5 Tips to Remain Mindful and Self-Aware at Any Age

5-Tips-to-Remain-Mindful-and-Self-Aware-at-Any-AgeWhile it’s easy to think one knows everything worth knowing at sixteen, time teaches us that there’s always more to learn about the world around us, and even the person that we should know best in all the world: ourselves. There’s still so much to learn – and still so much to do – but finding areas for personal growth requires a healthy dose of mindfulness and self-knowledge. Try these tips to boost your self-awareness, explore your identity, and find new interests and opportunities for self-realization.

1. Do a Personality Test

No, we’re not looking for deep, dark secrets – rather an objective perspective on who we are, what satisfies us, and maybe even some fresh inspirations for everything from mundane hobbies to our next travel adventures. How does it work? One of the tests I enjoy most is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.  It all begins with a simple questionnaire after which you’re given a designation based on the four characteristics it measures. Let’s say you get a result saying you’re an ISTJ personality. It’s an interesting piece of information. The ISTJ meaning says we’re introverted to a certain extent; use the evidence of our senses; think things through carefully; and use judgement in making decisions. The practical implications of these preferences provide hints that may help us with things like investigating a new career, and may even offer some suggestions for leisure activities we’ll enjoy.

2. Make Quiet Time

Time spent thinking about nothing in particular – even trying to clear our minds of all the “noise” that goes on in there is a great way of relaxing. But it also helps us with mindfulness – a situation in which we become more aware of the moment instead of cluttering it up with thoughts about what we’ll do tomorrow or the worries of the world. Living in the moment helps us to enjoy the little things more and opens us to all the wonders of the world that surrounds us. So take a little time to be quiet, put your cares aside, and just “be.” The world and everything in it can wait for half an hour or so. Make this habit part of your daily routine. You’ll never look back!

3. Clarify Your Goals, Set Priorities, and Develop Plans

No matter how young or how old you are, chances are there are still more things you’d like to fit into your life than you’d ever have time for. Which ones matter most to you? Clarifying your priorities in your own mind gives you direction, and from there on, it’s easier to develop plans that will help you to achieve the things you most want to do. You may even find that things you always thought you might like to do aren’t really for you. For example, most people would say they’d like to travel the world, but that means time away from home and far from your family – even without taking the financial cost of global travel into account, you may well decide that the personal cost makes it something you’d rather not do after all.

4. Keep a Journal for Your Eyes Only

Keeping a journal has a lot of benefits. You can vent when times are tough, verbalize your personal goals, and even go back through its pages and end up learning a lot of things about yourself that you didn’t realize before. You don’t have to be a great writer – after all, your journal is only for you – and you can decide what its role in your life will be. Will it be a planner? Could it become a way to track your progress towards goals? Maybe what you need most is a non judgmental confidante – and who better for that role than your own journal? Make journaling part of your daily routine and it could end up being one of your most important friends in your quest for greater self-awareness.

5. Know Yourself and Love Yourself

Having conscious self-knowledge and recognition for both your strengths and weaknesses will help you to become your own best friend – and that’s rarer than it may seem on the surface. You’ll also be happier and able to achieve more of the things you really want – so what are you waiting for? It’s time to get  to know the most important person in your life better, and that person is you.

What Does Your Apartment Say About You?

Who Would Think  Your Apartment Can Boost Your Confidence

Did you know that only 15% of people have “great” self-esteem? The rest of us go through life with less-than-ideal confidence levels. We doubt and criticize ourselves, but we often don’t consider the way our self-esteem is affecting the rest of our lives. Self-doubt can make it hard to get a job, get a promotion, get a date, or pursue our dreams. Procrastination is an indicator of low self-esteem, so if you regularly drag your feet about tasks, it might be a sign that you don’t think you’re capable. What-Does-Your-Apartment-Say-About-You.
Don’t let your low self-esteem influence the course of your life. Instead, take practical steps to improve it. While there are many great ways to affect our confidence-levels, here we’re going to talk about one of the most fun: how your apartment can boost your confidence.

Self-Expression is Key
One of the best ways to start building our self-esteem is to compliment ourselves. Maybe we’re trying to avoid being vain, or an egomaniac, but we often neglect to think positive things about ourselves. Instead of focusing on the bad, take active steps to celebrate the good in you. Your apartment is the perfect place to begin that self-expression. White walls and haphazard furniture? Out it goes. Ditch the couch that you’ve had since college and upgrade to some modern furniture. Get decor that reminds you of a favorite book or global location, and put your favorite quotes up on the wall. Go with what feels right. The more your apartment expresses you, the more of a haven it will be.

