As children, many people were taught that focusing on yourself was seen as being selfish, and they believed it. Understandably, they thought it was because ‘self’ is part of the word selfish. The latter term means “…lacking consideration for others.” The good news is that self-improvement is not selfish. On the contrary, self-improvement is good for you and society.
Self-discovery, development, and improvement need to be a rite of passage for all adults simply because it’s so helpful and, simply put, develops valuable people. Plus, the benefits of continuous lifelong self-improvement are all why you need to prioritize self-improvement.
Self-Improvement
Whether it’s the fear of uncertainty, public speaking, or risk, all your fears keep you in the same position and prevent you from improving your life. Recognize that your fears reflect areas where you can grow as they act as a compass pointing at areas that need attention.
Self-Improvement Goals
Clarify Your Vision
As you plan your personal development, it helps to envision what you want your future to look like. Some people find it helpful to write their obituary and mention each area of their life as they want it to be. They need to think of it as if they got everything they ever wanted and all their dreams came true.
Documenting your plan requires explaining the missing elements to reach the goal. For example, if your vision includes being happy and in good health; however, you eat burgers every day and never exercise. It would be best if you were realistic to be effective.
Change your Focus
Enhance Your Strengths
An effective self-development planfocuses on strengths over weaknesses. It’s not that you will ignore your weaknesses. You won’t. You can outsource, delegate, automate, and learn anything you want to know. However, focusing on what you’re naturally good at and like to do is far more efficient.
Your personal development plan requires you to perform a SWOT analysis for each area of your life to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that may exist. Therefore, focusing on your strengths will make you far more successful because it feels so good.
As you set goals and determine why you desire those goals, the process will lead you to discover your purpose. It may not be your life purpose because that may change as you learn and grow. However, it can give you a reason to keep looking for your life purpose. The continued search gives you the energy to keep going. Of course, your reasons may differ at each stage and area of your life. The principal factor is that the planning will explain why as you take each step toward the goal.
Growth is Essential
Improve Your Mental Health
It feels good to understand yourself. For example, knowing why you are afraid of loud sounds can help you deal with your feelings when you hear loud sounds. Being self-aware enough to note problems with your mental health will also make it more likely that you stay healthy because you will be more likely to seek professional help if you need it. One thing personal development does well is to keep you self-aware.
Create Strong Relationships
Learning what your thoughts and feelings mean to you and how your actions affect others goes a long way toward building super-strong relationships. Whether friends or family managing your emotions and moderating your behavior turns you into someone viewed as safe and stable. In addition, being someone trustworthy helps others bond with you more.
Finally, knowing what you want and how you’ll get it makes all the difference when you get it. It’s so much easier to schedule your life balanced when you’re honest about what it takes to do what you’ve prepared yourself to do.
Claiming these benefits is as easy as starting your self-improvement journeytoday by setting your intention and creating your self-development plan. The sooner you begin your journey of self-discovery, the sooner you can start taking massive action to realize all your dreams.
Memories are often associated with the best moments in our lives. The moments that we want to remember forever. Memories can be a source of comfort and happiness for us and a reminder of the past. However, memories can also be painful reminders of difficult times in our lives.
Some psychologists believe that we collect memories to help make sense of our lives and create a narrative for ourselves. They believe that collecting memories help us to understand who we are and where we have come from.
People are often asked, “What is your best or most important memory?” This question has no definitive answer. Instead, it’s something that different people might answer differently. We all possess important memories that hold a lot of meaning for us.
The Moment I Realized I Fell in Love with my Business
I realized I fell in love with my business when I started writing blog content. Writing what was on my mind felt so satisfying, and it felt like a great accomplishment. I had been thinking about it a lot before then, but I didn’t realize that this was what I wanted to do with my life until after the first piece of content I wrote.
This was an article about my first-ever blog post. The post was a call to action for people to create their content and share it with the world. It went viral, which I had no idea would happen when I wrote the piece, but it did! Since then, I have never stopped creating content. It is what I do best and has become a massive part of who I am and my business.
3 Ways to Capture your Best Moments
We all have those moments we remember for the rest of our lives. The birth of your child, the first day of school, a wedding day. We cherish these moments and want to remember them forever. Luckily, there are ways to capture those moments so they stay with us forever.
