Simple Self Improvement

  Time with a true friend is good for you     Image:Pixabay There are numerous benefits to spending time with those family members and friends you really get on well with. You may hold different opinions and have varying interests but that's okay because a bit of difference can enrich your life. It makes you feel good to spend time with people you like and it is a way of caring for yourself.

Sometimes the answer comes when you relax                   Image:Adapted from Pixabay Sometimes I get frustrated with myself for taking too long to make a decision. Perhaps there are times when I should be quicker in deciding how to handle a situation. However, I often find I make better decisions when I don’t force myself to make a quick decision. I like the following quote from William S. Burroughs (writer, artist, philosopher), ‘Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.’

Are you able to identify what makes you happy?          Image adapted from Pixabay Do you know when you are happy? How do you work out what makes you happy? Perhaps you just know because of a special feeling you get associated with particular people and events. Maybe you are happiest when you are just sitting in a quiet spot or walking alone at the beach, by a river or in the mountains.

Artist at work                                                                              Adapted from Pixabay It is very satisfying to indulge in a creative activity such as writing, art, music or sewing. It is a way to express oneself and can bring joy to the creator and others. For some, creative expression is a form of therapy. Sometimes the process of expressing oneself or creating something is more important than the result.

                                                                             Adapted from Pixabay It is a great feeling to have plenty of energy. However, the demands of work, caring for a family, dealing with traffic and the general frustrations of life can sap energy leaving one feeling low. Sometimes we forget about self care or feel guilty about spending time on ourselves. We need to look at both physical and psychological needs.

There are many ways to learn new skills and many places offering courses   Image: Marie Vonow I was talking to a friend on the train the other day. She mentioned she had been given a second hand computer and didn’t really know how to use it other than for playing a few card games. Now she is investigating different places that offer computer classes. These days we are fortunate to have a variety of options for learning all sorts of new skills. These skills may be needed for employment or for personal interest. Attending a class can also be a way to network or make new friends.

Image:Marie Vonow People talk about the benefits of feeling gratitude for the good things in life. But there are times one feels there isn’t much to feel gratitude for. This feeling can descend on us when there are lots of stresses or we are weary. Perhaps you often ask yourself what is there to feel gratitude for in my ordinary life? There is another way of looking at life. Can you be grateful for what you don’t have, for the things you have escaped or avoided? Can you see the positive side of what initially appears a negative?