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4 Ways to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Improve Yourself in 2018

Every year arrives with the prospect of working on shiny new goals and resolutions to better your finances, career and physical health. It’s common to hear New Year resolutions that revolve around losing weight, getting a new job or buying a house – and, although, these goals are fantastic, they often neglect the most important aspect of your life: Self-improvement.

Very few people use their experiences and life lessons to improve themselves as individuals. But personal growth is just as important as any of your other financial or health-related goals and it largely and directly affects other aspects of your life.

Make self-improvement your biggest resolution for 2018

Now that the new year has officially begun, it’s a great opportunity to look back at 2017 and audit yourself: What were the biggest challenges you faced last year? Were you able to get your dream job? Did you get the raise that you have been wanting for months? Did you learn a new skill? Did you plan for your retirement?

Most people find is easy to set new goals but almost impossible to hold themselves accountable for achieving them. Answering these questions will give you crucial insight on which aspects of your personality need work so that achieving your new resolutions for 2018 becomes easier. Here are 4 areas of your life that you need to improve in order make 2018 the best year of your life.

Financial

It’s common for most Americans to start their new year with an empty bank account and a rather-large credit card statement. Understandably, your funds have taken a hit in the aftermath of the holiday season, but now you have the perfect opportunity to improve your financial situation by practicing self-control and discipline. As much as we wish to have control over money, it often turns out to be the opposite and the money starts controlling us.

Billionaire Mark Cuban says that the money you pay as high credit card interest is the best saving you could have made if you weren’t in debt

A lack of financial planning leaves people spending more and saving less which turns into a never-ending circle of stress and happiness. Money is at the root of all our wishes and desires, and if used properly, it can become a powerful weapon to help you overcome any financial crisis and live a fulfilling life after retirement. Think of money as fuel for your life’s engine, as long as your tank is full, you can go anywhere and achieve any of your other goals.

Physical

It’s easy to say, “My new goal for 2018 is to go to the gym more often and lose weight.” But the truth is, most people don’t take certain factors into account which may stop them from achieving this goal. Think about what has been stopping you from going to the gym till now. Maybe you have long working hours that don’t leave you with enough time to focus on your physical health. Or perhaps the gym that you (rarely) go to is far away from where you live.

In these scenarios, it isn’t enough to say that you’ll try to work out more often because if you continuously face the same obstacles that stopped you from going to the gym until now, you may never achieve your new goal. Change your current circumstances so that being physically active is more convenient. You could search for gyms closer to your work or your home, or simply make small tweaks to your current lifestyle which ensure that you become more physically active like getting to work on a bicycle or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Mental

Take up more challenges at work or learn a new skill this year to grow yourself mentally

How many new skills did you learn last year? Did you read any new books or take up any challenges? If you didn’t, it’s okay because you still have enough time to get started and grow yourself mentally. Most successful people dedicate a significant chunk of their time reading or learning something new because they understand that intellect is one of their biggest assets on can have.  The more effort they make in mental growth by listening, reading and learning, the more successful they will become in their personal and professional lives. Remember: If you’re not learning anything new, you’re not really growing or getting better.

Emotional

In a world where everyone is blindly chasing money and power, emotional well-being often takes a backseat in their long list of priorities. If you want 2018 to be the best year of your life, you need to assess your performance last year and make a mental list of things that you did well and things that you didn’t do so well.

Maybe your work had taken up majority of your time and you weren’t able to give attention to some of your own personal projects or your psychological well-being. Strive to achieve balance in your personal and professional life this year, so that work does not take a toll on your mental health. Jot down the things that you enjoy doing on a piece of paper and take out some time from your busy schedule every once-in-a-while for your personal hobbies.

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