60+ Ways to Improve Yourself In All Areas of Life

PHYSICAL HEALTH

Take your vitamins

While it is possible to get all of your vitamins and minerals from nutrition, it can be difficult. It’s a good idea to get regular blood work done to check your vitamin/mineral levels. That way if you are deficient in something you can figure out what you need to eat more of or supplement with, especially if you’re vegan.

I’ve been using the Ritual multivitamin for over 2 years now, in addition to B-12, a probiotic, a digestive enzyme, vitamin C, vegan collagen, and a weekly extra dosage of vitamin D. I have a more detailed post of the vitamins and supplements I take, but it’s important to figure out what your body needs specifically.

Exercise

It’s a no-brainer that exercise is one of the best things we can do for our physical health. Exercise improves the way your body functions…your brain, blood flow, heart, muscles, joints, etc. What’s great about exercise is that there are so many options and varieties for everyone to find something you love. You could try lifting weights, running, HIIT, walking, yoga, pilates, hiking, or a combination of everything.

The important thing is to live an active lifestyle, which will improve your overall mood and help you live a longer, healthier life.

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Drink enough water

Are you aware of how much water you’re drinking each day? Or do you mostly consume coffee, soda, and juices? Water has many benefits, but it’s easy to forget about drinking it during your busy schedule. I used to drink a gallon a day, but now I aim for drinking at least half my body weight in ounces (so about 60 oz), but I definitely aim for more since I am active.

If your urine is dark yellow, you feel tired, have a headache, or feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water and see if you feel any better. Set reminders if you need to or try these other ways to drink more water.

Go for a walk

Going for a walk is beneficial to your physical health and your mental health! I think they’re so relaxing and peaceful, especially if you can manage to take them surrounded by a lot of nature. It’s also great bonding time if you walk with your dog(s), significant other, family, or friends.

If it’s a rainy day just get up and moving around in your home/office buildings or hallways, or you could just bring an umbrella!

Stretch

Stretching is not only important before and after a workout, but all the time! The more flexible your joints and tendons are the less likely it is you will experience pain or an injury. What’s great about stretching is you can do it while watching tv, in bed, or while listening to an audiobook.

If you’re not sure of what stretches to do, there are many Youtube videos to guide you!

Wear sunscreen

The sun’s rays can be harmful all year long, so it’s really important to apply sunscreen daily. I use an spf of 30 on my face every day to prevent sun damage, premature wrinkles, and sunburn.

Correct your posture

With today’s technology, many of us are slouched over staring at a computer screen or cell phone all day long. This can lead to neck pain, headaches, and changes in your spine. Actively work on your posture while you’re sitting and standing. If you have trouble with this, it may be worth investing in a posture corrector or trainer.

Get enough sleep

Sleep is equally as important as exercise, however, it’s another common area that many of us slack on. There’s just so much to do, read, and watch, which makes it even more difficult to get the recommended hours of snooze time.

Personally, I thrive off about 7.5 hours of sleep. I believe everyone is different but I don’t think functioning off of 5 hours of sleep daily is a good idea. Too much sleep can be a problem as well. You’ve got to figure out the best amount of time that you thrive off of, figure out the latest you can wake up without rushing, and count back from that time to see when you need to go to bed.

Blue light glasses

If you spend a lot of time looking at a computer, television, or phone screen, try out a pair of blue light blocking glasses! I tend to spend a lot of time on my laptop blogging/editing during the three hours leading up to my bed time. I kept waking up through the night and this was probably because my melatonin levels were being suppressed. I started working with these blue light glasses on and they help a ton.

Cook meals at home

Cooking meals at home is always a healthier option. You know the exact ingredients going into your dishes, you can make left overs for lunch, and you’ll probably save a lot more money! Going out to eat can be convenient, but it’s an easy way to pack on the pounds and shrink your wallet.

With the proper planning and preparation, cooking meals from home should be easy.

Limit caffeine intake

How many cups of coffee are you consuming every day? Soda? Tea? Energy drinks?

I only allow myself one cup of coffee in the morning because caffeine can cause increased anxiety, sleep problems, and a number of other side effects.

If you find yourself relying on caffeine to get through your day, you may want to slowly decrease your consumption and find a healthier alternative. You could try non-caffeinated tea, lemon water, or lion’s mane elixir for focus!

Get regular exams

I’m not one to go to the doctor often, but I always make sure to go to the gynecologist and the eye doctor once a year, and the dentist every six months. In addition to taking care of your health in general, regularly getting pap smears, blood tests, x-rays, teeth cleanings, and eye exams is key to preventing future medical problems.

