23 Great Ways to Improve Your Life in 2023

05/01/2023
Live Well Diary Team

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ways to improve your life - new year new you

Here are 23 ways to improve your life in 2023. We hope you will find these helpful. Whether you’re trying to make yourself a better person, a slacker looking for the motivation you need to get started, or an entrepreneur looking for a few motivational tips to maintain your growth trajectory, we think you’ll enjoy these ideas.

1) Resolve to Be More Forgiving

Forgiveness is a choice. It’s not forgetting, nor does it mean you are condoning the behaviour. Forgiveness doesn’t even mean letting someone off the hook; instead, it’s about choice. Let go of anger and pain from past occurrences. Forgiveness can be an empowering thing to do for yourself.

Forgiving yourself for mistakes or bad decisions is essential because those experiences aren’t going away any other way—and holding on to them will only make things worse! Even if it seems impossible (or maybe even years down the road), know that forgiveness can help improve your life.

2) Develop a mantra.

A mantra is a phrase you repeat to yourself when you feel uncertain, anxious, or afraid. Mantras are typically short and easy to remember, so you can easily recall them when needed.

Repeating your mantra is to help focus your mind on something positive during stressful moments so that you don’t get caught up in negative thoughts that may arise.

Some examples of mantras:
“I am enough.”
“I have what it takes.”
“Today’s a good day.”

3) Add one new productive and positive habit.

The first step to creating a habit is to make sure that it’s something you can actually do. Don’t worry about trying to accomplish the impossible—you’ll just end up frustrated and give up, which will negate your progress. Instead, start small and set a manageable goal that still offers some challenge.

For example: if your fitness goal is to run a 2K every morning at 7 AM by the end of 2023, it might seem like an ambitious plan at first glance (especially if running isn’t your thing). But if we break down this goal into parts—running for X amount of time three days per week starting today—it starts sounding more realistic and obtainable!

Another way to create better habits is by making them things that improve our lives instead of something that distracts us from life or makes us feel bad about ourselves in some way (like binge-watching Netflix or drinking too much). While these things may seem harmless at first glance, they all have negative consequences over time, so if we can replace them with healthier habits (like running or meditating), we’re setting ourselves up for success on all levels!

4) Learn how to be present.

Learning to be present is one of the most important things you can do.

Being current means being aware of your surroundings, focusing on the here and now, and staying in the moment rather than worrying about what’s happening in the future or ruminating on past events.

You can learn how to be present, including by engaging in activities such as meditation and breathing exercises. The first step is simply being mindful of what’s happening around you – for example, if someone asks you a question or tells you something interesting that happened recently, but your mind is elsewhere (perhaps thinking about dinner plans), try refocusing yourself on what they are saying instead of trying to think up an answer right away.

ways to improve your life - go outdoors

5) Be more appreciative.

Take time to enjoy the little things. Notice the beauty and goodness in the world around you, and let it sink in. Say thank you when someone helps you or does something nice for you; they’ll be glad they did!

6) Become more independent in your thoughts and opinions.

Avoid being a yes-man or yes-woman. You don’t need to agree with everything people say and do, but you don’t have to disagree.

Be confident in your beliefs and opinions, and don’t be afraid to share them, even if they differ from what others believe or think. Don’t be scared to say no; there will always be times when someone asks something unreasonable or inappropriate for one reason or another, so knowing when not to do something will help keep you out of trouble.

Finally, sometimes it’s OK just stand up for yourself even if it means saying no (or just not doing something) even though everyone else thinks otherwise—you’ll learn how this works better once you start using social media more often!

ways to improve your life - grateful family

7) Actively pursue work/life balance and accept imperfection with grace.

Work/life balance is essential. You should pursue it, but you can’t grasp it. You will always fall short of perfection, and your life will never be completely balanced. Don’t worry about this! It’s OK to be imperfect and make mistakes as long as you keep trying and don’t give up too quickly on the things that matter most to you.

If an off day happens occasionally, that’s fine—as long as it doesn’t become a habit! If someone else is having a bad day or doing something wrong in your eyes, don’t let yourself become too hard on them either; they probably have their reasons for acting like that (even if those reasons aren’t excellent).

We all do our best, but sometimes we mess up anyway; use these instances as opportunities for growth instead of letting them drag down your mood or get between yourself and others’ happiness.

8) Cultivate relationships and practice mindfulness in your conversations.

You can improve your communication with others by being more mindful of your interactions. Think about what you said before, especially if it’s something critical or judgmental. If possible, find a quiet place to collect yourself and express yourself clearly without interrupting the other person or jumping to conclusions about their words.

