8 Tiny Changes That Will Immediately Increase Your Quality Of Life
Stop self-sabotage before it starts.
Vlada Karpovich | Pexels Do you do things that get in the way of your goals and dreams?
Humans are funny things. We can know what we want but then find ways to set up obstacles through bad habits or brutal self-judgements.
I can hold myself back, but I’ve lived long enough to know the risks and to know what to do to limit self-sabotage.
Here are the 8 tiny changes that will immediately increase your quality of life:
1. Plan your day ahead.
Keep it simple. Before you start your day’s activities, write out the five priorities for the day.
I do this by referring to my longer-term goals first. Then I write out my next steps in order.
Now there is no second-guessing. I am in ownership mode.
2. Disconnect from past shame.
The illusion of the past has sabotaged humans throughout history more than anything else.
And yes, the past is made up in our heads.
We’ll allow ourselves to hold ourselves back if we can’t forgive. We are limited if we’re guided by a story of who we think we are.
How to let go?
You must find the strength to stop thinking about the past and replace it with a ruthless bias to action. Fill your day with movement.
New actions will start to redefine the image you hold of who you are.
Use action like a powerful poison that stifles the growth of new, pernicious thoughts.
3. Take care of yourself.
Make a stand for who you are and your pride in yourself by respecting your mind and body.
Do what you need as a non-negotiable before all else.
Responding to emails does not place higher than meditation or going for a 30-minute walk.
The more you replace people-pleasing with positive self-interest, the more progress you will make.
4. Focus on your system.
Most of us are in tremendous conflict because we’re self-conscious.
We are in self-doubt. Why? People tend to give very irrational answers to such a question. Ask them.
Focus on the system.
What’s your system? Brushing your teeth every day is a system.
And it works.
Systematise, and don’t get lost in self-obsession.
5. Let go of negative self-talk.
“You’re such a lazy idiot.” Hear that?
Yep, that’s your negative self-talk part of you, which — believe it or not — is acting in your self-interest.
It wants you safe and it wants you to do better. But that pressure cripples you.
It decreases your effectiveness and makes you feel small. You know this.
If the voice pipes up for me I know it’s time to do one thing: turn away from thoughts and get into motion and the visceral beauty of the present.
6. Do one thing at a time and forget the rest.
Sabotage is far more likely when we’re in our heads. We can’t be in our heads if we’re doing one thing at a time.
How? Because we’re no longer in planning or thinking mode. We’re in motion.
We’re in the flow of doing. In this state, we’re gifted with a stream of insight that lifts us higher.
7. Take one responsible action.
We create unnecessary obstacles when we perceive ourselves as victims in our own life stories.
That’s the epitome of self-sabotage.
Quit blaming others for your struggles and take responsibility.
This starts by doing one responsible thing. Do the hard thing today.
Be bold.
Boldness is underrated.
Hesitation will be the slow death of you.
Every action you take that is half-hearted defines your reality and will be met with an equally flaccid result.
You don’t need to know what you’re doing to be bold. You needn’t know what the future holds to be bold.
No one does. We’re all in the fog.
So be bold.
It’s your only option.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient.