When you focus on self improvement, you have the power to transform your life. Whether you want to change your financial situation, health level, or another aspect of your life, these self-improvement ideas can help you achieve new heights.
Before we get into these top self improvement tips, let's discuss why you should start working towards improving yourself!
Why is self improvement important?
So, chances are that you don’t want to stay exactly where you are for your entire life. If you are like most people, you want to create a better life for yourself. Even if you have a pretty great life, you might feel that there is room for improvement.
Through self improvement, you have the opportunity to create a healthier lifestyle and a heightened sense of self-awareness. Additionally, you may find that you build better problem-solving skills, which can make you more adaptable to changes in the future.
After all, life is not static. In fact, it seems to move at a lightning-fast pace. Instead of letting life speed by you, take the initiative to improve yourself and let it lead you to amazing things.
Not only can you dramatically improve your quality of life through self-improvement, but also your personal finances. Think of it as investing in yourself. Let’s take a closer look at how you can improve yourself.
Top 25 Self improvement ideas
There is no limit to how or how often you can practice self-improvement. The list below is by no means an exhaustive list of all the self improvement ideas for your life. However, it is a good place to get started. Take a look and find the options that will work for your life.
1. Wake up earlier (One of the simplest self improvement ideas to start)
One of the most popular tips for self improvement is waking up earlier. Although the idea of waking up earlier may not sound enjoyable to some, a recent study published by the Journal of Psychiatric Research shows that it might be advantageous for your mental health. You might be less likely to be depressed if you go to bed early and wake up early.
Beyond the mental health benefits, waking up early gives you the chance to ease into the day. So, instead of rushing from under the covers into your car and through the rest of your day, taking a moment to prepare for the day can change your outlook on life.
2. Read books
One of our favorite self improvement tips is to read more books! Books are a wealth of knowledge just waiting to be discovered. Reading has become less popular as our lives have gotten busier and since videos are more abundant than before.
According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 24% of U.S. adults had not read a book recently. Although you don’t need to go from reading one book a year to 100 books a year, adding more reading time into your life can be useful.
Not only can you gain useful knowledge about different topics, but you also enjoy an activity that stimulates your mind without any screen time. Check out our ultimate list of best books to help you improve your finances, career, and life!
We also have a great list of books on self-discipline!
3. Shifting your circle of awareness
It is often said that you are most similar to the five people that you spend the most time with. Think about your friends and family that you spend time with on a regular basis and make up your circle of influence. Are they moving your life in a positive direction or a negative direction?
Consider the type of person that you want to become. What people in your life can help you move in that direction? You can seek out new opportunities and expand your circle of awareness along the way.
4. Meditation or prayer
Life gets hectic. Taking a couple of minutes each day to meditate on your life or commune with a higher power through prayer can change your outlook for the better. A recent Harvard study has found that practicing mindfulness can lead to less depression and stress.
It can be difficult to incorporate meditation or prayer at first. However, finding the time to meditate or pray can have very positive impacts. This option can be used to help you practice daily self improvement. (Here are our key tips for developing attitudes of mindfulness!)
5. Find a mentor
If you are trying to be successful at a particular endeavor, then find someone who has walked the path and succeeded. A mentor can help to navigate the waters to a successful life and career while avoiding their missteps along the way.
Find someone that you admire and reach out to them. You might be surprised at the willingness of people to mentor someone like you. (Our Clever Girl Finance mentors are here for you!)
6. Find an accountability partner
As you reach for your goals, it can be difficult to stay motivated. An accountability partner is a perfect person to help you stick to your goals. Whether you want to go to the gym more or build your own business, find someone with a similar goal. Holding each other accountable to self improvement plans can help you stick with it easier.
7. Work on your financial goals (One of the best self improvement ideas to help build wealth)
One of the most productive self improvement ideas is to work on your financial goals. It can be difficult to enjoy your life fully if you are constantly worrying about your finances. For example, it can be difficult to look past the next payday with a paycheck to paycheck existence.
