Acknowledging your weaknesses, and the fact that you must take measures to correct them, is a critical first step toward achieving your self improvement goals. Here are some self-help strategies that will give you ideas on what you could try.

Hang out with people who are similar to you. They’ll help you stay on track by being good role models for positive behavior, and you’ll better balance any negative energy you get from people who aren’t as supportive of your self-improvement goals.

If you feel you are not making progress, try to see specifically what is keeping you from it. Many people have problems doing this. However, being able to identify our weaknesses is the first step to addressing them and ultimately changing them. Removing obstacles in your life can help you get a clearer picture of what’s to come.

Extra Tips! Know the obstacles you face before you hit them. For a lot of people, this is very hard to do.

Use your time efficiently so you can get more done in a shorter amount of time. A good method to work for long periods of time is to take frequent breaks. This may seem counterproductive, but by taking constant breaks, you have time to unwind and recharge so that when you get back to work, you can get more stuff done.

Exercising, and taking care of your physical self are important aspects of the personal development process. Exercise regularly, get adequate sleep every night and enjoy a healthy diet to help you continue your personal growth. This might sound simple but changing your lifestyle will require a lot of efforts from you.

Exercise can benefit almost anyone, even those who are not trying to shed excess weight. There are countless physical benefits to exercising. It helps stimulate your body so that you can create chemicals that make you calmer and happier.

Extra Tips! Try to be prepared to record your ideas no matter where you are. Use a notepad app on your phone or even carry a real notepad with you.

Look for the things you admire or appreciate about others and give them compliments. Instead, show kindness and compassion for others and you will see how much better you will feel about yourself.

Rather than boasting about your myriad medals, trophies, and awards, ask others about some of their proudest moments and most notable achievements. Respectful listening to the successes of others can help you to gain insight into your own inner life as well as allowing you to connect with others in a meaningful way.

Taking Care

Extra Tips! You need to care for yourself before you can care for others. Wherever you are mentally and emotionally, always take time to relax and check in with your needs.

You have to care for yourself before you can start taking care of others. If you are a huge success, but dead tired all the time, you are not properly taking care of yourself. You need to find time for rest.

You should always treat everyone with respect, regardless of who they are or what they are able to do for you. The way you behave toward others has more to do with your personality than with anything they say or do.

In order to help with depression, try to add extra complex carbohydrates to your diet. If your complex carb intake is lower than recommended, your body won’t produce enough serotonin. You can do this by eating more raw veggies, fruits, nuts, brown rice, whole grains and assorted beans.

Extra Tips! Do you drink too often? Do you use tobacco products or any other harmful things? Our body is a temple, and therefore it should be treated like one. Eliminating bad habits is essential if you want to improve your life.

Give these strategies a try and take notes on changes in your thoughts or feelings. Take it easy on yourself.