Personal Development Tips by Kimber
Do you ever wonder what the happy, successful people do to better themselves? Do you wonder what their secrets are? Do you wonder why some people seem to glide through life while others are full of negativity and complaints? Let me tell you a few secrets. First of all, remember that what you see on social media is a BETTER VERSION of the person’s life that their actual life. What does that mean? It means the uber-successful people you see taking trips without a care in the world are showing you their life’s highlight reel. They are not showing you their struggles. However, it also means that your friend from high school who spews negativity and is always complaining about their lives with a serious “poor me” tone….well that is the highlight reel of their lives, too. So, who do you want to be? Positive Polly with her trips and fun times or Negative Nancy with her trials and tribulations? What if I told you… YOU decide which one you are and I have some secrets on how you can transform into Polly and leave Nancy behind? (No offense to the wonderful Nancys I know in life…LOL).
So, let me preface this with saying this works for me, but that does not mean it will work for you. As always, you do you. But maybe this will help one person out there? And that is why I am sharing my routine for keeping myself sharp and as stress-free as I can.
1. Gratitude. Let me say this is the best way to start your day. Start with a heart full of gratitude. Write it down. Send a thank you note. Tell someone you love them…and WHY. This may be the one biggest secret there is out there to a happy life full of highlight reels. Seriously. When you dwell on what you don’t have, you are taking up the space in your mind that could be reflecting on all you DO have. So start your day with gratitude. Do this every day. Make it as much a habit as hitting the snooze on your alarm clock. This should actually replace the habit of hitting the snooze button.
2. Read or listen to a podcast. Every single day. I am not joking. Find some time and read a good book that motivates you and inspires you. Or listen to an uplifting podcast that adds some value to your life. A few good books I have and love: Everybody, Always, You Are a Badass, and The Year of Yes. A great podcast is the Rachel Hollis podcast (her book Girl, Wash Your Face was great, too). I also happen to love the Top of the Class podcast, but that is because I am a teacher by nature. Find a podcast that is in your field or uplifts you in some way and gives you wisdom.
3. Do something active. Get your body moving. If you have time to read this or time to scroll through Facebook, guess what? You literally have time to take a walk, go to an exercise class, or do some yoga at home. In fact, if you are pressed for time, you can listen to an audiobook or a podcasts WHILE YOU EXERCISE. Weird, right? You Channel, so r body is meant to move. I know, it is hard to get motivated. Looking at me, you might think I am just spewing nonsense. But I recently started exercising again and it is glorious! You need to move a little each day and work out really hard a few times a week. It clears your mind and improves your body. It is really essential.
4. Pray or meditate. Silence is golden, right? I am a person who loves noise and activity. I love people. I love talking. But sometimes you need to reflect and quiet your thoughts. I pray each night before bed. It is usually the same prayer (no judging me, please, as this is my blog). I enjoy a few quiet moments in my mind, or I sit and meditate. Did you know that on Amazon Prime Video you can find a bunch of videos that help you meditate?? It is true! Check it out. (I am also known to watch the Yule Log Channel too, so maybe some judging is allowed. Anyway, just relax, meditate, be still, and with your own thoughts, for a bit of time each day.
5. Write it down. Goals? Checklists? Gratitude? New ideas? Vision boards? Write it all down. When you put things on paper, it helps your body and mind mesh and believe your goals or your gratitude or your new ideas. Keep a journal. Write a thank you note. I am seeing a pattern here, are you?
6. Build a tribe. There are scholars out there that say you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. So take a look around. Who are you hanging with? Negative Nancys galore? Or Positive Pollys? People who are stagnant? Or people who are growing and becoming better people? You may not think it matters, but it does. When your friends are negative, you are too. When your friends are learning and excelling and pushing themselves, you are more likely to do that too. So it really is important to spend time with people, but also to choose those people carefully. You know how they say to never buy the most expensive and nicest house on your block, because your real estate value will only go down? The same is true for your inner circle of friends. You never want to be the most successful, the smartest person in the room, or the person who works the hardest. If you are, then your mental real estate is going down in value.
What are your tips for personal development? Drop me a comment below!
Until next time, you will find me living my best life and hanging out with people who are more awesome than I am.
XXXOOO Kimber
