50 things you should do to really grow into yourself

If you’re looking to change your life or grow into who you are as a person, there are ample ways
to do that—all of them science-based! Here are 50 of the best (and fun!) tips to try.
Learn a new language
Not only will learning a new language help you increase your vocabulary and memory, it will
also make you a better communicator and could expose you to a variety of new cultures and
places. It will help expand your mind!
Try a new hobby
Believe it or not, but trying a new hobby can help relieve stress and make you a calmer and more
relaxed person. You’ll also open yourself up to new experiences and people—a surefire way to
grow and increase confidence.
Go back to school
Going back to school can expand your horizons in the same way it did when you were a
youngster—by introducing you to new things and increasing your social sphere. You may also
find yourself inspired by something you learn that could put you on a new career path.
Wake up early
Research has shown that those who wake up early tend to be more proactive, are more optimistic
and can anticipate and manage problems better than those who sleep in late.
Sleep in late
On the flip side, if you feel you need a few extra hours of shut-eye, stay in bed! There are dozens
of benefits to getting some extra sleep, including preventing various diseases, reducing stress and
improving your memory.
Exercise regularly
Beyond the health benefits, there are ample reasons to exercise on a regular basis. Not only will
sweating it out make you more confident, it will also help you stay positive during trying
circumstances.
Take a solo trip
If you’ve never hit the road solo, now’s the time! Taking a trip on your own will force you to
come out of your shell and will ensure you experience a wide variety of things in a short period
of time—from talking to strangers to learning how to be alone in public spaces.
Write a letter to your future self
Want to set some goals, but hate the idea of a resolution? Try writing a letter to your future
self outlining what you hope you’ll be doing in a year’s time. Open the letter when you reach
that moment, then evaluate whether you were able to achieve any of those goals.
Ask for feedback
Learning to ask for—and then evaluate—feedback is one of the most critical life skills anyone
can acquire. By taking negative thoughts and turning them into positive lessons to learn from,
you’ll be able to expand your skill set and adjust habits that could be holding you back.
Build to-do lists
Scientists have found that to-do lists help the human brain stay productive and on track, so many
psychologists recommend writing them for just about everything—from day-to-day tasks to
long-term life goals. To-do lists can also bring clarity and peace of mind to those whose brains
race on the regular.
Quit a bad habit
If you truly want to change who you are, a big place to start is to evaluate the habits you’ve made
that make you happy as well as those that make you unproductive or sad. Breaking a bad habit
isn’t easy, but if you tackle the task the psychological and physical benefits could be many.
Help others
If you want to learn more about what makes you tick as well as increase your daily happiness
level, help others. It is, science has shown, the key to life satisfaction.
Ditch negative people
When people don’t have dreams of their own, they turn into the negative nellies that rain on
everyone else’s positivity parade. You don’t need anyone like that in your world while trying to
find yourself or your true passion. Ditch them and find people who see life more along your life-
goal lines.
Journal
Putting pen to paper can unleash thoughts you never knew you had about a variety of topics—
including what you want to do with your life and what’s truly meaningful to you. The diary
entries need not be long; even a few sentences a day can help you reflect on what’s happening in
your world.
Start a blog
Whether you want to blog for fame or to find yourself, opening yourself up on the internet can be
a big stepping stone to discovering who you truly are. The act may also open you up to new
adventures and experiences thanks to blogger events and educational sessions.
Ditch television
People often use television as a way to escape their negative thoughts or to tune out their daily
stresses, but by doing that you’re avoiding analyzing some key questions—like what’s important
to you and what you truly want to do with your life. Turn off the TV and the way you expand
your horizons may surprise you.
Skip screen time
Why spend hours of your time mindlessly flipping through photos of friends, acquaintances or
celebrities when you can hop offline and build the life you dream of? You’ll find you become
less focused on the negative, what others think of you and feeling FOMO as a result.
Listen to a new podcast
The fastest and most convenient way to learn something new these days is to listen to a podcast.
Within 30 minutes you may find a new passion or you may realize you don’t care much for
something you once thought you did. As an added bonus, they’re absolutely free to download!
Meditate
Many believe the true self lies in the psyche, so learning to quiet your mind will help you peel
back the layers of who you are (or want to be down the line).
Try public speaking
Our brains are wired to hate public speaking, but pushing through that fear can be incredibly
beneficial. You’ll realize you can do something you didn’t think was possible and, as a result,
increase your self-confidence.
Apologize
To truly be an empathetic person, you need to learn how to apologize and express remorse for
when you’ve done something to hurt someone else. It is one of the most difficult skills to learn,
but also one of the most rewarding.
Take a break
If you feel your mind is always moving or on the go, a surefire way to quiet things and to think
more clearly is to take a break. Stop whatever you’re doing and let your mind relax and
reset. You may be surprised at what you discover during moments of quiet contemplation!
Do something that scares you
Eleanor Roosevelt once said that you “gain strength, courage and confidence by every
experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” If that’s not reason enough to try
something new, we don’t know what is.
Talk to a stranger
It’s easier to speak only to those people you know and are most familiar with, but striking up a
conversation with someone new can teach you several things about yourself and can also expose
you to new ways of thinking or living life.
Call out someone for their bad behaviour
You’ll make the world a better place by calling people out on their bad behaviour. As an added
bonus, as Fast Company found out, you’ll also personally grow, save money and feel more
powerful. It’s a win-win!