Ground/Earth

Grounding, also called Earthing is the act of touching Earth with your bare skin for a natural energy infusion. This can be a walk on the beach, swimming in natural waters, or standing in the grass. Majority of us spend most of our time indoors, and if we do make it outside we have shoes on blocking the available energy.

Scientific studies have shown that grounding can decrease inflammation and pain, reduce stress levels, and increase blood circulation. If going outside barefoot isn’t an option, there are even grounding mats and bed sheets to buy instead!

FINANCES

Track your spending

Go back the last 2-3 months to add up every single dollar you spent and then place all purchases into categories (car, debt, food, pets, unnecessary, etc.). This is the best way to figure out which areas you’re spending too much money in and your spending triggers.

For example, if you find that ‘Target’ is coming up over and over again in your statements, maybe it’s best to avoid going into Target at all. Keep tracking your spending every month to stay on top of it.

I track my spending EVERY month and share it here.

Create a budget

A personal budget is key to prevent overspending.

And now that you’ve tracked your spending for the last few months you can come up with a budget to limit spending in problem areas. Without a budget it’s easy to loosely spend your money. A budget can help you save for emergencies and pay off debt quicker.

Get out of debt

Being in debt is normal now and in the words of Dave Ramsey, “Be weird.” Having debt means you always owe someone and that you’re accruing interest, ultimately losing more money.

What percentage of your income goes to debt? Now what if all of that went to your savings instead?

You would have way more to spend on vacations, investing, food, etc. without the stress.

Add up all of your debts and start a repayment plan ASAP.

Think before you buy

I’ve bought SO many things that I ended up barely using or disliking later. Had I really thought about the purchase, I would have realized I didn’t really need/want it, and saved the money instead.

Automate savings

There are a few ways to automate your savings:

-Take advantage of your 401K match at your job (if available)

-If you have direct deposit at work, provide your savings account/routing number to automatically put 5-20% in, and the rest go to your checking account.

-Personally, I automatically have my Roth IRA pull $100 from my checking account every month. I just treat it like a bill.

-Or you could just put a certain amount into a high-yield savings account as soon as you get paid. No touching it though!

Automate bill pay

Another thing to automate are your bills. That way you don’t have to worry about missing a payment. Some companies even offer discounts or lower interest rates if you set up automatic payments. My student loans do! Just be sure to double check your bank statements each month to ensure the proper amount is being deducted!

Review your budget weekly/bi-weekly

A monthly budget is great, but it’s easy to forget about once you get to spending. By staying on top of how much you’re spending after a week or two, you can calculate how much you have left to spend for the remainder of the month. You may even have to adjust things around so you don’t go over your budget.

Check your credit score regularly

If you follow Dave Ramsey at all, you’ll know he has a credit score of 0 because he doesn’t believe credit is necessary at all if you manage your money really well. For most of us, we’re not at that point yet, so while you still have debt and bills to pay, pay attention to your credit score!

I love the app Credit Karma because it is free, it’s simple to use, it breaks down all of your debts/loans, and offers decent tips and credit hacks. I check my credit score about every month after all of my statements have been processed. Sometimes a mistake can be made on your credit report, so if you’re always monitoring it you can catch it and resolve any issues!

Invest

You don’t need to be rich to start investing…just start! Whether it’s $10 or $10,000 you have options available. Here’s a few options:

Most importantly you should be investing in yourself.

Reading books, listening to podcasts, taking courses, living a healthy lifestyle, etc. The more you take care of yourself and the more knowledge you gain, the more potential you have to make more money.

Stocks

Start with Robinhood. It’s a FREE stock trading app with NO trading fees and you can start with any amount you want to. There are a few limitations to what you can do with this app, but it’s a great place to start and learn. If you want a free stock, use my link to sign up!

Roth IRA

A Roth IRA is a retirement account that has great potential for growth. The sooner you start investing, the more money you’ll gain through compounding interest. A Roth IRA demonstrates the power of compounding interest, and it’s worth it to start contributing regularly.

A business

You don’t need much money to start businesses today. In the past, our grandparents couldn’t work full-time and come home to work on a side-hustle. With the power of the internet we can do so much and reach basically the whole world!

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Open a savings account

If you have a large lump sum of money or plan on saving more, do your research on online “high-yield” savings accounts. If you want immediate access to your money, a savings account is the safe route. Most people have a savings account to go along with their checkings at a large banking firm (Bank of America, Wells Fargo, etc.). These banks have VERY low interest rates and you can only earn a few bucks a year. Online banks, such as CIT Bank, Synchrony, and Marcus by Goldman Sachs offer a much higher rate of interest. Therefore you can gain a few bucks every MONTH, depending on how much money you deposit.