Exercising Personal Choices
Usually, we think we’re making all our daily choices. But often, it’s not really us making the choice. We have a perception in our head of what we “should” do, or what others would “want” us to do, and we make our choices based off of that instead. Your apartment is a place where you can practice true-you choices, by making decisions based off what you really want, not what others would think. Have a swing in your living room. Get the pet your mother never let you have as a child. Hang canvas prints and paint the wall in colors. If you want to paint your bathroom bright pink, go for it. This is about practicing being your true self. You only get one life to live and you might as well make it memorable.

Your Own Space
Last but not least, your apartment is your zone of belonging. If you go through life without a place you can truly call “yours” you may feel unanchored. It can help boost your confidence simply to have a place you know you belong. The decor, colors, furniture, and atmosphere was all designed by you. You “fit” in your apartment, and when friends and family come to visit, your apartment can be a quiet declaration of self-expression. That kind of grounding can play an important role in making you feel better about yourself. So, when all is said and done, when it comes to a confident future–start at home.

Related:
5 Ways to Make a Small Apartment Feel Big
Zen Your Home Out With These Gorgeous Decorating Ideas

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Build Your Self-Esteem 5 Ways To Become a Better You

Five Ways to Become a Better You

Many people suffer from low self-esteem. While low self-esteem can manifest itself in many ways, one of the most common is a lack of self care. If your closet is perpetually a mess, if you don’t take good care of your hair, or if your diet is frozen dinners only, then it might be time to rethink five areas of your life–and become a better you. The way we treat ourselves affects how we perceive ourselves, so to conquer that low self-esteem once and for all, start treating yourself better.
Build Your Self-Esteem 5 Ways To Become a Better YouGrooming

If you don’t spend any time on your personal appearance, you’ll have a hard time feeling good about yourself all day. Maybe you don’t see the point in looking good–maybe you work at home, maybe you have no significant other, or maybe your coworkers aren’t the type to appreciate it. Looking at your grooming from this perspective, however, leaves out one very important person: you. Even if you’re not going to leave your house, you can still brush your hair and teeth, put on makeup, or take a shower. Care of you will help inspire self-esteem.

Style

You might not put much thought into your wardrobe, but clothes are our way of presenting ourselves to the outside world. You don’t have to be a fashionista to still buy clothes that fit well, in colors that compliment your skin and the rest of your wardrobe. While it takes extra thought at first, soon you’ll be feeling better about yourself every time you get dressed in the morning.

Your Home

Your home should be your sacred space, a place where you express yourself and feel at home. Rather than leaving a pile of laundry in the corner of your bedroom, or clutter on your living room surfaces, your home should be full of self-expressive design and cleanliness. Keeping your home clean is another way of respecting yourself, and buying the right furniture, curtains, and art will help you make your space your own. Even if you’re on a budget, you can find ways to spruce up your home that are relatively inexpensive. It’s not hard to find cheap blinds online, and blinds can make a big impact as far as color and atmosphere go. Whether you live in Milwaukee, WI, or Mechanicsburg, PA, you can get sofas and more to start boosting self-esteem at home.

Your Diet

If all you eat is unhealthy food, then you likely have an unhealthy body. Being unhealthy keeps you from being able to say yes. No, you can’t go hiking. No, you can’t dance. It often creates poor body image, as well. Start making more meals from scratch at home, and stick to vegetable-based meals whenever possible. Food is another way that you care for yourself, so a small change in diet could have big impact on your self-esteem.

Confidence
Last, but not least, your secret weapon in improving your self-esteem is confidence. While confidence may seem like something that has to come after improved self-esteem, the truth is that confidence is often a choice that later leads to a feeling. There are lots of tactics out there you can use to boost your confidence. One is to learn a new skill or improve a current skill. So if you are a decent surfer, you could take Advanced Surfing Lessons and move that skill set up a notch. You can employ simple body language techniques, like uncrossing your arms, having good posture, and looking people straight in the eye. Sometimes, though, it’s simply a matter of fake it til you make it. Studies show that simply acting like you’re confident will eventually shift into a real sense of confidence. 

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