When you have a family, your self-improvement does not stop with just you- your children and your spouse become a big part of you. It’s important to find harmony in your family relationship in order to improve your overall self-worth.
Furthermore, for those looking for love, self-improvement often goes hand in hand with self-respect.
The below tips are meant for both those looking for love and those looking to re-solidify and strengthen their relationship in order to improve their life fulfillment and their self-importance.
1. Go out and have fun – if you are looking to meet someone, you have to put yourself out there. Do the things you love to do- dancing, visiting art galleries, seeing sports games, and/or going to movies. If you emerge yourself in your hobbies and make the effort to talk to those around you, then you will have a much better chance of not only meeting someone but also finding someone with the same interests as you.
2. Bring sexy back – in order to look good on the outside, you need to feel great on the inside. However, that doesn’t mean you have to neglect your exterior! For the ladies out there- schedule a pampering day where you can get your nails done, your legs waxed and your face exfoliated. Treat yourself to a cute outfit and strut your stuff. For the men out there, choose an outfit that is casual and cool, gel back that hair, and drizzle on your sexiest cologne.
3. Respect yourself – and others will follow. If you treat your body, mind, and soul poorly, then others will as well. Don’t let the opposite sex walk all over you. Stand proud and respect your body and your choices. Self-respect is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome on the road to self-improvement.
4. Be on the lookout for love – for those who lack confidence, mingling, flirting and dating can be a nightmare. However, retreating back to your shell is not going to be any better. You need to push past those fears and go out and mingle.
5. Don’t take it all to heart – there are good dates, and then there are bad dates. If you let those bad dates get to you, then you will never be able to enjoy those good dates again. Laugh about those awkward pauses and inappropriate comments. Don’t take it personally. Take it in stride and remember that every bad date just brings you one step closer to that perfect one.
6. Get naked! – This is a great self-improvement tip for both singles and couples. All you singleton’s out there, you need to really love your body in order to feel comfortable. So get naked and jump in front of that mirror- focus on things you love about your body and how you can enhance your best assets. For couples, getting naked and feeling sexual is an extremely important part of any healthy relationship.
7. Give and receive – relationships are never one-sided, or at least they shouldn’t be. You need to be prepared to give, receive and compromise on almost every aspect of your life. This means you will have to give up some things and limit that selfish behavior. Letting someone else into your life is an important step towards self-improvement.
8. Make a date and keep it! – Many couples have trouble finding time for one another, which can lead to a big strain on their relationship, physically and emotionally. This, in turn, can lead to a feeling of failure and a loss of self-worth. So what’s the cure? Easy- make time for one another. Set a certain time every day to spend together. This could be as simple as going for a brief walk, a coffee in the morning, or an uninterrupted dinner at night. Make the date, and keep it, no matter what.
9. Communicate – you’ve heard it before. Communication is vital for any strong relationship. Improve your relationship and your self-understanding by opening up, letting go, and talking about what’s on your mind. It can be incredibly therapeutic. Share work stories, discuss movies, admit your feelings- open your mouth and talk. However, it’s equally important to listen as well!
10. Schedule singles (or alone) nights as well – too much together time can actually lead to a strain in your relationship and cause you to lose touch with your inner self. Make sure you still do alone activities as well as activities together. Go fishing with the boys or plan a Wine Wednesday with the ladies. Don’t lose touch with that independent streak that makes you, well, you.
11. Eat dinner together– for most families, eating every meal together can be impossible. The kids have school, you have work and it’s just not going to happen. However, scheduling a sit-down dinner every night is a great way to reconnect and recharge as a family -no television, no telephone, and no text messaging. This will improve your relationships with your kids and your spouse and keep you all connected to what’s going on in your independent lives.
12. Discover the power of touch – touch is an incredibly powerful sense, especially when it is used to express love. A mother’s touch is soothing for a child and a husband’s touch can be sensual and romantic. Improve your family relationships by giving plenty of cuddles, kisses, and family hugs.
13. Be more than a parent – many parents have trouble improving themselves when they see their children struggling. This is why you need to be both their Mom or Dad, and their teacher. Let them know you are there for them. Help them with schoolwork, work on their spelling and play reading games with them. When your child is having trouble in school, then so are you.
14. Choose hobbies that everyone can enjoy – families who laugh together, and stay together. Make sure you involve all members of your family in activities. Camping, picnics, boating, and fishing can be fun for the whole family. When you are spending more time doing activities alone than with your family, then this can lead to disconnection and discontent. Reconnect and improve these relationships.
15. Travel together– family vacations are a great way to break out of that dull pattern and see the world through someone else’s eyes. Furthermore, for couples, taking a vacation somewhere out of the ordinary can bring back that spark that may have fizzled out. Discovering the sights and re-discovering each other in a foreign setting can be sexy and exciting.
16. Share the responsibility – Mom shouldn’t always be in charge of cooking and cleaning. Make sure everyone helps out, including Dad. Split up the chores so that the kids are helping with the dishes and so Dad is helping with laundry. This can take the household stresses away from Mom, help teach the children about responsibility and bring the family closer together.
17. The little things make all the difference – flowers to let her know you are thinking about her, a small chocolate treat for a great game of soccer, and a goofy text message just to say hello all put a smile on their faces and help strengthen those ever-important relationships.
