Giving Yourself the Gift of Self-Care and Self-Improvement

With the holiday season upon us, you may be feeling the pressure—pressure to buy the perfect gifts, make the perfect holiday food, set the perfect ambiance, perfect your small talk at parties, and have the ideal family get-togethers with less-than-perfect guests.

While this time of year feels like it should be merry and bright, it can be anything but for some. End-of-year due dates at work can add to the pressure. Missing loved ones who have passed or can’t travel to be with you can lead to sadness.

That’s why, at this time of year, you might want to give yourself the gift of self-care and self-improvement. You owe it to yourself during the busy holiday season to learn and practice that self-love.

​Below, we discuss how to give yourself the perfect gift of self-love through self-care and self-improvement and how a success book club membership online can help you.

You probably have a to-do list a mile long this season. Go ahead and add yourself to the top of that list.

Putting yourself first can help you do other things better and wiser. Taking time to care for yourself will make you feel more energized and fulfilled. You’ll find it easier to prioritize your schedule.

​Here’s how to get started:

Be as kind and compassionate toward yourself as you would someone you love or admire—your kids, significant other, a co-worker, your grandmother. You wouldn’t talk down to them if they didn’t do something perfectly. Don’t do it to yourself, either.

You are human. There’s only a certain number of waking hours in the day. And sometimes good enough is good enough.

Get rid of negative self-talk. You wouldn’t bully someone else; don’t bully yourself. People are most critical of themselves. No one else is judging you as harshly.

The holidays can be challenging enough as is. Don’t make them any harder by being mean to yourself. Show yourself some self-compassion.

​It isn’t easy to adopt and maintain this mindset. By participating in an online book club about success, you can surround yourself with uplifting wisdom and people practicing the art of self-improvement and self-care right along with you.

Consider what your boundaries should be around the holidays. Sometimes, these differ from the rest of the year as you host and attend holiday events and travel.

Then, take stock of those boundaries and consider if they are worth taking issue over. Boundaries are great, but sometimes they are isolating.

Don’t want guests over because you’re too worried about your clean (or not-so-clean) house? Is that worth the seclusion?

Check your boundaries for areas of growth and improvement.

​Reading self-improvement literature in a success-minded book club can introduce you to new ideas and strategies. It can help you determine areas of change.

Make a to-do list using a schedule-blocking technique. Add blocks of self-care time to that schedule.

Refuse to be too busy for you. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish or optional. You need it every day.

Self-care doesn’t have to be long and drawn out or complicated. You can give yourself small, daily acts of kindness that invigorate you.

​What are some small acts of kindness you can do for yourself daily? You can:

You’ll enjoy a better mood, more energy, and improved sleep when you practice self-care.

Just as no two snowflakes are alike, you are different from everybody else. You simply can’t (and shouldn’t) compare yourself to others.

Avoid judging yourself based on what neighbors, co-workers, or family members do. It’s okay to excel at some things but not at others.

You are perfectly imperfect. Embrace your imperfections and those perfectly imperfect moments. What’s better is that if you can laugh at yourself, you’re sure to brighten up the day of those around you and help put them at ease, too.

Don’t let setbacks define you. Keep your self-talk realistic and positive.

The holidays often make great opportunities to build relationships. You don’t relate to others by appearing perfect. It’s your endearing flaws that convey your humanity.

​A success-minded book club can help you practice and remind yourself to embrace imperfection and understand that mistakes are part of life. Your goal in life isn’t to avoid mistakes. Rather, the goal is not to let mistakes keep you down.

Remember that failure is a learning opportunity and a chance to grow. The only permanent failure is not trying.

Try the things. Make the mistakes. Learn the lessons. Give yourself grace when you stumble. Celebrate yourself and your accomplishments.

​Studying books on success and successful people will help you shift your perspective and remain resilient in the face of obstacles.

The holidays can be hard. The end of one year and the beginning of the next mark an excellent opportunity to reflect and set goals. Set a self-care and self-improvement goal.

How are you with your self-love? Do you speak kindly to yourself? Do you permit yourself to mess up without shame or guilt? Do you set appropriate boundaries?

When you practice self-care and self-improvement, you can take much more in stride, especially holiday demands.

​You aren’t alone in striving for a better you. Surround yourself with like-minded people, like a success-minded book club group. It can help you stay committed to learning wise life lessons from great authors.