When it comes to self-improvement thoughts this time of year, tell me if this is a familiar sequence of statements:
December: “Ah, the holidays. One last hurrah before the diet, am I right?”
January: “New year, new me. Attention, 2022… Here. Me. Come.”
Still January: “Life is hard.”
If this sounds like something you’re already going through, don’t feel bad. This says that only 9% are successful in achieving their resolutions.
What is the problem and how can we improve?
Well, life is actually very hard. We have priorities. We have needs. The food tastes good. Exercise is a commitment.
What could help?
You’ve heard the saying “out of sight, out of mind” right? So do it the other way around.
This means putting your resolutions out there for others to see first. Tell your friends about your goals, update your family on your progress, etc. These are great first steps on your way to staying motivated going into the new year and achieving that “new you” you so desire.
Why? This makes you accountable. How? Because the only thing worse than failing to meet your resolutions is telling anyone who will listen about your lofty goals one week and not doing it altogether the next. You will be seen as a crying wolf, making it all the more difficult to get support in the future.
Second, do your best to keep your resolutions on your mind—throughout the day—and not just think about them in times of vulnerability.
For example, it’s hard to turn down pizza when you’re hungry, and it’s hard to get up in the morning to go to the gym when you’re tired.
But instead, if you’re using an app to track your calories throughout the day, you’re mentally setting yourself up to know you only have 500 left for dinner — so pizza is entirely out of the question before you can eat it. consider it. Similarly, if you track your sleep habits and buy daily progress, you’re more likely to go to bed at 10 pm instead of binge-watching Netflix after midnight.
I’m saying that you don’t have to be part of the 9%! First, set a goal, tell people about it, and finally find a useful personal growth app to keep you on track.
The first two steps are easy, and we’re here to help you with the third.
With a set of valuable mobile apps just begging to be downloaded, you’ll soon be on your way to eating healthier, reading more, exercising regularly, and/or a new passion, goal, or even career.
Personal Growth Apps
- Journy: Self-Care Day Planner
- MyFitnessPal (to eat healthier)
- Couch to 5K (to get active)
- Any.do (to become more organized)
- Headspace (to be “present” more)
- DietBet (to lose weight)
- Skillshare (to find a new hobby)
- Strides (to achieve a specific goal)
1. Journy: Self-Care Day Planner
Journy is the best personal growth app ever. Mainly because of how progressive he is in his approach. Journy: Self-Care Day Planner app is one of the best self-motivation apps due to its structure combining different entities such as finances, health, relationships, etc. You can discover learning through unique approaches. Start taking good notes to help you track what you are doing and what to do in the future. You can even follow the routine of the greats. And by greats, we mean celebrities, athletes, famous business people, etc. You can use Journy to try it for free for a few days and then get exclusive benefits like videos, quotes and many more things.
Download: iOS or Android
2. MyFitnessPal (iOS and Android)
If you want to eat healthier, you must first understand what you are currently consuming. MyFitnessPal tracks daily meals and snacks to help you reach your goals. You can record exercise activities, track daily/monthly progress, view daily nutrition breakdowns and set measurable goals. (Warning, you’ll be shocked at how much sodium is in everything.) Download: iOS or Android
3. Couch to 5k (iOS and Android)
Experts say the best way to achieve a goal is to break it down into smaller steps. That’s exactly what this personal growth app does! With Couch to 5k ($2.99), anyone—yes, anyone—can train for a 5k run. Start small (think alternating between jogging and walking) with workouts three times a week that last about 30 minutes. At the end of the nine-week plan, you will cross the finish line. Download: iOS or Android
4. Any.do (iOS and Android)
Track your tasks and then complete them. With Any.do (free), you can add reminders, notes and files that are accessible on all devices – meaning you can manage your to-do list from home or on the go. A clean and simple interface makes it easy to get started, which is one of the hardest parts of accomplishing any goal. Premium plans are available. Download: iOS or Android
5. Headspace (iOS and Android)
According to the personal growth app, “headspace is a gym membership for your mind.” In fact, it offers guided meditations that last ten minutes; perfect for busy parents. The personal growth app is praised for helping to reduce stress and anxiety while improving creativity and focus – all benefits of meditation. You can upgrade to a paid plan after completing the Take10 beginner course. Download: iOS or Android
6. DietBet (iOS and Android)
You can tell what a person loves by where they spend their money. DietBet uses money to motivate people to make healthy choices. The concept is simple: bet money on how much weight you think you can lose and get paid to meet your goals. According to the app, “96% of players lose weight and winners take home an average of $58!” I like the odds. Download: iOS or Android
7. Skillshare (iOS and Android)
With literally thousands of courses on everything from using Photoshop to designing t-shirts to painting a cow with acrylics (yes, really), Skillshare makes it easy to discover a new hobby or brush up on old skills. Track courses through the personal growth app for inspiration on the go. While some techniques are offered for free, you can upgrade to monthly or annual plans for full access. Download: iOS or Android
8. Strides (iOS)
Maybe this will be the year you finally go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. Or the year you finally learn to change your own tires. Whatever your goal is, you can achieve it with Strides (Free). Track goals and habits, check your progress in the form of fancy graphs and achieve everything you set out to do. Users especially love the clean and user-friendly look of the personal growth app. Download: iOS
