More On One Of The Best Journals For Self-Improvement I’ve Found

Welcome to my first blog post of 2021! I felt self-improvement was a fitting topic, since January is such a popular month for self-reflection and we’re all looking for the best journals for self-improvement and personal development. Now is also a great time for me to introduce January’s Black-owned business of the month, Inside Then Out, but more about that in a minute! First, let’s dive into self-improvement!

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What Does Self-Improvement Mean?

For a lot of folks, self-improvement can mean a lot of different things. Maybe it’s living a healthier lifestyle, improving relationships with friends and loved ones, or pursuing a passion that you’ve let fall by the wayside. Or, it might be a combination of all of those things! If you’re new to self-improvement and personal development, your first step is to figure out what those terms mean to you and which areas you want to focus on primarily.

What Are The Five Areas of Personal Development?

Did you know that there five areas of personal development? I didn’t either! I was inspired to do some research after chatting with the amazing Black woman creator behind Inside Then Out (scroll down a bit to listen to her episode) so I wanted to share my findings with you.

1. SPIRITUAL

This doesn’t necessarily have to mean religion. In my opinion, spirituality and religion are two different things, but that’s a whole different blog post, ya’ll! What does spirituality mean to you? If you’re a Christian, maybe it means building a closer relationship with God and gaining a deeper and clearer understanding of scripture. Or, it might mean simply creating a deeper connection with the world around you.

2. EMOTIONAL

Do you tend to stress and obsess over things you can’t control? If so, please know you’re not alone. Working on the emotional aspect of personal development can help with that! This is a long-term process that involves changing how you react mentally to different situations in your life. As with any long-term journey, it’s always a good idea to track your progress in some way, like with Inside Then Out’s journal for self-improvement, the Better Every Day Journal.

3. MENTAL

This is another long-term and ongoing area of personal development. It involves looking for new and creative ways to engage and exercise your brain. While this process is ongoing, you do have to be careful not to overdo it. So, you should also look for ways to relax and give yourself (and your brain!) a break. For me, relaxation is watching crappy tv and a (possibly excessive) nighttime skincare routine, but it may look different for you!

4. SOCIAL

The social area of personal development involves working on effective communication with the people in your life. It also involves learning to communicate effectively with DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE. That’s in all-caps, because I want to highlight that this process also involves putting yourself out there, meeting new people, and learning about the different ways people communicate and learn from each other. This is a personal goal of mine as I continue to grow this blog and the TRIBE Culture LIFE podcast!

5. PHYSICAL

When you hear physical, you probably think of exercising more often and eating better, right? Me too! But, the physical area of personal development is about more than that. It’s about taking care of yourself and putting your health and physical well-being FIRST whenever possible. Yes, this includes maintaining a healthy lifestyle with healthy eating habits and regular exercise. But, it also refers to things like getting enough sleep and taking time to yourself when you need it.

SOURCE: Break Through Psychology Program

Did you know you’re more likely to achieve your self-improvement goals if you WRITE THEM DOWN? If you’re looking to set goals for yourself this month, check out my latest post on how to set personal goals that you’ll actually accomplish. Don’t forget to claim your FREE Goal Setting Worksheet!

What Are Some Good Self-Improvement Goals?

Well, that depends on you! Take a few minutes and consider what’s most important to you. Is it your relationships? Your health? Self-care? All of the above? Try making a list of what’s most important you and then create goals surrounding the top five items on your list. As you grow more in your self-improvement journey, you can add more to the list. If you’re still stumped, check out this list of 50 Personal Development Goals To Set For Yourself In 2021 for inspiration.

Now that we’ve discussed the five areas of personal development and how to set self-improvement goals for yourself, you probably have an idea or two on what you want to work on this year, right? Now, let’s take a look at some of my favorite resources and tools (including one of the best journals for self-improvement!)

If you want to hear more about Nya Jones, Inside Then Out, and her ongoing journey of self-improvement and personal development, check out my chat with her below!

