Sarah
How good are you at letting yourself reach new heights? Do you practice self-love? Or do you, like all of us do, sometimes, revert to self-sabotaging behaviors just when you’re on the brink of achieving something amazing?
If personal growth is high on your list of goals for 2021, then learning ways to let yourself bloom this spring definitely deserves a spot on your master to-do list.
Here are four easy things you can start doing right now. They will, inevitably, help you be happier, healthier, and more likely to reach your full potential.
Learn to Listen
Somewhere, while becoming obsessed with attaining #goals, professional or personal, we have collectively managed to lose track of what really matters. Ambition, the need for external validation, and societal pressure have forced us to start prioritizing the wrong things.
In reality, we should have learned how to accept individuality instead.
But the good thing is, it is never too late to turn over a new leaf. And, taking the first steps can be quite easy. All you need to do is take a pause and listen.
When faced with a decision, stop for a moment. What is your intuition telling you? Are there any positive or negative feelings you’re detecting? How do you feel physically – ready for a challenge or in need of a break?
Listening to the signals from your body and mind might be one of the essential skills you learn this spring. Besides, it could help you identify and attain your goals by teaching you how to prioritize the things that bring joy.
Do Whatever Makes You Bloom
“A flower blossoms for its own joy.” ― Oscar Wilde
How often do you treat yourself? Perhaps it’s cooking your favorite comfort foods. Or, it could be taking a day off work to do nothing but chill. Either way, finding ways to make yourself happy is a big step towards reaching your best self.
Of course, that doesn’t mean allowing procrastination. Or giving up on something just because it takes hard work. (Yes, procrastination is a form of self-sabotage. As well as a signal to stop for some introspection.) Instead, it means finding small or big ways to boost your mood, to find some inspiration, or motivate yourself to go the extra mile.
If you take up any projects, hobbies, or long-term plans this year, make sure that they spark joy. Or, if there’s something you simply have to do, make your best attempt to find that joy in it. It can be anything: the happiness of a loved one, a positive career outcome in the future, or the opportunity to learn something new.
Mens Sana In Corpore Sano
I have always been a strong proponent of the fact that physical and emotional wellbeing leads to prosperity and happiness. Even though I need constant reminding to actually practice self-care.
However, I know that if I want to set myself up for success, I need to take great care of my body and mind. For me, this means:
- Waking up early, which I usually struggle with, so that I can do my 20-minute morning yoga
- Sticking to a (mainly) healthy and balanced diet so that I don’t pay the price for overindulging in sugar or simple carbs
- Giving myself at least one day off per week because I’m prone to overworking myself
- Keeping to all my doctors and therapist appointments because prevention and maintenance beat all cures
I do all this (which is not that much, to be honest) because I know it is the key to being in prime physical and emotional shape to take on challenges. And, of course, being challenged is the only way to move forward.
Shift Your Mindset
Finally, there is one last thing you can do to ensure you bloom this spring (or any other time, for that matter). It is to do away with high expectations, self-criticism, perfectionist tendencies, and just let yourself do the best you can at that given moment.
While it may not seem like it, failure is a part of everyone’s life – be it personal or professional. But, instead of berating yourself for not living up to someone else’s (or your own) expectations, learn to accept failure as a learning opportunity.
Maybe that missed deadline can teach you how to better organize your workflow next time. Or, a failed recipe might point out the cooking skills you still need to perfect. Even something as difficult as the end of a relationship can be the event that helps us turn over a new leaf and teach us how to take better care of our needs next time.
Final Thoughts
Everyone has a different path in life. Some people are born with a positive mindset and a happy-go-lucky outlook on life. Others, on the other hand, sweat the small stuff, expecting themselves to consistently do better.
But the thing is, absolutely anyone can bloom, no matter what life stage they’re at. The only requirement? Self-belief and a good dose of self-care. And, fortunately for all of us, it’s never too late to learn either of those.