You’re not going to see huge profit from any bank, but if you’re looking for a less risky option you may want to consider it!

Call your credit card companies

Did you know you can call your credit card companies and ask if they can offer a lower interest rate? I called all of mine and all of them but 1 were able to lower my interest rate!

It’s ideal to try to pay off all of your credit card debt asap, but if you can save money in the process by just a quick phone call, it’s worth it.

Cut bills if possible

Consider cutting your cable bill completely, and negotiating lower costs for your internet and phone bills. Are there any other services or subscriptions you could live without? Sometimes we fail to realize that we may be spending too much on those little things. However, if you’re really trying to save and/or get out of debt, cut back as much as possible.

Take advantage of finance apps

There are SO many great apps out there that can either save you money or make you money!

Personally, I use the following:

IBotta

IBotta is a coupon app where you can save money AFTER going shopping at many stores. You just browse through the items and if you bought something you select it, take a photo of your receipt, and redeem your money!

ReceiptHog

All you do on ReceiptHog is take a photo of your receipt. You then earn a certain number of coins depending on how much you spent, plus you receive weekly “slots” where you may earn even more!

Robinhood

As I mentioned above, Robinhood is a free app for investing in the stock market. Be sure to do your research a bit on stocks, but this app is great for beginners.

MENTAL HEALTH

Read

How often do you read these days? I think reading is great for learning, entertainment, brain function, and creativity. I have learned and gained SO much by reading so many books. Of course I highly suggest personal development/business books, but find what you like!

Meditate

Quite a few things can happen when you sit down to meditate. There are dozens of benefits, but each day that you take time to meditate you are practicing your self-discipline, learning about your mind and body, improving your cognitive function, and reducing stress. I prefer to use a guided meditation from the Insight Timer app. Meditating definitely isn’t easy but it will help you gain clarity.

Journal

You can learn a lot about yourself and how you’re feeling through journaling. It helps to write things out. It’s also cool to write experiences in the moment, allowing you to go back and live through it again or see how far you have come.

Detox from social media

So many of us are addicted to social media. Scrolling, liking, and watching seems to never get old and there’s something satisfying (almost relaxing) about it. However, social media isn’t all that great for us. We can get lost on these platforms for hours and hours and 9 times out of 10 we don’t gain anything from it.

Try to take time away from social media everyday, and I suggest a one day or one week detox every few weeks. You’ll start to realize how often you reach for your phone. And when you don’t get on SM you’ll see how much more productive you can be.

Don’t watch the news

The news typically only shares sad, negative, and scary stories. Most people watch the news after waking up or before bed, both which have a negative impact on our mental state. Instead, listen/watch/read something that will bring positivity or knowledge to your life. Don’t start or end your days with negativity.

Listen to motivational speeches/podcasts

If you spend any time commuting or are looking to expand your mind, listen to podcasts or motivational speeches. Most podcasts are free and there is literally something out there for everyone. I also love to play motivational compilation videos during my commutes, while I get ready, and even while I work out.

Everything that is being said is positive and inspiring. These free resources can make a world of a difference for those of you who may not have positive people or a mentor to look up to.

Stop comparing yourself to others

You are where you are supposed to be in all areas of life. The person next to you or that girl online have nothing to do with YOUR life. Sure, you can use others as inspiration, but there is no point of comparing your life or body to anyone else. Only compare your old self to your current self and go from there.

Practice self-care regularly

Self-care should be practiced daily. Self-care is taking care of your skin and personal hygiene, eating healthy meals, and exercising. It’s also what you listen to and what you say/think to yourself. Without self-care you will deplete your energy levels quickly. Take care of yourself first, do what makes you happy, and all else will seemingly fall into place.

Practice gratitude

Gratitude is the best attitude. Chances are, you have a lot of things/people in your life to be grateful for. Even if there are bad things happening, see if you can find the good in them. When we struggle, we tend to only focus on the negatives.

We lose sight of all the amazing things around us; our body fighting for our lives, the beautiful sunset, the delicious first sip of your morning coffee, that you made it safe to work this morning, and so on.

Learning to be grateful NOW and not just waiting for good things to come is the key to happiness.

RELATIONSHIPS

Actively listen

Being an effective listener is not many people’s strong suit. We kind of half listen to what someone is saying while we think about what we are going to say in response. When someone is confiding in you or sharing something with you, be sure to get rid of any distractions and just listen. Understand fully what is being said and then come up with a response is necessary.

Touch

When it comes to romantic or loving relationships, touch is so important. A hug, hand holding, or simply just being skin to skin is very powerful. It shows trust and connection.

