How to be the best you can be in 2018

A new year is on the horizon and it is almost that time again that many people start thinking about their goals for the next 12 months. For some people it is a change in career or saving up towards something big such a holiday or driving lessons, for others it is the simple differences they want to want in their lives to help them get ahead or make their life run a little bit more smoothly. I've been quite vocal about saving for a house for the last few months and buying a house is still one of my main priorities, however, I really want to focus on my own self-development next year by learning new things and above all, boosting my confidence. I want to be the best I can be and learn to love and respect myself. I'm getting the point where I'm almost in my late twenties and if I don't start appreciating myself before the big three-o, I don't know if I ever will.

Today I thought I would put together a few motivational tips to help me start on my journey to confidence and to hopefully inspire you to join me on the way too.

Be yourself

Firstly, always remember to be yourself. It's cliche, but Kurt Cobain's quote 'I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for someone I'm not' is what we should all live by. There's a lot of pressure from social media, our careers and friendships someones to try to pretend to be someone we just could never be, but the truth is, if you're having to put on an act, they're never going to like you in the end. It's better to focus on the people who genuinely care about you and for that one person who you don't quite get on with, there will be 10 more than appreciate and love you for who you are.

Know what you want

Knowing what you want in life is easier said than done - not everyone knows exactly where they want to be in ten years time. However, as a general rule, it is helpful to think ahead and get an idea of the smaller things that you want that could tick off one step at a time and contribute to the wider picture in your future.

Dress to impress

The way we dress can have a huge impact on our productivity levels and the way we generally feel about ourselves - I always feel the most productive and confident when I've got my favourite lipstick and dress on. Get up that little bit earlier in a morning and try a new style or put on an outfit that you know will make you feel good. The dress that gives me the most confidence right now is the one above from Caris Closet- it has a beautiful feminine shape and looks sophisticated, yet stylish. Teamed up with a blazer, it makes a great 'power dress' outfit and can be worn for lunchtime meetings straight through to the evening.

Get rid of any negativity

Having negativity in your life will only drag you down and weigh heavily on your mental health. Take steps to phase out the people or an aspect of your life that you feel is making you lose sleep or get stressed out on a night. It may hurt in the short term, but in the long term, it will help you build a better, brighter future.

Embrace your passions
We're always at our happiest with we're discussing something that we love, so embrace your passion and make it a bigger part of your life. You can try to incorporate it into your career, start a new blog, join a group or meet with friends who have like-minded views.


Don't be afraid of failure

Always look at failure as a learning curve - address where and if you went wrong and what you're the plan of action is so that you don't do it again. Failure is, unfortunately, a big part of life, but if you don't let it get to you too much, it can, in the end, make you strong and a better person for it.

What are your tips for success in 2018?