“You were not born on Earth to please anyone; you have to live life to express yourself, not to impress someone. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not, and never lose yourself in search of other people’s acceptance and approval.”― Roy T. Bennett

We hear the term “be your best self” thrown around on the internet, but no one really explains what it means or how to get there. If perfection is an illusion, how can anyone be their “best” self? Let’s dive into it!

Visualize

We all have dreams, goals, and desires. When we think of the future, we see ourselves living the life that we dream of becoming and being the person who we have always wanted to be. Throughout the day, we have brief visions or daydreams about things we would like to experience, that can be in our health, in our romantic life, financial life, and career life. The first step to being your best self is identifying who you truly want to be, what you want out of life, and why.

Set Goals

Take note of where you are now and where you want to be so that you can set tangible goals. Writing a list of things that are currently in your control that you can do is a great head start. From there, you can set monthly and yearly goals that allow you to take a step-by-step approach to get to where you want. Deadlines help people to stay on track and feel the need to fulfill a task before the time is up. Along this path, find motivators that lift your spirits up. Look up inspirational stories online, speak to people in your life who have achieved similar goals, and discuss your dreams with supportive friends and family members to help you build your belief in yourself.

Acknowledgements

Highlight your strengths and weaknesses to pinpoint the areas of your life that need improvement, and the skills and knowledge required for the development. This will all lead you closer to your goals. Your strengths show you how close you already are, and your weaknesses are opportunities for areas of improvement. Furthermore, your mindset is key. Your confidence in your abilities has a direct impact on your performance and actions. This is why it is crucial to understand your idol’s mindset, to practice embodying that using positive affirmations and creative visualizations.

How are you being your best self today?