Table of Contents:

1. Introduction

2. Six Important Improvement questions to ask yourself

Question # 1: What did the prior year journey teach me?

Question # 2: Am I always kind to myself?

Question # 3: Are my values clearly defined?

Question # 4: What will I do differently?

Question # 5: Am I taking care of my body and mind?

Question # 6: Am I committing to personal growth?

3. Six NLG Pro Tips to guide each questions

Tip # 1: Create a personal audit

Tip # 2: Create a new ESL

Tip # 3:  Identifying values

Tip # 4: Creating an action plan

Tip # 5: Prioritizing self

Tip # 6: Seeking growth opportunities

4. Final Thoughts

Introduction

Let's face it, life is challenging for all of us these days. With the rising costs of everything or just managing your household, life can be overwhelming. The life you are in has probably tested you to your limits and most of you are not even sure if 2024 and beyond will be any better. As the year is winding down and moving ever so quickly, it is a good time to start to think about how to improve your life. A time to reflect on what you are doing right and what you can do in this year to make your life better and more fulfilling. In this blog post, I will explore not only simple ways to improve your life but give you some solid tips that you can take action on right away.

Important Life Improvement Questions to Ask yourself

As you step into your reflective period, there are several life improvement questions that you should be asking yourself before making changes to your life. Let's navigate through these questions as I incorporate my NLG Pro Tips for how to improve your life.

Question # 1: What did the prior year journey teach me?

Notice the word journey because whatever happened to you in 2023 and so far this year was not just part of an isolated incident. Your highs and lows created your journey. Therefore, you need to take everything into account as part of the overall journey. What I recommend to get a clear picture of your journey is the create an audit of your year. Use 2023 and incorporate some of this current year into your audit.

NLG Pro Tip # 1: Create an audit of your year

Oftentimes, we forget what we have been through because our brain tends to compartmentalize what it needs to in order to help us cope with things. Create an audit of your year and go through it from January to December. Don't just focus on the negative things that happened to you in each month but also what was positive? Further to that is how each of these events made you feel as a person. What did they help you to become? You can use this Personal Audit Worksheet to help you capture your journey better.

Question # 2: Am I always kind to myself?

What are some of the things that you have been saying to yourself during the year or currently? Are you always kind to yourself? What kind of internal dialogue have you created that needs to stop right now? Negative self-talk is one of the most detrimental things that you can do to derail your goals. When your internal dialogue is faulty or negative, it creates a self- fulfilling deposition that only negatively impacts your life.

NLG Pro Tip # 2: Create a new ESL( Empowerment Shift Language)

One of the things that you need to leave behind in order to improve your life is your internal dialogue. As I have mentioned before, internal dialogue matters. Having poor internal dialogue might be what is making you stuck. Create a new ESL or empowerment shift language. This will allow you to enhance your goals and improve your life or overall outlook about your life. You need to Learn how to change your belief system and create your ESL(Empowerment Shift Language). In my Belief System Mini-course, available free to NLG members, you will learn how to change your ESL. Sign up here to gain access. Also read: 5 ways to shift your mindset and embrace a positive outlook.

Question # 3: Are my values clearly defined?

One of the reasons why you are not accomplishing your goals is because what you believe in or value is not consistent with your goals. For example, if you say that you value family or relationships but you are always working or away from your personal relationships, then the two become mutually inconsistent with each other. Your values and your goals are not in alignment. Here is a simple worksheet you can use to Name your values- Click Here for My Alphabet Values Worksheet.

NLG Pro Tip # 3: Identify your Values

As you get older, your values will change or become more defined. What you valued 5 years ago might not be what you value anymore. Take the time to identify what your current values are. Do you value family more now than you did before? Do you value love or partnership? Do you value fame or fortune? Whatever it is, you need to identify it and allow your goals to match it. You need to also find out how your values are impacting your goals. If they don't match, then this might be the reason why you did not see yourself as successful last year or in this current year.

Related NLG Free course: VSAAA mini-course: Learn how your values are impacting your goals- Click here to gain free access

Question # 4: What will I differently?

Now that you have done an audit of your year and have a clearer picture of your journey. It is now time to figure out what you can do differently next time? What areas of your life do you need to let play out differently in this current year and beyond? What kind of changes are you ready and prepared to make?

NLG Pro Tip # 4: Start off with an action plan

Start off with a mindset of change or action. Create your goal and vision statement for the year right off the bat. Not just any kind of goals but what we call S.M.A.R.T. Goals. Here is a simple template you can use to create your SMART goals- Click here. Create your action plan. What do you want to see happen in this year and beyond? Make your goals very specific- create both short-term and long-term goals. Have a way to measure and know when you have reached your goals. Create achievability by making your goals within your power to accomplish them. Ask yourself hard questions such as can I realistically achieve my goals? Finally, make sure your action plan has a time frame. When exactly do you want to accomplish your goals?

