Self Improvement

Self Improvement - there is always room to improve, always challenge yourself.

“Self-improvement is the name of the game, and your primary objective is to strengthen yourself, not to destroy an opponent.” - Maxwell Maltz

A person goes to college to learn a skill which will allow them to get a good job, be successful and make lots of money. This provides them with security and the ability to have a great life. It also gives them additional ability to help others. There is nothing in what I just said which says they gain in order to 'destroy' others.

Working on improving yourself isn't just about going to school, it is about improving yourself in three ways. There may be more but these three are ones I consider important.

One - improve your mind. Learn something new or different each day. Our brain is capable of so much and the more one learns, the more information we have to make better informed decisions. This is one reason older people are said to give sage advice. Now sage can mean a suffriticose labiate plant with grayish green foliage, much used in flavoring meats, etc.

But for our purpose it means, having nice discernment and powers of judging. Back to my point, the older we get, the more information we have to draw from when making decisions. Learn something new or different each day.

Two - improve your body. Walk around the block at least once a day or use the stairs. At my age I feel like I am simply trying to hang on to what I have. Staying healthy has advantages in both keeping your mind healthy, your body healthy and your bank account healthy. An example of this is provided by Fidelity Investments. I could show what doctors say, but let us look at where it effects us most, in our banking accounts.

An article by Fidelity says, "staying healthy is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to avoid unnecessary healthcare expenses. Getting the most for your healthcare dollars can be as simple as making a plan to eat right, maintaining an appropriate weight level, and exercising at least 30 minutes daily. By following a simple diet and exercise plan, you'll reduce your likelihood of developing certain diseases and illnesses, and you'll potentially avoid the cost of unnecessary medical visits." So walk around the block at least once a day or use the stairs.

Three - improve your spirit. Build a more positive view of yourself and life around you. A cardiologist, Meyer Friedman talked about your personality type and its effect on you. "The impatience, hostility and all-consuming drive for results that typify Type-A men and women, produces a one-dimensional personality, one with a profound and deadly absence of spiritual life. By "spiritual" he doesn't mean certain beliefs or religious tenets but a basic concern with human relations and other interests that enrich life. Without this spirituality, changing diet and exercise habits to lower cholesterol levels and improve health overall isn't enough to protect a Type A's heart."

Basically, with a renewed spirit you can face difficulty in life much better. It doesn't mean you won't have anguish or pain, just a better means of facing it. It means improving your attitude about things, about life and about others. Build a more positive view of yourself and life around you.