Properly communicate

People can’t read your mind, and many people can’t even pick up on body language cues. If you don’t like something, if you do like something, if you need something, or whatever else, communicate that to people around you. Misunderstanding and miscommunication can cause a lot of problems and unnecessary stress in relationships. Proper communication can lead to great things.

Compliment

If you are thinking of something positive about someone, voice that! A compliment can really turn someone’s day around. And if you are in a relationship, don’t stop complimenting one another as time goes on.

Never hide things

If you want a healthy relationship then it’s a good idea not to hide things. Hiding finances, problems, and how you really feel amongst other things can have big consequences later. The key is to be honest and be truthful.

Compromise

Relationships take a lot of compromise. If you’re not willing to adjust some things then a relationship may not be right for you at this moment. An example of compromise in my relationship comes up if we ever argue/get upset. I prefer to stay quiet, just go to sleep and either talk later or let it go. However, my boyfriend prefers talking it out immediately. He’s learned to give me a bit of time, but I’ve had to compromise my urge to stay silent and talk it out instead.

Surround yourself with positive people

Unfortunately most people are not positive influences. Misery loves company, so if someone can drag you into their problems, they will. It’s one thing when people vent about their problems, but it can be draining to hear someone complain constantly or make negative remarks all day.

If you can’t surround yourself with positive people, listen to positive podcasts, speeches, or videos. Tony Robbins and Gary V are a couple of my favorites to listen to.

Think before you speak

If you don’t think before you speak, you may say something that you’ll soon regret. This can happen at any time, but especially during an argument/altercation. Learn to bite your tongue, it will serve you better in many situations.

Practice empathy

I used to be very judgmental of people, however, I have become way more empathetic over the years. I try to put myself in other people’s shoes and think about what they are going through, why they did what they did, etc.

By practicing empathy with others, you’ll feel more of a connection, respect, and understanding.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

Floss your teeth

How often do you floss your teeth?? I highly suggest flossing at least once a day (night time is best). Even if you don’t think there is anything in between your teeth, thousands of stinky bacteria are stuck there. Flossing will help whiten your teeth, keep your gums healthy, and prevent bad breath.

Brush your teeth 2-3x a day

Hopefully we all brush our teeth at least twice a day, but I know there are many people who skip it some nights. Even if you’re sleepy, just get up and brush your teeth!

Wash your face

Similar to brushing your teeth, be sure to wash your face! Our face collects a lot of dust and bacteria throughout the day, especially if you’re wearing makeup. So be sure to use soap and water to get all the grime off!

Detox your underarms

Use bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar to detox your armpits. Regular deodorant builds up in your pores and can cause dark circles or odor. A detox should help eliminate both, and may even make you sweat less.

Use natural deodorant

After detoxing your armpits, I suggest switching to a natural deodorant. Common deodorants contain aluminum and other chemicals. It’s believed that aluminum may contribute to breast cancer, which is why I don’t want to put something so potentially toxic on my body.

Aluminum is also the ingredient which prevents sweating, however, sweating is normal and healthy. There are many natural deodorants on the market to try out instead.

Use a scalp scrubber

Scalp scrubbers are small, affordable tools that help get build up off your scalp. They also prevent dandruff, promote blood flow (improves hair), and can even reduce headaches!

Exfoliate

Exfoliate your body at least once a week to get any dead skin cells off and reveal soft skin.

Oil pull

Put about a teaspoon of unrefined, virgin coconut oil in your mouth and swish it around for 15-20 minutes. While I don’t believe oil pulling can replace brushing/flossing or modern dentistry, it’s a great addition to your oral health routine.

You’ll notice that your breath will be fresher, your teeth will be less sensitive, and your teeth my feel cleaner and even whiten up.

Use natural beauty products

Don’t let big companies fool you. You don’t need a 10-step skin care system filled with chemicals and acids. Pay attention to what you are putting on your skin because you absorb those potential toxins.

I’ve found that sticking to simple, natural, and fragrance-free products works best.

GENERAL

Make your bed every morning

A simple habit every morning can lead to great rest of your day. Practicing self-discipline first thing in the morning is huge. Plus, a room looks so much more put together when the bed is neat!

Have a morning routine

Even if you don’t have much time in the morning you can definitely squeeze in a little routine. Meditating, dry brushing, jade rolling, journaling, reading, etc. are great options to add.

Having a routine even means how you get ready for the day. I do just about the same thing every morning. My routine allows me to feel good about my morning yet leave the house on time every day!

