2018 is ending (or has ended, depending on when I can get to submit this) and as usual, everyone is enjoying the hangover of the festive season. While we are all stuffing our bellies with food and visiting everyone who we forget to visit in the whole of the year only for us to see them when Christmas is around (just kidding, it’s always great to see distant relatives we have always been in touch with), it’s also a period for us to reflect on ourselves and our lives in the year ending and prepare for the New Year. As 2019 rolls in, here are nine ways you can improve yourself and your life in the coming year.
1.Be more aware of the spiritual: This may be a common (and misunderstood topic) in some parts of the world, but becoming more spiritual is not the same thing as been religious. Going to Church/mosque, praying to God and doing various activities can be counted as religious, but they do not count as been spiritual. Being spiritual is about becoming more aware of the invisible powers behind events and getting closer to your creator/maker. It’s more about forging a direct and personal relationship with your God (be your Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, etc.). This gives you a way to channel your pains and troubles, relieving you of the mental strain of carrying your burdens. Of course having a trustworthy person to share your pain also works, but the relief and the answers you can get from speaking to God is more satisfying than from other people like you.
2.Spend more time on reading and learning and less on the television: Television watching has become such a culture globally, that it’s easy to forget that about thirty years ago people did more outdoor activities than stay all day in front of a screen. Irrespective of what is now a culture, it is proven that excess television watching is detrimental to people. Physically, it can lead to obesity, mentally it could be used to sell ideas that are not totally wholesome and may even be dangerous (that’s why all television programs now have ratings) and it also encourages laziness. Reading on the other hand has proven to be able to keep brain cells active, making one more mentally stable and fit. Moreover, as you read more, you learn more. So drop that television remote and pick a book.
3.Exercise: Do I have to mention the obvious? Sitting for long periods while stuffing a bowl of chicken and watching your favorite TV shows may feel good, but it is also a fast track to obesity, diabetes and other health related diseases. Regular exercises on the other hand can help to reducing harmful cholesterol levels, improve general blood circulation and prevent your muscles from been lax and weak. That of course is in addition to the confidence that comes from becoming physically fit. You may not need a rigorous exercise regimen (except you are certainly obese). A simple walk around the neighborhood for half an hour everyday may do the trick. Most times, you may also add simpler exercises like jogging and performing a few squats to get more benefits.
4.Learn a new skill or language: It is said that a person who stop learning starts dying and that is not far from the truth. While one may not physically die from not learning anything new (or they may, depending on where you are and what you did not learn), the fact that you are not engaging your brain cells to something new means you are dying one way or the other. Moreover while learning a new language may not be high on your list if travelling to other countries is not your thing, learning new skills such as simple repairs on household appliances, mending small and easily fixable parts of the house and beautifying your home with the new skills you leaned will not only save unnecessary bills but will keep you physically and mentally better off than if you did not learn it. Moreover, what wife won’t love a handy man?
5.Invest in yourself: This does not mean giving yourself a ‘All can eat buffet’ once in a while. This means you setting aside some of your income aside to save for the future or for specific stuff like buying a new book on something you need to improve on or for conferences and trainings like will improve one or more aspects of your life. This seems like a fairly obvious thing to do, but so many people get caught up in the now, that they forget to do this. Others may not even be able to think about investing in oneself until there is little time left. Don’t be one of those people! Start investing in yourself today.
6.Become financially prudent: No matter how much an average person makes, it always seems too little. Expenses always seem to increase and it seems that there is nothing one can do. The only problem with that thinking is that there is always something you can do. This year, you can draw up a budget, cut some unneeded expenses (like spending a hundred bucks on a night out with friends, why use so much money on something that benefits so little?). Become more financially wise by asking yourself a few questions before purchasing anything or going for any event: Must I buy this item or can I do without it? What is the value I will gain from purchasing this item or going to this event? Can I afford to spend this money on this or are there more serious things to deal with first? Get a list of things that are dear to you and start allocating more resources to them. You can also buy more books on how to become more prudent with money. I will suggest ‘The richest man in Babylon’ by George Clason for starters.
7.Build more relationships and strengthen your current relationships: it is said that ‘your network is your net worth’ and that’s true. A lot of times, the tools or information we need to make a great leap in our lives is a person away. Therefore building relationships with people is very important but making your current relationships better is also important as well, as you can help those you have such relationships with, or they can help you.
8.Attend workshops and trainings: There is so much in the world to learn and at times reading things from a book is never enough. Practical sessions on various skills around the world always make learning faster and having an expert in front of you can also be assuring. You can ask the questions that a book cannot answer or cover and you will meet like-minded people which boost your network of people. This is a win-win situation, always.
9.Learn to take calculated risks: Most people are afraid of risks because nobody likes to lose. The funny thing about that is, if you don’t take any risk, you don’t get to win in life. Even the most researched plans and businesses/jobs have an element of risk, so instead of running away from any potential venture, while don’t you try and take measured risks? What I mean is that you could always set aside a certain amount of resources for a certain venture that won’t affect you adversely. That way, if the venture is profitable, you have increased your resource base and if its not, you can always bounce back, secure in the fact that you won’t be seriously affected by your loss.
10.Give yourself a plan: This is pretty basic but so fundamental that it may be the biggest decision to make your year memorable. By this I don’t mean New Year Resolutions but concrete step by step plans on how to achieve your goals for the year. If you have not done this before, don’t panic. Just make a simple plan and follow it, knowing that you can always adjust it along the way,.
So there are the ways you can improve yourself in 2019. While I can’t say for certain that if you omit anything from this list, you won’t improve your life; I can certainly guarantee that if you add or improve on any of these points, your life will greatly improve. So enjoy the festive period and start improving your life in 2019!