Stop laughing at bad jokes
Bad jokes—anything that makes someone feel uncomfortable or is racist, sexist or inappropriate
—aren’t funny. They’re stories told for shock value to make someone feel good about
themselves. Stop laughing at them to show that person why their behaviour is wrong.
Stand your ground
Having the confidence to stand up for what you believe in is an invaluable skill. It will make you
feel more accomplished and confident, and will increase the respect others have for you.
Take responsibility for your actions
If you want to ensure you’re 100 per cent in charge of your own life, you need to be able to
accept responsibility for your actions—be they positive or negative. Only then can you truly stop
blaming others for your circumstances and move beyond them if that’s something you want to
do.
Identify your strengths and weaknesses
Researchers have shown that being able to identify what you’re good at and what skills you need
to grow is imperative to acing everything from job interviews to life goals. By analyzing your
traits, you’ll also increase your own self-awareness.
Be honest
Another easy way to truly develop who you are is to own everything about yourself—your likes,
dislikes and values. To do that, you have to be completely honest with everyone from your
employer to your friends. You’ll improve your overall health as a result.
Act locally
If you love your community, a surefire way to become more engaged with it and to learn more
about who you are is to ensure you shop at a local level. You’ll spend your hard-earned dollars
benefiting small retailers, but on a global scale you’ll also save the environment.
Take care of the environment
We, as a species, are hardwired to want to protect the environment (it’s part of our innate drive
as hunters and gatherers), so spending some time practising the three Rs and saving Mother
Nature can have a huge positive impact on your psyche and physical well-being. A good place to
start? Cut back on your meat and dairy consumption.
Surprise people
Preparing an elaborate surprise for someone can be a powerful way to show them you care—
which, in turn, will make you feel an incredible amount of gratitude. It can also teach you
something about yourself and what you value.
Don’t show up empty-handed
Generosity is an incredibly important and overlooked trait. By ensuring you say thank you in
appropriate ways (even if it’s as small as showing up with a gift for a host or hostess), you’ll
improve your relationships, reduce your stress and extend your life.
Admit when you are wrong
Let’s face it: no one enjoys being wrong, but it’s something that happens to the best of us. Part of
the reason we fear admitting defeat is we’re afraid of being judged for not being “perfect.” But
accepting our imperfections is one of the only true ways to grow as a human being.
Mind your manners
A little civility goes a long way and spreads positivity in a beautiful pay-it-forward kind of way.
Why wouldn’t you want to go the extra mile to hold the door for someone or to say thank you?
Retrain your brain
This is no simple task, but is one you’ll reap innumerable rewards from. To shut off the negative
voice track inside your head, spend a few days honing in on what your mind is saying; from
there, replace each negative thought with a positive mantra and repeat it whenever you feel fear
or negativity creep in.
Walk instead of drive
Want to give yourself a mental boost and learn more about who you are? Go for a walk! A study
recently found that walking instead of driving is a huge health booster.
Stop shopping
A simple way to learn more about who you are is to force yourself into a world where delayed
gratification is a constant. The best way to do that is to stop shopping. Not only will you get a
better understanding of what you need versus want in life, you’ll save money, too!
Do more for you
‘Me time’ is a concept a lot of people bandy about, but rarely incorporate into their daily lives or
routines. But learning to “just do you” will help you find your inner voice as well as work
through problems effectively and efficiently.
Cook more
Want to push your creative boundaries and learn more about what you like or dislike? Get
cooking! Heating things up in the kitchen is a surefire way to make you feel good and improve
the quality and awareness of your life—two positives that are backed by science!
Read some books
An easy way to learn more about the world, those around you and what truly matters most to you
is to pick up a book and read. By taking constant and deliberate action on the things you’ve
learned, you can grow into who you are or become a better person.
Learn to say no
People-pleasing can be a good trait, but it can also be incredibly detrimental because, generally,
you’ll end up doing a lot of things you don’t truly want to do. By learning to say no, you’ll
harness your personal power and truly be able to own who you are and what matters most to you.
Listen instead of speak
If you truly want to learn more about other people and the world around you (and to grow as a
person), it’s imperative that you listen more and speak less. Researchers have shown that those
who perfect this skill are better leaders and friends.
Ask for help
As Brené Brown notes, the biggest difference between those who feel love and belonging and
those who struggle with a sense of self is the ability to be vulnerable. To truly grow, you have to
be able to connect, take chances and ask for help when you need a leg up.
Share your goals
Many people believe that by sharing your goals, you’ll be able to achieve them—and personal
growth—faster!
Focus on money
Want to be more self-aware and secure? The key, many believe, is to work hard at gaining
financial independence. What that means is knowing where your money is going, investing in
yourself and scaling back on needless purchases that don’t make you happy.
Delete apps
Apps, studies show, don’t actually save you time or help you become a better person. In fact,
they’re a giant time suck. Take back the hours in your day to focus on who you are by deleting
those programs you never or only sometimes use.
Stop comparing yourself
You can’t grow into who you want to be by comparing your situation to others. The act of
comparing will only hold you back and may undermine your ability to appreciate all that you
already have.
De-clutter
Since Marie Kondo came onto the scene, people swear that de-cluttering has helped them find
themselves and truly accept their likes and dislikes. And there’s something to that theory,
according to researchers. Self-knowledge, they say, is very much a prerequisite to living a happy
life.