25 Ideas To Be The Best You Can Be

Unlock your full potential with these powerful ideas to become the best version of yourself. Discover ways to achieve personal growth and self-improvement to be the best you can be.

When it comes to having a better life or being a better person, it can sound really daunting. How does one start that journey? What steps are there to take? 

Many of us have favorite inspirational quotes from people like Oprah Winfrey, Mahatma Gandhi, Michael Jordan, and Eleanor Roosevelt. But while these words are powerful, they don’t always lead us to action. 

One of the things that we forget is that it all starts with us. You are the one with the choices – not the universe, not destiny, not other people. So what can you do to be the best you that you can be? 

How To Be The Best You

1. Prioritize Sleep

We all have things that we have to accomplish, but if you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t be at your best. Successful people don’t only get stuff done, but they take care of their bodies.

A huge first step would be to the best possible version of yourself is to aim for 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night. It may not work out every night, but make your best effort to get enough sleep so that you wake up rested and ready for a new day. 

2. Be Grateful

If you want to find happiness, look no further than your own life. It is time to flip the script.

Instead of focusing on all of the things that you are missing in your present circumstances, focus on all of the gifts that you have. The day that you stop worrying about what you are deprived of is the day that the world begins to look a little brighter. 

3. Learn To Say No

You don’t owe anything to anyone. You may feel as if you do, but setting healthy boundaries and doing things because you want to do them instead of feeling the expectation to do them is the only way to stop certain stressors.

Give yourself some time to master this step, but understand that putting in the hard work and learning to say no when it is in your best interests will help to grow your personal development. Having and setting boundaries is the best way to maintain healthy relationships. 

4. Cut Out Toxic People

Once you become an adult, the people that you surround yourself with are a choice. If you have friends or family members that drive you to low self-esteem or constantly impede on your inner peace, they may be toxic people.

Many of us love people who may not be healthy, so it is up to you how often you expose yourself to their energy. Supportive family members can be essential to growth, but a best friend who sucks your energy dry is not benefiting your future. Decide if texting or emailing is better for your mental health than seeing these people in person or talking on the phone. 

5. Express Your Appreciation

While we all have people in our lives that detract from the status quo, we likely also have people that we either enjoy or add to it. Express to these special people how you feel about them.

We all like to be appreciated, so tell your friends and family what it is about them that enhances your life. It doesn’t have to take a long time or be well thought out, just let your loved ones know that you love them – and say it out loud. 

6. Start Saving Money

Putting yourself in a position where you can save money – even if it is a little bit each week – sets you on the right track to being financially independent. You can’t be your best self if you and your family are financially dependent on someone else, so make it a constant mission to squirrel away what you can. 

This is not to say that saving money is easy because everyone falls on hard times. Try to have a positive outlook and take a few small steps to set yourself on the right path. Instead of buying coffee every day, bring it from home. Instead of buying a lottery ticket, put the money in a savings account. Do what you can in little ways. 

7. Invest Your Money

Saving money is good, but investing it is even better. When you set yourself up to where your money works for you, you can begin earning money by doing almost nothing.

Financial security is an important aspect of stress reduction, so if you are able, try to diversify and give your money the potential to grow. 

8. Do Some Exercise

One of the secrets to a longer life – and healthier emotional state – is getting some exercise. Whether it’s something you can manage a few times per week or every single day, exercising is a good habit to get into.

The beautiful thing about exercise is that you can mix things up easily, so whether you are jumping on a trampoline, running outside, weight training particular muscles, or signing up with a personal coaching service, don’t neglect this important step. 

9. Drink Plenty Of Water

You’ve heard it a million times, but drinking lots of water each day is great for your body. Not only does research show that it flushes toxins, cushions your joints, and protects your organs, but you won’t be as hungry so you can focus your energy on everyday life. Plus, dry mouth is annoying!

10. Take Care Of Your Health

You can’t be the best version of yourself if you neglect your health. Make sure that you are seeing your primary care doctor and dentist regularly and any specialists that you may need to check in with.

Taking care of your physical health is a starting point, not a finishing point. You cannot expect to live your best life if you aren’t addressing important things like your overall well-being, but you will be able to work from a much better place if you know that your body is well maintained. 

11. Complain Less

Life can be difficult, but commenting on it all of the time can be a real energy drain for both you and the people around you. We all go through tough times and it is absolutely okay to discuss them with friends and close family members.

That said, if you are always commenting on how cold the food is or how your feet hurt from the shoes you chose, the great people around you may want to be with you less. The rest of the world doesn’t need to know every little thing that irks you, so the next time you want to complain about the iced tea not being sweet enough, think again. 

12. Maintain A Journal

We human beings feel a lot of feelings. While you may find yourself posting on social media or texting regularly, how often are you truly able to be completely vulnerable and state your personal truth?

Our subconscious mind is always at work and sometimes, when issues raise to the surface, we don’t always know what to do with them. That is where journaling comes in.