Be kind, listen carefully, make eye contact and avoid judging or criticising them (or yourself). As simple as it sounds, remember that kindness starts with you! Don’t be defensive–just listen with an open mind while allowing others to tell their side of the story without interruption.

9) Commit to a regular fitness schedule.

Exercise is an integral part of your life; the more you do it, the better your health will be.

Finding the time to work out regularly is difficult, but it can become second nature once you do.

Also, having an exercise that works for you is essential. Try different exercise workouts until you find something that feels good and makes you feel accomplished after each session. You may also want to consider enlisting a friend or family member so that they can help motivate each other!

10) Make it a point to create something every day is one of the ways to improve your life in 2023

If you don’t know what to do. Examples can be: try making a piece of art or music. It’s best if it’s something new and unique so the world won’t see it.

This will take time for your brain to get used to creating every day; give yourself at least one month before deciding whether or not this change is suitable for you. Even if it doesn’t work out, who knows how many good things might come from trying?!

ways to improve your life - grateful work

11) Continue to learn more about yourself.

This can be as simple as looking back on the past year, reflecting on what you’ve done, and asking yourself what went well and what didn’t. You could also take a Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test or other personality assessments to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses, goals, and how to achieve them.

Remember that there are many ways to learn more about yourself—you don’t have to use only one method!

12) Give more than you take.

You will be happier and more fulfilled if you give more than you take.

Here’s how:

  • Give of yourself. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with other people, especially your partner or best friend. Listen to them when they need someone to talk to, and don’t always expect them to return the favour immediately. Sometimes, it takes a while before they’re ready for an open conversation again. Be patient with yourself, too—it’s normal not to want to discuss feelings all the time (and sometimes it can feel scary!), but if we never talk about our problems head-on, then there’s no way we can ever resolve them!
  • Give your time, energy, and money—if something isn’t worth doing for free, then maybe it shouldn’t be done at all! If someone asks for help from you, even if they don’t have much money themselves (or even none), consider whether or not this task is really worth taking on before agreeing; otherwise, there may come the point where both parties are unhappy with their arrangement because neither got what was promised out of it initially (i.e., without knowing each other better beforehand).

13) Get the sleep you deserve.

Take care of your body. That starts with getting enough sleep every night.

Sleep is more important than many people realise, and getting healthy sleep can help improve quality of life in many ways. Sleep quality is one of the best predictors of success—at work or in your relationships. But it’s often overlooked because it’s so easy to ignore the importance of sleep when juggling work, family life, or other obligations.

Because not getting enough sleep can have such a negative effect on our lives, it’s essential to make sure that you’re getting a good amount every night, as well as learn about what factors may be affecting your ability to get quality rest (like caffeine sensitivity).

14) Adopt healthy eating habits for life.

Not a day goes by without you reading about the importance of eating healthy. And while it’s important to understand that this isn’t just a quick fix, it’s also highly beneficial to your health and well-being.

Most people know that overeating processed or junk food can lead to weight gain, but many don’t realise that even if you’re not overweight, poor eating habits can harm your body in other ways. Overeating sugar leads to diabetes; overeating salt increases blood pressure, and consuming too much alcohol can increase the risk of liver disease and heart problems (just to name a few). In fact, unhealthy eating has been linked with most chronic diseases!

ways to improve your life - happy man

15) Spend quality time with yourself every day.

Being comfortable spending quality time with yourself. We are constantly bombarded with information or messages telling us that we need to be busy and productive to be successful, but those things aren’t necessarily true. The more time we spend doing something, the less time we have for thinking and dreaming.

16) Look for opportunities to learn new things. Try something out before judging it – give it an honest try!

Think of this in terms of the opportunities you have in front of you. What threadbare skills could use some sprucing up? Could you learn to play the guitar, a new language, or a new sport?

And if it’s not a skill but an interest instead, just think: what would you like to do with your free time that you’re not doing now? Do some research, take a few classes, or go on dates if you are single—whatever it is that’s catching your eye. Whatever it is, don’t let yourself be discouraged by those around you who aren’t sharing your enthusiasm. You’ll inevitably cross paths with people who don’t see the same value in what excites you—just ignore them! They’ll come around eventually.

17) Take time off social media to focus on what’s important in life instead of wasting time online (or watching Netflix).

Technology is a wonderful thing to have in our lives. Unfortunately, with the new ease of access to information and entertainment, there’s a temptation that can creep up on you through the magic of your smartphone: you might find yourself squandering some time on your phone when you could be doing something more productive or fulfilling.

The key to avoiding this trap is consciously removing yourself from the temptation altogether. The next time you decide between turning off your phone and continuing a task or checking your social media accounts, take a step back. Remind yourself that life’s too short to spend hours scrolling through posts and pictures (or watching Netflix), and give yourself permission to put away the phone.