That brings me to January’s Black-owned business of the month. I started the Black Owned Business Of The Month initiative when I created this blog and it will continue into the new year with new and veteran Black-owned businesses and brands with quality products and services. Check out my Black Owned Business Of The Month tab for previous features!

More On Inside Then Out’s Self-Improvement Journal

Inside Then Out owner, Nya Jones, began her personal development journey in May 2020, after she graduated college. A long-time fan of journaling, Nya saw the need for a tool to encourage and assist with consistency and intention and The Better Every Day Journal was born.

As you may know, there aren’t many Black voices in the personal development space and even fewer self-guided journals for Black women. Anyone, of course, can use The Better Every Day Journal as a resource for growth and improvement. But, I love that it was created by a Black woman and that Nya has used her business as an opportunity to add her much needed voice and perspective to the personal development industry. That’s why I was super-excited to feature Inside Then Out as January’s Black-Owned Business of the Month.

Inside Then Out is best known for their Better Every Day Journal, one of the best guided journals for self-improvement in 2021. Stumped on what to write about? No worries; the Better Every Day Journal contains 365 (yes, 365!) daily prompts to help with writer’s block. Inspirational quotes and themes like self-awareness, passion, personal growth, and goals encourage self-reflection while also making it super easy to track your personal development and self-improvement in whichever areas mean the most to you.

Self-Improvement Tips For Beginners

If you’ve never formally considered self-improvement or consciously engaged in any form of personal development, this might all seem a bit overwhelming. But I want you to remember, you’ve engaged in self-improvement for your entire life, whether consciously or sub-consciously. The goal of this post is to provide the best resources and tools for self-improvement so you can continue on your journey with intention.

Still a little confused? Start small! Nya recommends starting with just ten minutes per day to engage in an activity that’s just for you. Maybe that’s listening to your favorite podcast or reading a good book. Perhaps it’s meditating or reflecting on your goals for the week. Remember the five areas of personal development we talked about earlier? Now is a great time to reflect on which of those you want to focus on!

The idea is that, as you engage in more and more self-discovery, your journey will grow from there and you’ll get much more comfortable with the idea. One of the great things about the Better Every Day Journal is that it helps you break that journey down into bite-sized moments with the daily prompts!

More Resources For Self-Improvement

Ready to start your journey? My top resource, of course, is the Better Every Day Journal. But, here are a few more of mine and Nya’s favorite resources to get you started and keep you going!

APPS

• The Happier app (available on iTunes & Google Play) refers to happiness as a “skill” with daily tips and exercises to help you flex that skill in order to “find more joy in everyday moments and handle the difficult ones with resilience”. — Happier.com
• The Noom app (available on iTunes & Google Play) shares daily, evidence-based, tips for a healthier lifestyle WITHOUT the obsessive focus on calories or hours at the gym

BOOKS

• Our Money Stories: A Six Week No B.S. Holistic Financial Wellness Plan, by Eugenie George, is an easy-to-read e-book that includes 30 interviews from other women of color discussing money mindset as well as actionable tips to organize your financial life and create a Financial Wellness Plan
• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear, discusses the small daily habits we all have and how they make up who we become over time
• You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, by Jen Sincero, shares entertaining and inspiring anecdotes along with practical advice to help you identify and stop limiting beliefs in their tracks

PODCASTS

• Lead by Adrina Nelson, the Audio Sessions podcast tackles topics like imposter syndrome, Black health and advocacy, self-love, and finding confidence
• On Therapy for Black Girls, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford talks mental health and personal development every month
• On Authentic Wednesday, Bianca Hughes, a licensed therapist and authenticity coach, chats with her guests weekly about letting go of expectations in favor of connecting with themselves and their loved ones on a deeper, more authentic level
• On Tiny Leaps, Big Changes, Gregg Clunis shares simple, easy-to-follow tips to reach your goals

Made it this far? Then, I know you’re as passionate about supporting Black-owned businesses and brands as I am. If you’ve had a good experience with Inside Then Out (or any Black owned business, for that matter) please consider joining my tight-knit Facebook community full of customers just like you to shout them out!

What are your favorite resources for self-improvement? Share with me in the comments below!