Your journal can be an amazing place full of self-discovery; where you can write down the best quotes you hear or work through false beliefs. Keep an eye out for those small pieces of wisdom that you can reread after you’ve written them. You may be shocked by what you uncover about yourself. 

13. Do Things You Enjoy

There are so many pressures in life that it is important to do some good things for yourself. Life is long and you have the rest of your life to manage.

Whether it is trying to create a great work of art, taking long walks on the beach, cooking, or playing sports, find what brings you joy and try to participate in it as often as possible. 

14. Read A Book

You may have written off books since graduating from school, but it is time to get back into the habit. You are old enough now that you can read because you enjoy it and not because you have to.

Reading broadens the human mind, calms the soul, and enhances vocabulary. If you haven’t found a genre that you enjoy, try them all. Make the library your friend and dive into a really good book. 

15. Clear Your Mind

People’s lives are so busy and chaotic these days that we aren’t able to hear ourselves. It is impossible to be a better version of yourself if you can’t make sense of your own needs, so do yourself a favor and find a way to clear your mind.

Whether it is going on a walk, listening to music, meditating, playing a video game, or watching a movie, find a way to enjoy some internal silence so that you can better function on the outside. 

16. Work On Your Shortcomings

No one is perfect and we are all a work-in-progress. That said, you do have to take concrete steps to actually work on your progress. Whether it be a short temper, procrastination, negative thoughts, or a constant craving for ice cream, there is nothing so bad that you can’t work on it.

Admitting that these things are personal challenges and then going to therapy, writing in a journal, going to support meetings, and/or challenging yourself to do better are all means of personal growth. The best thing that you can do for yourself is continue to want to be better so think of your only limit in life as your own motivation. 

17. Organize Your Space

When your home is a mess, your mind is a mess. You don’t have to be Monica Geller or Marie Kondo, but creating a space for yourself that is always the first place you want to be will keep you from running somewhere else to find your peace.

Organizing your closet is a good place to start. If you haven’t used an item in the past year, donate it or sell it at a garage sale. Once you’re done with the closet, move on to other closets or the bathroom. Keep working out from small to large rooms until you have a particular area for most things. 

18. Improve Your Skills

There is always room for improvement in our lives and if you don’t keep working to grow and get out of your comfort zone, just think of the great things you’ll be missing out on.

Whether you want to get enough experience to start a new job or pick up a hobby you’ve always dreamed about, what are you waiting for? The time is now. 

19. Don’t Compare Yourself To Others

It can be tough to see other people excel when you have hopes for the same things, but it is important to remember that they have problems too. The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.

You can be your own worst enemy, so celebrate your small wins. You don’t know what other people are dealing with, so let them manage their lives and be grateful for the gifts you have. 

20. Don’t Worry About What Other People Think

What other people think about you is none of your business. Short and sweet. Other people will have opinions no matter what you do, but you wouldn’t worry about what they thought of you if you realized how little they did.

At the end of the day, people are busy worrying about themselves, they really aren’t thinking all that much about you. Let it go. 

21. Have Some Me-Time

Whether you read a Maya Angelou book or listen to Metallica in the car, find a little time that is just for yourself. Do what you need during that time to help keep you centered and feel human.

Sometimes that means taking a shower and sometimes it means grabbing a snack from Dunkin’, but even a small thing can feel like a big thing on a hard day. 

22. Love Yourself

We are often our own worst critics, and it can be very difficult to get away from ourselves – for obvious reasons. It is time to give yourself some positive feedback.

What are you stellar at? In what positive ways do you affect other people’s lives? Are you caring, giving, and a good listener? Remind yourself of your good qualities – there are lots of them. 

23. Stay Positive

We all have a choice in how we decide to see the world. You can decide to see the glass half empty or the glass half full, but acknowledge that there is something in the glass at all times.

Whether you know it or not, keeping a positive attitude will put you on a path toward being your best self. If you always believe that everyone and everything is against you, it will keep you down. If you always hope for the best, find beauty in the chaos, and learn the lessons, you will find growth.  

24. Watch TED Talks

TED Talks are excellent for motivation and inspiration. There is something for everyone and they are perfect to watch or listen to while you are cleaning the house, driving the car, or relaxing with a bowl of popcorn.

You get to learn about the personal life of people who have been through similar challenges and spectacular obstacles. They will help keep your brain engaged and your interests piqued. 

25. Remember You Are In Control

To be the best that you can be, you need to remember that you are in control of your life. It is easy to think that your kids, your spouse, your boss, or someone else is in charge, but it is you. You are the anchor, you are the writer, you are in control. If something needs changing, it is up to you to change it. 

The power to be the best you can be is in your own hands. You are the one who dictates your moves and you are the one in control of your attitude towards life. The ball is always in your court, so it’s time to pick it up and play the game to the best of your abilities.