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Have an evening routine

An evening routine will only help your morning routine. For example, I highly suggest you lay out your outfit for the next day, this will save you a lot of time in the morning. Besides that, try a simple evening “wind down” routine that will get you ready for restful sleep (reading, journaling, meditating, stretching, etc.)

Watch less/no TV

I used to watch tv for a couple of hours every day. Now I don’t watch any tv and guess what?? I’m not missing anything! I had several shows I used to watch regularly, and all of them were mindless, pointless, garbage. Now I use that time to work on my side hustles, read, or talk. It’s so much better.

Learn something new

Always be open to learning something new. Not only is learning healthy for your brain, but it can help you grow as a person in many areas of life. With the internet, there are so many resources to learn all subjects, languages, and skills for FREE or very cheap.

Wake up early

Wake up early and experience all the benefits! Of course you’re going to have to go to bed earlier and make this a routine, but soon you’ll become an early riser and you can take advantage of the quiet mornings, lighter traffic, empty stores, etc. Waking up early allows me to get more done in the day and makes me more productive.

Stop procrastinating

We all procrastinate, but taking control of your actions is key here. Beating procrastination completely is impossible, but strengthening your self-discipline is the best step you can take to get more done when you said you would.

Try to get down to the bottom of your procrastination. Do you hate the work you’re doing? Are you too tired? Once you figure out why you’re procrastinating then it should be easier to overcome.

Declutter regularly

I like to use the ‘5 minute rule’ when it comes to decluttering. If it takes 5 minutes or less, do it! Which means that most decluttering tasks should be completed right away…washing your dishes, making the bed, putting your clothes away, filing papers, etc. When you stay on top of things it should make maintaining a clean space a lot easier.

Simplify/minimize

I first suggest you start by watching the documentary ‘Minimalism.’ We live in a society where material items run our life. We work a job we hate to buy things to impress people we don’t care about. Now, I can’t say I’m on a full on minimalist, however, I’ve enjoyed adopting some of those traits.

I’ve realized how shallow my thinking was before. I still like to buy things, but I also get rid of a lot of things. My “wants” in life have also changed as a result of learning about minimalism.

Step out of your comfort zone

Being comfortable is great, however, it doesn’t allow for much growth. When you step out of your comfort zone you grow as a person and increase your confidence. I have experienced some of the best things by doing things that made me uncomfortable. If it’s something scary, or something you would typically say no to, that’s your sign to do it.

Be yourself

All you have is yourself, why would you want to try to be like someone else?? Do the things that you love, feel are right, and make you happy (as long as you’re not harming others in the process:)).

Have a weekly GYST day

GYST = Get Your Shit Together. This term was coined by Kalyn Nicholson, a YouTuber who has a GYST Sunday where she cleans her home, does laundry, meal preps, plans her week/month, pampers herself, etc. I have also made Sunday’s my GYST day and I love it. It makes each of my weeks better.

Set your GYST day to whichever day works best for you, and do things that benefit you the most!

Make conscious decisions

Always, always think before you speak and act. Otherwise you may end up saying or doing something you regret. Conscious decisions are something that humans have the ability to do and other species do not.

This type of decision making requires you to be aware. Aware of yourself, circumstances, and others. Obviously some decisions are easier to make than others, but for the difficult ones sometimes it requires more contemplating.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

When consuming products, try to think consciously about what they are made of, and if you can reuse or recycle them. Unfortunately, our world is overflowing with trash and plastics. The oceans and streets are highly polluted, causing a lot of destruction to nature and animals. Do your part and try your best to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Every step counts!

Don’t hit the snooze button

Waking up in the morning can be the hardest part of our day, but don’t make it worse by snoozing. Each time you hit snooze you’re decreasing your self-discipline. You’ll also likely end up feeling even more tired, because when you fall back to sleep your body is preparing or another cycle of sleep. However, it will soon be disrupted and you’ll feel groggy.

Instead, set your alarm for when you usually ACTUALLY get up, that way you’re get more sleep that you probably need.

Take power naps

A long nap sounds amazing, until you sleep for 3 hours and wake up feeling groggy and even more tired. I know a 15-20 minute nap sounds awful, but have you tried it before?? After about 20 minutes you’ll want to keep sleeping, but if you actually wake up you’ll find that you have way more energy after a few minutes. If I’m feeling sleepy but I need to be productive, I power nap and then end up getting a lot more work done!

5 minute rule

I mentioned this above, but I think it’s such a good habit to develop. If something takes less than 5 minutes to complete, then just do it.

This often includes things like responding to an email, washing the dishes, paying a bill, etc. This eliminates decision making throughout your day and helps to prevent stress later.

There are so many ways to improve yourself and make your life better!

What can you do today??