In this post, I will share a few tips for taking photographs and videos to remember and cherish forever. I’m not a professional photographer, but I can take a photo! I’m sure you’re the same.
Make sure your camera is clean and ready to go before the moment
This is one of the easiest ways to use pictures or videos as a memory maker. If you don’t want a photo-bombing sign, ensure your camera is clean and ready to take pictures and be prepared to take photos. Make sure your lens is also clean so that you can see clearly what’s going on.
What to Pack for a Trip
Carry a camera and lens with you on your trip. You don’t have to bring your entire photography kit, but getting a camera and lens is essential. You will need different equipment depending on the type of photo you are trying to capture. If photography is not your thing, pick up inexpensive point-and-shoot cameras or use your phone’s camera app. I recommend carrying at least two types of cameras – one for capturing portraits and the other for capturing landscapes.
Ask questions
Talk to people in your destination country and ask questions about their culture, traditions, etc. Gather information before you go that will contribute to a better understanding of the place you are visiting.
Conclusion: Living in the Moment & Capturing It is More Important Than Ever
It’s no secret that our culture is obsessed with capturing memories. We want to document everything and live in the moment. In this day and age, technology lets us do both. It’s easy to look at a camera and snap a picture of something happening right now without missing a beat – making sure we never forget anything.
But when it comes to the moment that’s so important, we’re never prepared. Whether it’s a new place, an experience, or a milestone, we want to capture the moment and remember it forever. You can never have too many memories.
If you’re interested, please check out my personal feed on my Instagram account for some of my favorite memories, with more photos and posts to come in the future.
Are you looking to start the New Year off on the right foot? Planning is a great way to ensure you make the most of your time and achieve your goals. In this article, we’ll discuss some New Year planning tips for planning out the New Year. These tips will help you get organized and achieve your goals. So read on to learn more!
New Year Planning Tips
Planning for the new year can be difficult, but here are some ways to make it easier.
Set aside time on your own or with your partner to assess what has worked well for you in the past year. Also, consider what could be improved and how you could do things differently.
Putting all these goals down on paper will make them feel more natural and achievable. Or you can use a planning tool like Trello. If you have trouble sticking to your goals, try setting smaller ones that you can achieve in a shorter period.
The Setup
Write Your Goals Down
Start Travel Planning
Learn Something New
Get Fighting Fit
Focus on Healthy Eating
Declutter Your Closet and Home
Make your New Year Resolutions List
Apply the Pareto Principle
Financial Planning
Consider your Relationships
Planning, Planning, Planning
Consider your Relationships
Think about your romantic and friendship goals. What do you want to achieve with the people in your life? How can you better those relationships in the new year?
Do you want more friends this year than last year? Are there some existing friends that you’d like to see more of? Maybe your goal is to date more. Whatever your relationship goals are, write them down.
Financial Planning
First, consider your finances and what you want to do with them in the new year. Plan your finances for the upcoming year by making a budget and sticking to it.
This will help you stay on top of what you have going out and what is coming in. If you use cash, make sure that there are enough bills available so that spending cannot continue without replenishing funds from somewhere else (i.e., your bank account).
Start a savings account and make transfers to it automatic. Keep track of your investments with a calendar or spreadsheet.
Do you need a new credit card? What about investing in stocks or bonds? Anything can help you move forward with your financial goals.
Apply the Pareto Principle
According to the Pareto Principle, 20% of your activities will give you 80% of your satisfaction. It’s also known as the 80/20 rule and holds that 20% of efforts give 80% of results.
You might wonder how this applies to things to do for the New Year – well, the rule can be used for almost any element of your life. You can even apply this principle to friendships. Spend the most time with those who make you the happiest.
Not advocating cutting out all those who don’t fall into this category but simply focusing on those who are the most enthusiastic about meeting up with you and who contribute equally to the friendship.
Lists are your Best Friend
Make your New Year Resolutions List
It’s tricky changing old habits and sticking to new ones. If you write a list of negatives you’re not allowed to do, such as eating sugar, you may be setting yourself up for failure.
Instead, create a list of positives you want to achieve, such as drinking water 30 minutes before meal times. Try to make SMART goals – i.e., those that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.
Tell a few close friends about your goals so they can hold you accountable. Studies have shown that we’re far more likely to stick to a resolution when we’ve mentioned it to other people.