With that attitude, finding the motivation to improve your life in other areas can be a big challenge. In order to take charge of your life, you’ll need to have your finances on the right track.
Otherwise, a minor financial emergency can derail your entire lifestyle. A few goals that might help you get started are breaking the paycheck to paycheck cycle, saving for your first home, and building a retirement fund.
Take action and make your financial goals a reality. It might involve cutting back on your spending, building a budget, or even taking on a side hustle. Do whatever it takes to achieve your financial goals.
8. Journal
Another one of our favorite tips for self improvement is to journal. Keeping track of your thoughts can be easier when you keep a journal.
It will give you a place to work through your problems and identify your feelings in a safe space. It's great for self-discovery because it is a judgment-free zone to express yourself.
Although a journal may not be something you need to do every single day, a regular practice of journaling can be freeing. Consider buying a fun journal that motivates you to write more. You could start a money journal or even journal for self-care!
9. Start exercising
Exercise has been proven to help improve your long-term physical and mental health. Whether you walk, run, take group classes, try yoga, or something in between, exercise can help to improve the quality of your life.
Try to sweat at least a couple of times a week. Make a commitment and stick to it. You can get an online personal trainer to keep you motived. Exercising is one of the healthiest self improvement ideas you can start!
10. Drink more water
Drinking more water is one of the simplest yet healthiest self improvement tips you can do. You can’t be successful if you don’t feel well. You might be surprised how much better you feel by drinking water on a regular basis. If you have trouble drinking the recommended daily amount of water, consider buying a fun water bottle that helps you track your progress.
11. Eat well
You can’t feel your best without the best fuel in your body. Healthy choices can help you feel more alive every single day. With more energy, you can tackle your hobbies and tasks with more vigor. Cutting out sugar and coffee could be a place to start.
Or you can try adding a healthy meal to your weekly rotation. Think you can't eat well on a budget? Think again; it's all about planning beforehand and finding the best deals on the best foods. Take this at your own pace and create a healthy lifestyle that works for your body.
12. Take courses (One of our favorite self improvement ideas is to never stop learning)
One way to improve yourself is to take courses about topics that interest you. For example, many of our Clever Girl Finance courses are designed to help you tackle specific financial topics in your life. Whether you need to build a budget or buy your first home, we have courses that can help you.
Personal finance courses are not the only thing to consider. If you have an interest in a particular hobby that you’ve always wanted to try, then a course could be the perfect place to get started. You might be able to learn a new language or skill that you can improve on in the future.
13. Be honest with yourself
So, you can’t improve if you don’t consider where you’ve started. Take a look at your life. Are you happy with your current situation? What changes would you like to make? Instead of just continuing to ignore any problems in your life, take action to improve them.
14. Invest in yourself
One of the top ideas for self improvement is to invest in yourself! Do you have a goal or dream that seems just out of reach? Find the reason that you cannot make your dreams a reality. Whether you need to commit more money or time to your dream, find a way to make that happen.
It could be a new course to fuel your side hustle or committing a few extra hours each week to work out. Don’t let life stand in your way; make an effort to invest in yourself for a better future.
15. Try a new hobby
What is one of the most fun ideas for self improvement? Try a new hobby! Learning something new can open many new doors. Not only will you learn a new skill, but potentially meet new friends or develop a more positive sense of self-worth.
Think of something that has always interested you. Either get started on your own, try to learn from books and blogs, or consider taking a course. It can be enjoyable to learn a new skill while improving your life at the same time.
16. Be thankful
Always be thankful for what you already have. There are so many in this world that wish they had what you did. Don’t let your drive for a better life allow you to overlook the good things that you already have.
Appreciating the little things is one of the most rewarding self improvement ideas is to learn.
