How to Do Better

Resources for Functioning Better, Getting Things Done, Living Blissfully

Personal development and life improvement happen when we incorporate upgraded ways of showing up for life. Practicing your newfound awareness in decision making, communication, relationships, and performance are necessary to get results. It’s not about how full your library of wisdom is, but how well you integrate the wisdom in real-time. The question I invite you to ask yourself often, is how well am I doing? When you build a habit of evaluating how you function from an observer’s view, you can begin to develop strategies to get better. This approach will eliminate the critical narrative and welcome you to be an ever-evolving human.

As encouraged by the ancient Greek philosophers, Know Thyself first before subscribing to remedies that others follow. In a world driven by trends and societal norms, it’s easy to lose sight of our unique needs to thrive. What works for your friend isn’t always going to produce the same results for you. So when it comes to growth and potential, let’s take a journey inward first. The ULT Assessment that is incorporated in the 505 Living premium coaching services, is an insightful way of seeing your personal grid and how you’re uniquely wired. Having an operating manual is monumental to bring out your best. In the meantime though, here are some recommendations for doing better, attending to your goals, and living more joyfully:

1. Be Nimble: People who are able to improvise, adjust, and adapt during challenging times are happier and more fulfilled. Hardship doesn’t break them, it builds them. This is a skill that can be learned. However, it requires developing a new mindset, one that puts growth over a fixed approach.
2. Create a quarterly personal log that captures how you function in different aspects of your life: Make a column for each of your top four areas. For example, Health, Wealth, Love/Family/Friends, Self-Expression. Use a system that resonates best with you and start measuring your own performance in each area. At the end of the year, you’ll have a clear idea of how progressed.
3. Start small and revel in the outcome: Making positive changes can seem overwhelming at first. When the list is long and the end is far from reach, the mind can easily create a sense of defeat. It’s important to have a big vision. However, take one bite at a time and instead of jumping into the next item, revel in the incremental accomplishments. This step invites you to be pragmatic and methodical while enjoying the ride.
4. Take one thing that makes the most difference in your life and fully immerse yourself in improving it: Take one area of your life that you feel has the greatest significance on the quality of your existence and ask yourself what would be the better version of it? Start asking yourself questions about this particular area. A lot of times, we get anxious about finding the answers and the quickest distance between the start to finish. It’s important that in the beginning of the process you start having some really clear questions. For example, if you want to improve your marriage. Instead of focusing on how it would get better and if your partner will change, ask yourself – what would a better marriage mean to me? Why do I value having a healthy relationship? Would bettering my marriage add to my overall happiness? Stay with these questions and imagine them happening just as you answer them. Keep doing this exercise until you’re ready to move into executing what is necessary to get you there.
5. Engage in an activity that makes you feel alive: Do it unapologetically and without the need for validation: An idle mind accumulated toxic thoughts and expends valuable energy on nonsense. It’s vital to engage in something that brings your soul joy. If you don’t know what the activity is yet, only curiosity and wonder can reveal the answers. The human mind is designed to be dynamic and to thrive on novelty. New experiences help us stay youthful, energized, and sharp.