It’s generally best to set one resolution and stick to that rather than a whole host of goals. Reward yourself when you reach certain milestones (i.e., if you write ten pages in one night, reward yourself with an hour of TV).
One thing you might do is to put yourself number one on the priority list. We’ve found that this works great, especially if you always put yourself last.
Declutter Your Closet and Home
Now is the perfect time to start planning if you want to move in the new year. Look at different neighborhoods and what might be available there.
If you want to stay put but want to make changes around the house, start thinking about what those changes might be. Are there things around the house that need fixing up? Are there any big-ticket items you need to invest in for the New Year, such as a laptop or flat-screen TV?
Assess how often you use each item in your possession. For example, you probably wear around 20% of your wardrobe most of the time. Therefore, consider decluttering your closet and keeping only the most frequently worn items. It’s a similar principle for your home and if you find getting rid of things difficult, ask yourself whether an item is beautiful or valuable. Do it the Marie Kondo way. You have to love it, or it goes.
If it’s neither and you haven’t used it in at least six months, then let it go. Charity shops will welcome objects in good condition, and old CDs or books can usually be donated to a local library.
Education of the Fittest
Focus on Healthy Eating
Are you getting your five a day – the minimum recommended intake of fruit and vegetables? It can be challenging to fit so many in, but we have a few suggestions that may help.
Rustle up healthy and delicious juice drinks to start the day right. Why not try a new fruit or vegetable every so often too? There is always something new showing up at the grocery store.
If you find it hard to resist temptation when eating out, go to restaurants that only serve healthy food until you’ve achieved your ideal weight.
Get Fighting Fit
Are you planning to lose weight or gain muscle in the new year? You need a plan for that, too!
It’s a popular time of year to join a gym but first, ask yourself if that’s your favorite form of exercise. You’re more likely to stick to something that you enjoy.
Dance classes such as Zumba are another excellent option for getting fit; they burn many calories too. If you like being outdoors, consider cycling, running, or a boot camp.
Break your goal down into small, achievable steps for the best chance of success. For example, if you’ve always dreamed of running a marathon, start alternating walking and running over short distances before working your way uphill sprints to build up endurance.
Learn Something New
Seize the New Year by planning to learn a new skill. There are lots of resources online. Google is your best friend – remember that!
Try out a musical instrument, a new language, or a sporting skill; trying something new will energize you for the whole year. Additional benefits may include making new friends, getting fitter, or increasing concentration.
The Groundwork
Start Travel Planning
It is also an excellent time to plan your travel for the year. If you want to go on a couple of trips, make sure that you save up now. There are many great deals if you book in advance, and some airlines offer significant discounts when tickets are bought well in advance.
Do you have any trips already planned? You’ll also want to consider if any places might be off-limits because of political unrest or travel restrictions.
Whether you prefer to use a printed or online calendar, we suggest inputting key dates first, like personal vacations and school holidays.
With careful planning, you can maximize your time away by booking off dates on either side of some national holidays. Reserve the flights and accommodation as soon as possible, since they’re likely expensive at these peak periods.
Think about the trips you’d like to make in the next couple of months – skiing is a must for all winter sports fans. If there’s a bucket list destination that you’re keen to travel to, start saving all articles about it that you can find online.
One of the best ways to do so is on Pinterest, a goldmine of information for travel planning.
Write Your Goals Down
So, each evening, jot down what you want to achieve the next day. It helps to focus the mind. Don’t beat yourself up if your goals slip from time to time but give yourself a small reward each time you achieve one.
In addition, write out your goals for the next 12 months and post them somewhere visible so you’ll be reminded of them every day.
In Conclusion:
New Year Planning Tips
Achieving personal goals in the New Year is easier if you start planning for them now. The New Year isn’t the only time to make resolutions.
This should be a year-round process of taking stock of your life and planning how you want things to go. You don’t have to do all these essential tasks at once – take one step at a time.
Remember that it’s okay if things don’t go according to plan – keep moving forward! Also, be patient – it takes time to achieve your goals!
We hope you’ve found these suggestions for planning for the New Year helpful. Here’s to a fantastic year ahead. What are you planning for the New Year?
Learning to listen to your customers is essential to go above and beyond with your customer service. When you know how to listen, you’ll begin to hear about what they want and need from your brand. Getting your customers to talk isn’t as hard as you think.