17. Volunteer (One of the most satisfying self improvement ideas)
Giving back to your community can help you improve your own life and the lives of others. Luckily, there are many worthy causes that need the help of volunteers to reach their goals.
Find a cause that you care about in your community and reach out. You might be surprised by how much you enjoy giving back.
18. Stay focused
Of course, you cannot expect to make a 180 turn through self improvement overnight. However, with time and dedication, you can transform your life through self improvement.
When you want to quit, remember why you started and keep going. You can continue to improve yourself for the rest of your life. Take it one step at a time, but never give up.
19. Admit your mistakes
You are bound to make some mistakes throughout your life. The best course of action is to come clean about those mistakes to yourself and others. After admitting your mistakes, don’t beat yourself up over them. Instead, take responsibility and set yourself free from them.
20. Declutter your life
Decluttering your life is one of the best self improvement ideas to clean up both physical and mental space! Getting rid of clutter will reduce anxiety and help you create a home that sparks joy.
Also, you will save money by not storing unused items and paying bills on time because they didn't get lost in a pile of papers somewhere. Another huge perk is you can sell all that stuff for extra cash!
21. Create a daily routine
Having a daily routine for your life and finances is essential. It can help you be more productive and stay on top of your money. A routine creates habits that can help you work towards your goals.
22. Let your past go
It's so easy to get stuck in the past and dwell on our mistakes. However, letting go of your past can help you move forward. The important thing is learning from it and using those lessons to achieve what you want. So do your best to work on closing old chapters and moving on.
23. Try a minimalist challenge
Minimalist living can improve your finances and your life! So why not give a minimalist challenge a try? The idea is you get rid of something mental, physical, or even drop a bad habit every day for 30-days.
Becoming a minimalist is one of those self improvement ideas everyone should try. It will change your whole life!
24. Learn how to say no
This may not be one of the most favorite self improvement tips, but being a people-pleaser can really take a toll on your well-being. Of course, there's nothing wrong with helping people, but you want to make sure you know how to say no when necessary.
For instance, saying no if you don't have time to take on a task for someone or you are trying to not spend money. It's okay to say no when it comes to improving yourself.
25. Take a social media detox
Social media can be a huge time sucker and, in some cases, can cause stress and anxiety. Take a day a week or even more to unplug from social media to let yourself recharge and have more time for other things.
You'll be surprised at how much better you feel and the tasks you accomplish by doing this.
How to turn self improvement ideas into goals
Now that you’ve seen some tips for self improvement let’s talk about the logistics of accomplishing self improvement plans.
Create a plan for your self improvement ideas
First, you’ll need to create a plan of action. Don’t tackle every single item on your self-improvement wish list at once. It can be easy to burn yourself out if you try to tackle a dozen self-improvement strategies at once.
The perfect way to do it is to set weekly goals! So, let's say you have a goal to save $10,000 in a year. Then you would break that down to how much you would have to save every week. $10,000 divided by is $192.30 a week!
See what a difference breaking your goal down can make? Focusing on smaller actionable steps will keep you from becoming overwhelmed and help you stay motivated!
Take action, implement those self improvement ideas!
Once you’ve set up your self improvement plans, you need to take action. A goal in itself will not help you accomplish your dreams. However, a system designed to help you achieve your goals will be more effective.
So, make an effort to take a step towards your goal each day, no matter how small. Each step will bring you closer to your bigger goals. Once you accomplish one goal, feel free to tackle another self-improvement goal.
Change your life with these self improvement ideas
Use these ideas for self improvement to get your journey started. As you move through life, you will likely want to improve different areas at different times. Focus on the goals that matter to you most in the different seasons of your life. If you are focused on improving your finances, then start there.
If you want to build a healthier lifestyle, then focus your efforts there. Whatever you choose to start with, make sure to take action and make your dreams a reality. Get started turning your self improvement ideas into goals with our completely free goal-setting course!
Also, be sure to follow Clever Girl Finance on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for top money tips and motivation towards your new goals!