How To Not Get Consumed In The Self- Improvement Trap
Learn Why Life is All About Balance
We get it. In this day and age, life is overwhelming, overstimulating, and overcomplicated.
IN TODAY’S GUIDE, YOU’LL LEARN:
Nothing is wrong with you!
You don't need to consume endless content to get what you want out of life
People are radio stations (you'll understand what this means later)
Actionable takeaways you can start today to avoid the self-improvement addiction trap
Now let’s begin!
We have just so many options, paths, resources, and THINGS.
Previously, humans had limited options and their main focus was to just find food, have shelter, and survive with their tribe.
Now we have social media, corporations, politics, career paths, status… and the list goes on.
We are all overstimulated! Self-help knowledge is everyWHERE, given by everyONE who thinks they know everyTHING.
This is the digital age that we live in. It's not uncommon to scroll on TikTok and find 18 different videos in 2 minutes telling you that there's something wrong with you and that you need to do XYZ to become the best version of yourself.
First, it's looksmaxing 101, then it’s what type of pretty you are, and on to “how to dress for your rising, venus, and sun sign” all in three minutes. I'm sure you are constantly overwhelmed with what the next trend is to become a better you.
It wouldn't be uncommon to look in the mirror every day and see another “flaw” you haven't even noticed before because of social media and this information age.
We're here to tell you that all this constant content telling you that something is wrong with you and you need to do a new trend every single week or you'll fail miserably in life is completely FALSE. There is nothing wrong with you and you are doing your best if you're here reading this article. This shows you are trying to change. But let's look at change in a different light.
Now with all this being said, it doesn't mean that you have no room for growth. Because let's face it, we all have/ do unhealthy habits that could hold us back in life. But this doesn't mean anything is necessarily wrong with you and you need to change completely to be happier and more fulfilled with life.
The simple truth is that regardless of trends like “How to Become That Girl”, only YOU know what you need to do to become your best self and this is completely different for everyone.
Even though social media can make it seem like you need to follow a certain trend to fit in. Human beings were never meant to. Individuality is not dead, nor will it ever be. And social media is NOT real! You just assume everyone in the world feels the same way as people in the comment section of certain videos do. But that's not the case.
Try to think that everything in life is like a radio station. Whoever chooses to tune into that station all vibrate at a similar energy.
For example, the comment section of a YouTube video discussing the latest video games will be entirely different than a lifestyle influencer video.
If you were to ONLY watch lifestyle influencer videos for the rest of your life and not even know that other videos exist, I'm sure you would assume everyone in the world would be the same as the people in those comments.
This is true for all social media platforms and essentially everything in life. People who are shopping at the farmers market might not always behave the same as if they were to go clubbing. Everything vibrates at a certain energy and as humans, we assimilate to whatever that energy is. The comment section of a drama channel will most likely be different than one of a positive affirmation meditation video.
We are very spiritually attuned beings despite what you might think, and we tune into whatever radio station depending on the overall vibrations/ energy around us.
Now I'm sure you are reading all of this and thinking “What does this have to do with self-improvement?”
Let’s tie it all together so that it makes sense for you.
You could seem like everyone and everything is constantly bombarding you and telling you that you need to change who you are. But the truth is, not everyone is chronically online, not everyone is at home addicted to self-improvement, and not everyone happy, successful, and abundant felt like they had to entirely change who they were to get what they wanted out of life.
What those people did was rather look within and make their self-improvement journey personal to them. While yes they probably watched the videos, listened to the podcasts, and read the books, they still realized nothing was ever truly wrong with them, but rather what could they do given their circumstances they didn't ask for to get what they wanted from life.
And no one on your “For You” page will ever know this answer for you!
Not even us, here at “The Internal Guide”. All we want to do is provide you with the resources, tools, and information that could help you along your journey. But we never want you to think that we believe there's something wrong with you.
Even though I'm sure some of you are thinking “Well isn't this a self-improvement/ holistic wellness brand?”
