HOW TO BECOME A BETTER PERSON

Life is a journey and becoming better everyday is the goal. The more you grow, the better you become, remember this isn't about making yourself liked by others, it is about becoming someone you truly love and adore which will in turn attract the right people and opportunities into your life. Max Depree once said and I quote "We cannot become what we need to be, remaining what we are". I remember while growing up, I didn't really love myself, I used to feel intimidated, I was always scared of people, I wasn't really proud of myself, my physique and everything that made me up, so I used to keep to myself a lot, I lacked self-esteem, I don't keep friends, I shunned a whole lot of people out of my life not because I was a snub but because I felt they were all better off than I am and they were only trying to get close to me to mock me but the funny thing is people never saw it that way, they felt I was a snub, some felt I was rude, selfish, obnoxious, some people even called me a narcissist and all sort, but at a point those words were getting at me and I just had to loosen up and let go of all my fears. Here goes ways you can become a better person: 1. WORK ON YOUR NEGATIVE TRAITS: Are there any traits that you dislike about yourself, it might be self-centeredness, arrogance, selfishness, harshness etc. Identify them and then work on them one by one. It might seem challenging trying to overhaul your character at once but on the other hand, if you work on addressing one negative trait at a time, it's a lot more manageable and achievable. 2. COMMIT YOURSELF TO GROWTH: The more you grow, the better you become. I committed myself to a lifetime growth back in 2013 (when I discovered my purpose) and I've never looked back ever since. 3. IDENTIFY YOUR IDEAL SELF: What is your ideal self like? picture him/her in your mind and then write down all your ideal traits. Then start living true to your ideal self. 4. SEE YOURSELF FOR WHO YOU ARE: Your journey to becoming a better person starts with understanding who you are at your core. This is about becoming more in tune with your deeper self, so you can recognize what riles you up, what makes you happy or sad. How do you react when life goes astray? How do you deal with your emotions? Take stock of your strengths but also of your weaknesses. What are your negative qualities? What areas do you excel in? What areas do you need to work on in your personal growth and development? When we truly understand ourselves, we will communicate better with others. 5. FORGIVE AND LET GO OF ANGER: When we forgive, we let go of anger and hostility that eats away at our happiness and clouds our mind. Forgiving someone who has hurt you, empowers you to let go of the pain from the past. It doesn't mean you forget what happened, rather it means you learn to release resentment and anger which would otherwise be a burden on your mind and heart. Releasing negative thoughts allows you to heal emotionally, gives you peace and helps you overcome depression, anxiety and rage that create conflicts within our relationships. 6. ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY: Stop blaming others when things don't go right. A key element in growing as an individual and becoming a better person is learning to accept personal responsibility for your actions, including your behaviors, emotions and failures, everything you have control over. You take control of your life when you accept that you alone is responsible for your actions. To take this step further, ask yourself whether you are taking responsibility for creating the life you want for becoming the person you want to be or are you just letting life happen and then blaming the world for your failures. 7. EMBRACE THE JOURNEY: Remember, this is an ongoing journey. Our actions- how we live, how we spend our time, those things all add up. Recognize that not everything in life is linear, sometimes we have to go backward to go forward. Along the way, we learn to appreciate what we have to have gratitude for all life has given us. Remember to have some fun allow fun to be sprinkled throughout your day, life should not be dreary so don't let it be, surprise yourself and others. Remember to show kindness and compassion to others and behave the way you want others to see you and remember you. By: Ibukunola Awosanya.