designed to serve your own wants and needs, can do wonders for both your mental and physical health. Solitude may be a bit awkward to experience at first, but the more time you spend by yourself, the better you’ll be able to see what good company you make–even when you’re the only soul around to enjoy it. 

5. Gratitude Journaling

Philosophers across the ages have pointed to needless desires as a source for much of human suffering, and for good reason. The more you’re focused on what you’re lacking, the less you’re likely to feel satisfied with what you already have. It seems slightly counterintuitive, but in order to grow toward what you’re after, you must appreciate and give thanks for what is already present in your life. 

A gratitude journal is merely a space where you list the things that are going right for you, and this can be in a dedicated, bound journal or even in a notes app on your phone. Each day, try to discover something new to appreciate. The harder you look for things to be grateful for, the more you’ll realize your progress, your good fortunes and the skills you have to succeed and become the best version of yourself that you can be.