What are you doing to improve yourself, if anything?

[Pruners]

Message withdrawn

Miss Chatterbox..ME too.. (except for the coming off AD's and concieving and fostering!)I don't know why I worry about what other ppl think, I'm getting better though, xx

my big one is to....

let go......

of needing other people to approve of me
of needing to be perfect
of getting my head stuck in the nitty gritty and missing the lovely sunset, etc

and ultimately, I just keep saying to myself, despite some pretty ropey circs right now....what if all this was all right? What if none of this had the ability to make me unhappy? What if it was all happening perfectly? Which I know sounds batty but the principle behind it is that whatever life throws at us is a way of learning and growing and that even the worst of circumstances have the potential for really positive outcomes.

....like, deep man!

this is 'year of the career' for me.
so lots of improvements on a professional level.
one thing at a time for me.

I'm in the middle of an OU degree course but struggling with finding time to study due to the easter holidays...I'm determined to get through it though!

I am doing lots of training courses in relation to child protection/safeguarding children, with a view to training staff in it, in the future. Well, saying that, I am not at the moment as I have missed the last 2 training events due to morning sickness getting the better of me .

I am running a programme for offenders which is hard and challenges me every time I do a session, and I can feel it stretching me. I remind myself how I am improving my skills and abilities to present, how to teach the skills I am trying to teach to lots of different types of people, whenever I find it hard. I remind myself that every session I complete is one more experience that will make me better at my work.

Like Headfairy - it has been suggested (in facilitator training) that I can talk too much, especially when nervous, and I have a habit of taking over when I work with other people, perhaps not trusting enough for others to do it as well as me (or just wanting to be in control) - I am learning to listen more, and talk less, I am learning to let others do the work (in particular my students, but also colleagues, my partner, friends) and I am learning to be mindful and responsive to the different surroundings I find myself in.

It is challenging, as talking is easier than listening. It is making me a better person to let others take the lead, as it is developing my abilities to trust others, to see their skills (in particular my DH) and what they can do and for them to make some of the mistakes.

I feel myself maturing through this very active learning phase I am going through. Until I have DC no 2 and my brain shrinks!

I am trying to fit in times in my day when I can let my mind wander rather always being doing things or planning what I am going to do.

I don't know if this will improve me but I have always had a tendency to 'fill' every spare second (eg meal planning while having a walk during my lunch hour) and I am sure it is not good for me.

I am also trying to read more details about current affairs rather than just the headlines.

It is hard to combine the two.

I'm starting a meditation course in a few weeks time!

Sometime in the next few weeks I am getting a new pill which will completely change my life and make it perfect! Well, it'll help.

Then I will be able to concentrate and continue my OU study of genetics. I hope.

Oh and I might do some housework.

Lord.I suppose to get my head out of my arse and start looking at the wider world after 2 years' relationshipbreakdowninduced navel gazing. And to up my intellectual ante.

therapy, v hard work, real change occuring, but slowly.

i reckon this latest sad experience of miscarriage in my life is improving my emotional capacity and openess to love as a person. although i wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

i think the most important aspects of self improvement are changes in ways of relating that are unhealthy to ways that are. that is what i tend to focus on.

although, i'd love to be more of a renaissance woman and find a truly creative outlet.

I am trying to appreciate the dcs more and not wish them older and bigger and 'orribler than they are.

I have recently started getting involved in environmental issues, I have gone from being a bit interested, to being a person who recycles, to being a person who petitions governments to take action. I have discovered it is really hard standing up for what you believe in when there's hoards of people who have to tell you about how China are building 30 power stations a day...

i am nearly finished my degree now ( just one more year) so I can provide for my family and give my little girl aspirations that she can do a "man's job" if she wishes.

um...that's all for now.

I'm not sure what I'm doing to make me a nicer person.

I'm at an interesting stage in my life where my DCs are now old enough to be much more self reliant and independent, so I'm not so tied to them or the house.

One thing I'm doing for me is learning Mandarin Chinese. Uses my brain in a totally different way. It's selfish, really.

I am trying not to want to improve myself all the time.

No, seriously. Perfectionism can be a dangerous thing.

Yeah but....there is no such thing as perfection. You can still strive to be the best person you can, for the benefit of yourself and those around you.
Improvements can also take the form of culling - getting rid of useless stuff (things, people etc.) and concentrating on the important things.
I really also need to be less shouty, as someone else said
I am going to start yoga again ...honest... it is good physically and mentally.

I'm training as a childline councellor.

What a great thread! I'm going to enjoy the good times while I can and think positively for the sake of my own well-being and my family.

I also like the idea of Wholesome Gardening and hope this will help me lighten my mood. I seem to have spent the whole of the winter under a dark cloud.

Oh! And I want to keep in touch with other people without expecting them to make the first move and then feel rejected when it doesn't happen.

Not getting involved - Posting and Going

I am also trying not to talk too much about myself and also listen more anecdote less.

Relax more with dh and try not to organise him so much - have really got much better at this.

Spend more one to one time with each dc

Am exercising for the first time in years - I know its physical, but the loss of guilt is wonderful.

Have been attempting to learn something new everyday - doing quite well.

I am trying not to take everything to heart. To rebuild my confidence.

Pruners - how are you doing with the evolution??

What a great thread. The egg theory is really interesting, I might give that book a go.

I need to learn who I really am. I think by having my dcs quite young I never really got the chance to "discover" myself, I don't regret that, but am learning to be myself with people rather than who I think they expect me to be if that makes sense?

I also want to be more articulate and have informed opinions. I need to read more variety.

I need to rebuild my confidence.

I want to be a more patient mum and appreciate my dcs more, they are growing up so quickly. My new catchphrase needs to be "oh nevermind" instead of "ffs"

I want to find something for myself, a hobby, I like baking, gardening and thought about learning to knit.

I want to be able to slow right down and have a more relaxed way of life. I think I'm a very old fashioned girl at heart

Blissa, I like that!
I will try and work on oh nevermind instead of FFS . Especially as DS is learning to talk