Life is hard. Really hard. And sometimes we get so caught up in the busyness of it, that we forget to set time aside to take care of ourselves. However, as someone who tries exceptionally hard to make that a priority, I know that if I’m not focusing on being the best version of me, everything around me suffers from it. But when I’m putting in the effort to be the best I can be, it shows in all aspects of my life. It makes me a better mom, a better teacher, a more present friend, a more attentive wife, and, overall, a more content and confident woman.

So, here are a few things you can do to work towards being the best version of you!

Stop comparing yourself to others. – “Comparison is the thief of joy,” –Theodore Roosevelt. When we spend time dwelling on being as pretty as “her”, or as skinny, or as toned, or as good at multi-tasking and being a Pinterest queen, we begin to think we’ll never be good enough. We need to stop doing that. Instead, let’s focus on what things we don’t love about ourselves and slowly work towards improving them.

Schedule time for yourself. – If we are going to work on improving our health and fitness, we are going to have to make time to do it. And, let’s be honest, if our only plan is to squeeze it in whenever we have time, we will never have time. However, if we literally have it on our schedule, and treat it like an important meeting with our boss, we will get it done. For me, this fitness time is normally either before work, while the rest of my house sleeps (4:45 AM), or after the kids go to bed at night (around 8:30 PM). These times aren’t ideal, and they don’t allow for many workouts with friends, but they are times that I enjoy by myself and I always feel better about life after a good workout. Remember, “The only bad workout is the one you didn’t do,” – Unknown. And, just 15 minutes of intense workouts a day can drastically improve your health, fitness, and happiness!

Put your phone down. – A few days ago, I took my boys (aged 6 and 9) to the beach. The plan was to swim, look for Petoskey stones, and play in the sand. We enjoyed our first hour there without another soul in sight. It was the perfect day for it, 90 degrees with no wind. The boys actually complained about the cold water, but I was too busy finding treasures to even notice! We were loving life. Then, as the day went on, more and more people arrived. It was fun to watch all of the kids run down the hill and into the water without even testing it out to see if it was going to chill them to the bone. The parents, on the other hand, were not so brave. As the kids urged them to join them for a swim, each parent would walk to the water, touch it with their toes, say it was freezing cold, then walk back to their chair, pull out their phone, and get lost in a world far from the beauty of the beach. Those are the moments you will never get back. Those are the chances you have to make memories. Those are the moments that your kids, your friends, your spouses, are watching you to see where you are putting your attention. Put your phone down and be the best version of you. The one that LIVES life and doesn’t just take pictures of it.

Relax. – This week I have put extra attention on this. The outcome: my house is TRASHED, but my kids and I have had a blast and arguing has been at a minimum. Instead of focusing on all of the things I “need” to do (laundry, dishes, grocery shop, vacuum, change sheets, laundry, dishes....), I have not allowed myself to rush my kids around even once, or told them that I couldn’t do what they wanted because I was too busy. Granted, this isn’t realistic every day, and I might end up on a future episode of “Hoarders” if I always had this attitude. But, every once in a while it’s essential to go with the flow and show the people you love that they really are the most important thing in your life. It makes them happier, and it will make you happier too.

These are just a few things you can do to be the best version of you.

The challenge for this week is to:

1. Pick one day to say “I’m NOT too busy to (fill in the blank)" ....have lunch with a co-worker, read a book to my child, go to the gym, cook a real meal, have a family dinner at the dinner table with no technology, etc.

2. Schedule an activity on your calendar that you have been wanting to do for yourself. Do it now, not later after you read this and go to a meeting, or pick-up the kids, but right now. And then follow through with it.

3. Repeat steps 1 & 2 each week for the next 4 weeks and then you will have a new positive behavior that will help you be the Best Version Of You

Sparkle. Pounce. Find the Best You.

If you found this article helpful and insightful, we encourage you to explore the array of additional articles available on your Navigate wellbeing platform. The platform offers a wide range of resources specifically designed to support and enhance your personal wellbeing journey.

Connect with us to become a Navigate client.

Article courtesy of Kendra Kneer, blogger of Sparkle.Pounce.Put In The Effort. Available in the Navigate Wellbeing Platform.