What sets us apart is that we already know you have everything you need within to succeed. We just want to help you uncover this. You don't necessarily NEED us on your holistic journey, but rather it's better to have someone with you along the path to provide you with the best tips on how to navigate it.
If you want to learn more about becoming more internal, join our free course and learn what it truly means to be a friend to yourself. You can also sign up to our newsletter and gain instant access to “The Beginners Guide to Becoming More Internal PDF Ebook” for free as well!
Everyone on this journey we call life, internally knows what they need to do to get to where they want to be. But not everyone will have that push/inspiration to start and this is why we exist. And they just need that guide, that internal guide to help them along the way.
So, please don't fall into the self-improvement trap, because it's extremely easy to become addicted to it. Especially now that we're living in a world where everyone tells you who you need to be and what you need to do.
As always, look into your internal world and find these answers. They are always there waiting for you to uncover them. You just need to make that initial step and choose to stay for the journey!
Here are some actionable takeaways you can start today to avoid overconsumption of self-improvement content:
Set Clear Goals: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Identify the key areas you want to improve and prioritize them.
Limit Your Sources: Choose a few high-quality sources of self-improvement content. Unsubscribe from excess newsletters, podcasts, or YouTube channels that you don't find particularly valuable to you. Choose a brand/creator that specifically speaks to you and your goals and stick to them!
Schedule Your Consumption: Allocate specific times during the week to consume self-improvement content. Avoid mindless scrolling or binge-watching self-help videos.
Create an Action Plan: For every piece of content you consume, write down at least one actionable step you can take. Implement these actions immediately rather than consuming more content.
* Remember it's one thing to know something, and it's another to apply it to your life*
Practice Mindfulness: Be present and mindful when consuming self-improvement content. Reflect on how each piece of content makes you feel and whether it genuinely helps you or overwhelms you.
Have Fun!: Self-improvement doesn’t have to be hard & boring. Reward yourself every time you accomplish something positive and celebrate! This will cause you to stick with the journey!
Get yourself gold foil star stickers and every time you do something good give yourself a sticker.
Example: 5 stickers= getting something from your Amazon Wish List
The Internal team has created a 15-minute daily meditation exercise as well as a spiritual digital workbook that includes 50 prompts to complete to get to know yourself better and help figure out what you want out of life. This could aid in mindfulness and help you set clear goals on how you want to navigate your wellness journey.
Listen to the Meditation Preview here.
7 . Body Scan: Complete a body scan whenever you are consuming self-improvement content. Do you feel anxious and overwhelmed or confident and inspired? If you feel the former over the latter, stop! And take a break. This is your body's way of telling you that you need to rest.
8. Limit Screen Time: Set daily or weekly limits on how much time you spend on self-improvement content. Use apps or built-in phone features to monitor and restrict screen time.
9. Your Basic Needs Matter: Are you neglecting your basic needs for your self-improvement journey? Make sure your basic needs are always prioritized! Without them, you have nothing!
10. Balance Consumption with Creation: For every hour you spend consuming content, spend an hour creating something or working on a project. Focus on practical application rather than passive consumption.
11. Join a Community: Engage with a community or support group focused on your areas of improvement. Share your progress and get feedback rather than continually seeking new advice.
12. Review and Reflect: Regularly review the notes and takeaways from the content you've consumed. Reflect on what has worked for you and what hasn’t, adjusting your approach accordingly.
13. Take Breaks: Give yourself breaks from consuming self-improvement content to process and apply what you've learned. Engage in activities that allow you to relax and recharge.
Remember, you don't have to do every single step on this list. Review these steps and reflect on which of them stand out to you and could start implementing them in your life today! Starting with these steps can help you make more intentional use of self-improvement content and focus on actionable changes.
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Let's reflect on what you learned. In the comment section below answer some of these questions from today’s post.
How often do you consume self-improvement content, daily or weekly?
Do you find yourself consuming content to avoid taking action on what you've learned?
How do I determine which content is truly valuable and relevant to my goals?
Do I feel overwhelmed or anxious about the amount of self-improvement content I consume? Why do you think this is?