You can use the ideas below for inspiration.
Surveys
You want to send out a survey to your customers at least once a year. This allows you to track your industry’s growth, predict trends before they become hot, and see gaps in your niche that no one else is filling.
Be aware of the timing when you send out a survey. A survey sent in the middle of the holiday season isn’t likely to receive much attention, and you may only get a handful of subscribers to participate. But a survey sent out in the middle of January when the holidays are over will get a much better response rate.
Suggestions
Keep a form on your website open constantly just for suggestions. Your customers might suggest content ideas, feedback on a current product, or questions about your services. When customers take the time to fill out your suggestion box, it means they care a lot about your business. So let them know you value their thoughts and periodically remind them that you have a suggestion box if they’d like to share their ideas.
Set up a form on your website with questions to help you write a case study. Start by asking for some basic information from your customers. Ask for their names, ages, marital status, and location. Details like these help set the stage for writing your case study later.
Then go deeper by asking customers to describe their life before trying your product or service. What was their business, marriage, or life like before your brand? Were they happy? What was bugging them?
Ask your customers how their lives have changed since they implemented your product. Did they get out of debt thanks to your financial success product? Did they finally have enough for that dream vacation they always wanted, thanks to your work-at-home product?
Don’t forget to ask for a picture of your customer. Your case study will interest more people if you include your customer’s vision.
Extra Services
Testimonials
Case studies tend to be longer and more in-depth than testimonials. Both are good ways to generate interest in your product or service. But due to the transient nature of testimonials, it’s easier to gather these from customers than case studies. Customer service and your clients can provide you with referrals that will exponentially expand your business.
Make a testimonial form on your website. Ask open-ended questions that encourage more than simple ‘yes or no answers. For example, ask customers about their biggest fear before buying your product. Ask them why they chose you over a competitor or what other products they’ve tried previously.
Make It Beautiful
When a customer gives you a testimonial or provides a case study, turn it into a beautiful image. At the bottom of your image, include your website address. Then share the image on your blog, in your social media circles, and with your mailing list.
Your customer will be so proud to be featured that they’ll share it, too. This exposes your brand to even more potential customers and can help you grow your business in new ways.
Customers are eager to share their opinions when you give them the opportunity. Feedback forms like surveys and case studies show your customers that you care about what they want.
No Excuses! It’s time to take your customer service above and beyond. Do that now by downloading your free workbook.
You can add a personal touch to your customer service when you use postcards or greeting cards to reach out to your customers. They make your customers feel valued, and in an increasingly digital world, your brand stands out when you send a card or gift through the postal system.
Look for One of A Kind Cards
If you are sending a card, make it something special. Skip the cheap, blank notecards, and don’t go for bland. You want to send a card that your customers will pin to their bulletin board or share on social media. You want a special card. Once your customer knows it is not junk mail.
One place where you can find unique and original cards is Etsy. There are hundreds of hand-made greeting cards that you can search for on the site. You can even have one custom designed for your customer if you want.
Try Send Out Cards
Another option that you may want to consider is Send Out Cards. This is a website where you can select a greeting card you like and have it sent to your new customers. It works similarly to stock photo sites in that you buy credits for a certain amount of money. You use your credits to purchase cards and upload your signature, so it looks like you signed the card. Then it’s sent out like a regular letter to your customer.
Send Out Cards will let you keep a contacts database to send birthday cards to your customers. But it’s not just for birthdays—there are plenty of holiday-themed cards to choose from, too. Whether your clients celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah, you’re sure to find a card that’s right for them. Using postcards and Send OutCards makes it easy for your business to use.
Use Reminders to Make Personal Connections
Your new client just mentioned she’s expecting a little one in six months. Pause to add this info to your calendar and set a reminder ahead of time. You can put something simple like, “Jane’s baby is due in June. Send a card.”
Sites like Send Out Cards, have a gift area that’s perfect when you want to add something special to your card. You can send your customers a treat like a fantastic brownie or tasty fudge. Of course, you can opt for a non-food item if you prefer. You can include a gift like a necklace, a toy plush, a beautiful scarf, or any number of genuine products.
Sending out cards to your customers is a small personal touchthat will delight them. It shows that you care not only about their business but also their lives. When your customers feel you care, they are excited to work with you.
