As a woman, we all have certain characteristics and traits that we’d like to improve. Whether that’s changing our diet, becoming more financially stable, or incorporating a new hobby such as reading into our monthly routine. Whatever improvement looks like for us—we all subconsciously do it. In the midst of trying to improve ourselves, sometimes we don’t realize that our improvements are sometimes harming our progress.
Here are five common mistakes women make when trying to improve themselves:
- Magnifying Your Weaknesses Instead of Your Strengths
Sure it’s always easier to point out the bad instead of the good, but do you realize how harmful that is to your growth and improvement? As a woman, solely focusing all or majority of your energy on your weaknesses dims the light on just how awesome you truly are. Finding ways to hone your strengths is essential in the development of your improvement showcasing your strengths truly goes a long way, whether it’s in the workplace, at home, or in a public atmosphere, your strengths are positive and important assets that represent you. #beproud!
- Improving Yourself For the Wrong Reason/Person
First and foremost—improving yourself should always start with YOU! You should always want to improve YOURself for… YOU! It sounds like a ‘duh’ but how many times have we heard our girlfriends say, “I’m about to lose weight and look so good he’s going to wish he would’ve kept me.” Don’t lose sight of what’s important and who it should ultimately be for. Yes, it is true that improving yourself can be beneficial to others as well—but others should not be your first priority when it comes to your own improvement. Make the change because it is ultimately something YOU want to do, and because it makes you proud of yourself—not others.
- Not Being Patient with Your Progress
Patience is a virtue. Self-improvement doesn’t happen overnight—it’s a process that takes time, consistency, and persistence. It takes 21 days to form a new habit, so that just goes to show you that you must learn to be patient with your progress. It could take weeks, months, or even years for you to reach the goal you’ve set for yourself. By simply setting small goals to accomplish weekly instead of having one large goal can help in your process of improvement. Incentives are also valuable and a plus in tracking your progress and simply staying on top of it. Don’t be so hard on yourself—recognize how far you’ve come and have patience.
- Lack of Consistency and Motivation
Having a lack of consistency and motivation can be one of your biggest downfalls when trying to improve your overall self. Motivation starts with yourself—if you can’t hold yourself accountable, how do you expect others to do the same? As a woman on a mission to improve yourself, you must find ways to motivate your mission all while remaining consistent until you’ve reached your end goal. Yes, going to the gym 4/7 days of the week can be extremely hard to do—but if you’re motivated and consistent with your dedication and self-improvement—it will come natural to you in no time!
- Failure to Give Yourself Credit For the Little Things
Give credit where credit is due—including yourself! The little things matter just as much as the big accomplishments. Remind yourself that you’re doing great regardless of how big or small your accomplishment on your journey to self-improvement is. Failing to give yourself credit for your small accomplishments will result in dissatisfaction, and that’s not the goal here!
