It's time to learn how to be a better friend to yourself. The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on yourself and what you can do to improve your own life. Our lives are often dictated by the people around us: our family, our friends and the people who we have relationships with, but have you ever taken a second to consider what you could be doing to become a better friend to yourself? Rather than looking outwards, it’s time to look inwards for a little while. Here's how to be a better friend to yourself.
1 Regular Sleep
Seriously, you can’t operate to your full potential, for both yourself and others, if you are tired all the time. Getting the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night is one of the kindest things you can for your body and for your mental health. You will be sharper, happier, more invigorated and much more connected to the world around you. Plenty of restful sleep is one of the best answers for how to be a better friend to yourself.
Frequently asked questions
2 Don’t Worry about the Future
It’s easier said than done, but you need to try to stop worrying about things that haven’t even happened yet. Working yourself into an anxious frenzy over something that hasn’t come to fruition yet is no way to spend your time. In almost all cases, the scenarios you work up in your head are much worse than what could ever happen in real life. Plus, around 85% of the stuff that we worry about never even happens.
3 Stop Dieting
Not all journeys on the way toward wellness have to include a strict diet. If food is something that you love and that makes you happy, rather than cutting out entire groups, just make an effort to work on your portion control and you are already halfway there without denying yourself anything. It’s a form of dieting without having to use the dreaded word!
4 Hobbies
Sit down and have a think about the things that you really love in life, and consider whether there are hobbies that you can take up related to them. Perhaps it’s taking up a craft, perhaps it’s joining a book club, perhaps it’s checking some of your local sports clubs for a game of tennis or netball. Whatever it is, it’s a healthy step toward doing more things that you love in a productive environment.
5 Restrict Technology Use
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and all of the other social media platforms can be great, but have you noticed that after a while you always find a way to compare yourself or your life negatively to the other people that you are following? The key thing to remember is that nobody ever puts their lowest moments on Instagram, only ever their very best, so it’s not a fair representation of the kinds of lives they are living. Perhaps it might be time to take a step back from social media and focus your attention back on the real world. Not only will your self-confidence improve, but you also might find that less screen time late at night will help you get to sleep much quicker, hence helping out with the other tip to get regular shut-eye!
6 Exercise
We know exercise isn’t always on the top of everyone’s agenda, but you really can’t underestimate just how great it can make you feel. Getting up and out to work out is the hardest part of the process, once you are putting your body through even some moderate exercises, those endorphins will come surging through and you will feel great!
