A strong foundation provides stability for future improvements and additions. There are 4 pillars of self-growth that everything else is built on.
September is Self-Improvement Month, reminding you to take care of yourself, celebrate your achievements, and push forward toward who you want to be. It's easy to get caught up in the minutia of self-growth — cold showers, lunchtime affirmations, breathing exercises, and other productivity hacks quickly become busy work. Focusing on the basics gives you more bang for your buck and propels you forward.
We've all heard the phrase, "Your body is a temple." But, let's face it — most of us treat our bodies like a car rather than a monastery. You're trying to move from point A to B — you need to get that promotion, send those emails, start your side hustle, improve your relationships, and pick up groceries. You need a car that can handle a beating without stopping for gas.
Just like a Prius, your body will break down if you don't maintain it. That's why the first pillar of self-growth is health and fitness. You experience everything through your body and need it to move forward. Fitness routines, adequate nutrition, and ample sleep are the building blocks that allow you to perform.
How do kids grow up so fast? They're constantly improving with new skills, insights, and friendships. Maybe time is moving faster, or there's something in the water? The honest answer is that they're always learning. Everything is new to a child — the world is expansive with a hidden lesson under every rock and bruise. Unfortunately, the world can start to appear mundane, and curiosity can fade as you enter adulthood.
However, it's nearly impossible to grow without learning something new. That's why the second pillar of self-improvement is reading and curiosity. Reading introduces you to new answers to your problems, perspectives, and years of wisdom. You even gain insights about yourself or others through fiction. Maintaining a sense of curiosity helps you seek out new experiences, ask questions, and allows you to achieve personal insight.
We talked about training and maintaining your body, but what about your mind? You're probably holding onto a list of tasks, ideas, and emotions throughout your week. In fact, you're probably doing it right now. Obviously, you want to remember what needs to be done and when. But these thoughts clog up your mind from generating new possibilities and experiencing the current moment.
That's why meditation is the third pillar. Meditation brings awareness to your thoughts, emotions, and body. This clarity provides you with the time to parse through what's necessary and what can be left behind. You can increase your mindfulness to experience your life more fully. Medication can be a difficult habit to incorporate into your life, but starting with 5-10 minutes is an excellent place to start, and you should notice the benefits in about a week.
Daily journals are overrated and underrated at the same time. Writing your thoughts down before bed won't transform you into Superman overnight; but like meditation, it provides you with a sense of clarity and insight into your patterns. The difference is that meditation requires you to stop thinking, while journaling is a conversation between yourself.
Journaling provides you with the time to reflect on your experience, where you're at, and where you want to be. Over time, you develop an archive of your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. You can go back every so often and recall a day or moment. You'll subconsciously pick up on your patterns and realize things like, Huh, I've been working on this problem for a while now. Maybe I should adjust my approach. Or, you can look back and notice how you've improved.
It's easy to get trapped in productivity hacks and optimization techniques when you're trying to improve yourself, but self-growth starts with a basic foundation you can build on. Treating your body well and training provides you with the energy to keep going. Reading helps you answer problems, find new perspectives, and challenge yourself. Meditation and journaling free your mind while increasing your self-awareness. These are the 4 pillars that will jump-start your progress and help you move forward.
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