The desire to make changes for the better is almost always a good thing. Self-improvement can legitimately make you happier and healthier, but it’s important to watch out for some common self-improvement pitfalls. Even if it starts from a positive and healthy place, some self-improvement efforts end up hurting you instead of helping you. Here are 3 pitfalls to watch out for.
Not Changing Your Environment
Keeping everything the same in your environment and routine can make it hard to stick to a new goal. To succeed, it’s important to make changes in your life that will make it easier to meet your goals. It can be especially difficult if there are other people involved. For example, if you’re trying to save money or lose weight, and you regularly meet your friends at a bar or restaurant, it can be difficult to stay on track. If you run into this kind of situation, talk to the people in your life and explain why you need to change some of your habits. Perhaps you can come up with new ways to hang out that help all of you toward better things.
Extremes in Diet and Exercise
One of the most common paths towards self-improvement is diet and exercise goals. Although exercising and eating healthily are generally wise decisions, some people end up taking things to an extreme and hurt themselves. It can be a slippery slope from committing to a new diet and a full-blown eating disorder. Eating disorders often go hand in hand with excessive or compulsive exercising, and both can do very serious harm to your health. Be very careful to not take your new healthy habits to an extreme. It’s important to seek treatment in the form of both psychological counseling and medical supervision, or both like can be found at facilities like the Center for Change, for these kinds of disorders.
Going it Alone
Self-improvement may be a solitary endeavor, but you’re way more likely to be successful if you have a solid network of support. Letting family and friends know about your goal and asking for their support can make all the difference in your success. Some people fall into this pitfall by being embarrassed and being afraid to tell loved ones about their problems. If you do encounter this pitfall, try a support group or engage a coach or trainer to help you.
Everyone wants to better themselves, but it’s important to be careful how you do it. As a rule, it’s best to make sure those close to you know what your goals are so they can help you along and make sure you’re being safe. If you improve yourself the right way, there is no down side. Good luck out there!