After all, if social media isn’t providing anything of value in your life, it may be worth temporarily disconnecting from it so that you can focus on achieving other goals. Besides taking care of other important things in life, you’ll also feel better about yourself for making a conscious choice to say no to any temptation. The more often you say no, the easier it will become for you to do so in similar situations in the future.

18) Be grateful for everything good in your life every day, even if it’s just eating breakfast with friends!

It’s easy to take the things in life for granted, but that’s a terrible habit to fall into. Nothing can help you beat the blues like being mindful of all the good things you have and feeling grateful for them daily. It doesn’t matter if it’s something as small as having toast for breakfast or being able to get a nice dinner with friends—even if it’s just some small part of your day, try taking a moment to really appreciate how lucky you are, and how wonderful it is to be spending that time with someone.

You’ll always be able to count on yourself to do the right thing and enjoy the best things in life, but sometimes all it takes is a little self-awareness and some positive thinking to help you appreciate the truly great moments when they come along.

ways to improve your life - friendships

19) Pursue your goals with discipline and determination.

Have you ever tried to draw a picture but kept stopping to fiddle with your pencil or erase your mistakes? Have you ever started an essay but kept going back and rereading what you’d already written? Have you ever started cooking dinner, only to realise that you have no idea how long it’ll take or which ingredient goes in next? If so, take comfort in the fact that you’re pretty typical.

Humans aren’t wired to complete tasks without interruption. We’re more likely to pursue tasks broken down into smaller steps. The same is true of setting goals. We’re more likely to reach them if we break them down into smaller pieces. While it’s easier said than done, setting smaller goals will help keep you motivated and on task as you work toward your bigger goals.

20) Read a book.

Buy a new book on any subject you’ve always been curious about but never had the time (or mental energy) to explore.

Reading’s a great way to expand your horizons, learn more about the world and people around you—and just have some fun.

If you are unsure what to read, get recommendations from friends or find out what’s popular on Goodreads or Amazon. Buy an audiobook and listen while you do something else—like walking or cleaning.

Set a reasonable goal of reading one book every two months and give yourself permission to read whatever you’d like. After you finish your first book, start a new one immediately—so that momentum doesn’t die off.

Decide how much time each week is realistically dedicated to reading so that you can make sure not to overdo it. If that means setting aside only 15 minutes per week and using that time only for reading and nothing else, then so be it.

ways to improve your life - volunteer

21) Volunteer.

Volunteer your time to a worthy cause. In many ways, volunteering your time is better than donating money to a charity. For one thing, you get the satisfaction of physically contributing to something that makes a difference in the world.

And secondly, you’re not only helping others; you’re also providing yourself with the opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people. A win-win situation.

22) Meditate or pray daily.

Meditating and praying are calming habits that improve your mental and physical health, so incorporating them into your daily routine is a no-brainer. Whether you’re devout or wish they were more spiritual, find a way to spend quiet time daily. The benefits of meditation and prayer are so wide-reaching that they will enhance every aspect of your life. You’ll feel more centred and calm in stressful situations, have more patience with those around you, and be able to focus more easily on what matters most to you.

23) Reach out to others and begin new friendships.

Some people live their entire lives with no one but themselves for company, which is both sad and true for some. But I want you to know that many others out there want to meet new people and broaden their friendship circle.

It’s never too late to do that. Start a club, take a class, attend a party, join an organisation, hit up your local event calendar—just get out there and start talking to people. At the very least, you’ll make some new friends. If you’re lucky, you might even end up with more than that: maybe your newfound circle will become like family to you.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should force yourself into situations where you feel uncomfortable just to meet new people or rush into a new relationship before you’re ready. Take it slow, consider your decisions, and do what suits you. But remember that no matter how old we may get or how much time has passed since our last encounter with others, we can never run out of opportunities to form relationships with those in it with us.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve found this helpful list of ways to improve your life in 2023. There are many ways to make yourself a better person, starting with taking the first step toward change. With these tips as inspiration, we know you can succeed in improving your life for the future!

Images Used

Photo by Wendy Wei: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-sitting-on-stair-while-smiling-1699159/

Photo by Tetyana Kovyrina: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-sitting-on-cliff-raising-up-both-hands-1439087/

Photo by Elle Hughes: https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-women-sitting-on-white-bench-1549280/

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-wearing-gray-blazer-838413/

Photo by jonas mohamadi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-and-child-playing-on-green-grass-field-near-mountain-2495566/

Photo by Jill Wellington: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-walking-on-bed-of-tulip-flowers-413735/

Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-plant-on-people-s-hands-5029919/

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