Related worksheet: Action Brainstorming Assessment Worksheet- Click here to find out why you are not accomplishing your goals.

Question # 5: Am I taking care of my body and mind?

Taking care of your body goes hand in hand with taking care of your mind. If you are neglecting your body, at some point it starts to affect your mind as well. Are you getting the proper nutrition? Are you getting enough rest and relaxation?

NLG Pro Tip # 5: Make time for you

Not making time for yourself is probably one of the most counterproductive things that you do this year. Start committing to yourself starting right now. Don't even wait for it to be a new year resolution for you to start, start taking care of you right now. Don't wait until joining a gym is trending or when the latest food fad comes out about what you should eat. Start an eat healthy and physical activity plan right now. Also, make time for rest as well as part of your plan. Your body and mind needs time to recover from all the stresses that they go through during day.

Question # 6: Are I committing to personal growth

Personal growth and development is sadly often neglected in most people's life. How can you grow as a person if you don't commit to growing. It doesn't make sense at all.

NLG Pro Tip # 6: Constantly seek out growth opportunities

If you are not constantly seeking out growth opportunities, then you are missing out on a major avenue to improving your life. Here are 5 ways that you can grow as a person and gain the knowledge you need to create a better life:

Read more

Most people stop reading after they finish their schooling. Commit to life long self education through reading more. Find points of interest or topics that you enjoy reading and start reading. Eventually, you will notice that as you expand your reading muscle, it will trickle over into other areas that you might not have been interested in before.

Take Courses and webinars

Try and take as many courses and webinars that are available to you. There are so many free ones out there, including on this platform. Take advantage of free courses especially if you have budgetary concerns. At the end of the course or courses that you commit to taking, you will have gained some new knowledge that you did not have before. Knowledge that you can hopefully apply to improving your life.

Be of Service

Growth should not only come from what you can receive but it should also come from what you can give. Give of yourself as much as you can and as often as you can. Find the balance though as to not over commit yourself or other issues that will lead to further unhappiness. The point is that someone or some organization out there needs your help. The more you help others, the more you help yourself. Giving sets off a multitude of feelings and self worth that will only create a new confidence that you didn't have before. The human connection is a divine exercise in grit and glory. It has the power to change lives.

Try new things

Be open to trying new things. Whether it is new foods or maybe it is something a little more adventurous such as ziplining. The point here is that trying new things opens you up to more growth opportunities. Sometimes you have to test your limits in order to find out what you are really made of as a person.

Seek mentorship

Having a mentor is often overlooked in the growth process. Mentorships are a great way to learn from someone else who has been where you are right now. They can help you to speed up your learning curve. In the article: 10 Reasons why mentorship are important in 2024, I dive into how they can become the game changer that you have been looking for. Click here to read more.

Related post: Top Reasons why Ignorance is the # 1 cause of death

Final Thoughts

To conclude, last year might have been rough, this year might be rough but it does not have to stay that way. There are a multitude of things that you can do to improve your life. Asking yourself the 6 key questions to create a baseline for change is really important. Again:

Question # 1: What did the prior year journey teach me? Complete a personal audit of your year to see visually what you did great(and yes you did some great things) and what kind of things you can work on or make better.

Question # 2: Am I always kind to myself? Self grace is huge. How you view yourself and the things that you say to yourself can make the difference between making you or breaking you. Shift your internal dialogue to a new ESL( Empowerment Shift Language). Once you master a new ESL, what you believe will become you. If you think great things about yourself, great things will come.

Question # 3: Are my values clearly defined? Most people neglect this aspect of improving their life. If your values and your goals are in alignment, then you have a really good barometer for success.

Question # 4: What will I do differently? Words without action is just laziness. What you say you will do, do it! No excuses, only action. Create an action plan that works with your values and the goals that you have created.

Question # 5: Am I taking care of my body and mind? If you build the most beautiful house upon falty foundation, the beauty of that house is secondary. Take care of you(your foundation) and all the other things will come from that.

Question # 6: Am I committing to personal growth? If you don't water a plant or tree, how will it grow? Water yourself with courses, books, webinars and new experiences. They all culminate into personal growth and development. Go out there and water yourself.

Finally, focus on your journey. The year you want is not based on one isolated play, it is based on a marriot of things- somethings you have control over and some you won't.

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