To be the best version of yourself, you need to strip away the habits, mindsets, and limiting beliefs that hold you back. 1. Fake persona, 2. Know it all, 3. The comfort zone, 4. Ruled by the fears, 5. Making excuses, 6. Blaming others, 7. Harboring envy, 8. Pleasing others, 9. Caring what others think, 10. By doing all yourself.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
WHEN THE PAST PURSUE THE PRESENT
Do you remember when you were young, full of dreams and ambitions, driven by passion and enthusiasm for the person you dreamed you would become?
Where has it all gone now, you may be wondering?
When you transition into adulthood, you begin to see the true face of life: family, job, financial obligations, responsibilities, challenges, and all those ambitions and dreams start fading away.
The shift from adolescence to adulthood brings new experiences: failure, disappointments, rejections, and unexpected fears.
Over time, all these experiences take root in your mindset, and you start adopting negative patterns such as doubt, self-criticism, lack of self-confidence, and limiting beliefs.
Sometimes, life has a funny way of bringing the past into the present, especially when you want to grow.
You can feel its baggage as an anchor whose weight pulls you down, but here is the thing: your past is not your future.
These experiences have shaped you, but they do not have to dictate what is possible for you now.
So, if you feel something is holding you back, it probably is.
Often, these are mindsets, habits, and fears you refuse to face.
The key to being the best version of yourself is to choose to let go of them.
10 PITFALLS TO AVOID TO BECOME YOUR BEST VERSION
WEARING A FAKE PERSONA
Have you ever wondered how many versions of yourself you present in a day?
In a society obsessed with appearances and expectations, it is tempting to wear different masks just to fit in, gain approval, or avoid judgment.
All these external demands influence your behavior and create fake personas to hide yourself and please society.
Wearing a fake persona means presenting a version of yourself that is not authentic.
It involves hiding your true feelings, thoughts, or personality behind a mask you believe others will accept or admire.
• You wear a smiling mask when, in fact, your soul is crying.
• You use a mask of confidence and success when inside, you devalue and consider yourself incapable.
• You wear the mask of positiveness and happiness when life is a continuous struggle.
• You expose social relationships when, in fact, the darkness of loneliness pushes you into depression and anxiety.
Over time, wearing a fake persona is exhausting and can create emotional stress that drains your energy and prevents you from being true to yourself and others.
You might lose touch with who you are and what you want, focusing more on meeting expectations than living in a way that feels true to you.
The more you hide behind a mask, the harder it becomes to grow.
So, even if you feel uncomfortable, give up all the masks and be authentic.
Recover your self-confidence and stand up for your opinions with conviction.
Becoming the best version of yourself starts when you trust and stay committed to your values and beliefs.
Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind do not matter, and those who matter do not mind. – Dr. Seuss –
ACTING LIKE YOU KNOW IT ALL
Life is constantly changing, and so should you.
But if you are a know-it-all person, you will only be on the fast track to stagnation or, at worst, regression.
The more you act like you have all the answers, the less you allow yourself to learn, limiting your perspectives and closing the doors to new growth ideas.
You keep repeating what you know without bringing anything new to your knowledge, and the result will be the same for you, personally and professionally.
Growth comes from being open to learning. The more you learn, the more you realize how much you do not know.
So, give up your ego and stay curious and open-minded. Feed and expand your mind with new information; read, ask questions, research, and seek new experiences to grow.
In this world, you are either growing or dying. So get in motion and grow! – Lou Holtz –
STAYING IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE
A common problem is that people often underestimate their potential and capabilities.
Many individuals are much more capable and talented than they think but remain at the stage of not reaching their full potential or not achieving as much as they can.
Why?
Because they prefer to stay with what is familiar and gives them security: their comfort zone.
If you are one of these people, you should know that your comfort zone, although it makes you feel safe, is a silent killer of your potential.
When you stay where things are easy, you limit your ability to progress.
Push yourself daily beyond what you know and take risks, even when they feel intimidating and uncomfortable.
The discomfort is a sign of progress towards a better version of yourself.
Be proactive!
Understand your current status, know where you want to reach, devise a plan, and make it a reality.
RULED BY THE SHADOW OF YOUR FEARS
Have you ever had a career-changing idea or brilliant project that never got off the ground because something held you back even before it started?
Often, progress is prevented not by a lack of resources or planning but rather by the invisible barriers you build for yourself.
These are your fears, one of the biggest obstacles to self-improvement.
Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, or fear of judgment paralyzes your progress and keeps you trapped in a loop of indecision and inaction.
Fear is usually just a mental construct, not reality.
It creates unrealistic scenarios in your mind, which your brain processes into emotional responses.
What if I make mistakes?
What if it does not work?
What if others do not support my idea?
What if I do not have the skills to succeed?
What if my efforts do not lead to the expected results?
Many negative What ifs, but once you do not ask yourself:
What if this works?
What if I do not make mistakes?
What if my efforts lead to the results I expect?
Focusing solely on potential pitfalls can limit your perspective and prevent you from seeing the possibilities that lie ahead.
Be aware of your fears; don’t avoid, deny, or hide them. They fade when you stop running from them.
Use them to guide you to where you need to grow.
Asking yourself What if this works, opens the door to optimism and innovation and encourages you to envision positive outcomes and the benefits that could arise from your efforts.
By balancing your concerns with a hopeful outlook, you set yourself up for a more proactive and resilient approach to achieving your goals.
I love the smell of success in the shadow of fear!
HAVING A SYMPATHY FOR EXCUSES
Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who habitually make excuses. – George Washington
Are your excuses quietly earning your sympathy over your actions?
It is easy to fall into the trap of justifying inaction with plausible reasons, especially when you avoid responsibilities or when challenges seem overwhelming.
You convince yourself that these justifications are valid, leading you to prioritize short-term comfort over long-term success.
At a deep level of understanding, your excuses come from a fear of failure or a lack of confidence in your abilities, and you use them to protect yourself from discomfort or the possibility of not meeting expectations.
It is simple to say I do not have the time, I am not ready yet, I do not have the experience, or I do not have the resources only to avoid facing challenges and overcoming them.
This mindset keeps you trapped in a loop of missed opportunities and unrealized potential, making your growth and development more difficult.
You can get closer to becoming the best version of yourself by breaking free from their cycle. Recognize excuses for what they are: a distraction from what is truly possible for you.
So, stop making them!
You can find endless excuses, but why not at least one reason Why you should act?
BLAMING OTHERS
How often do you catch yourself shifting blame instead of taking responsibility when things do not go as planned?
Blaming others is a natural defense mechanism to avoid responsibility. It can be a quick way out of the situation, but it is a dead-end strategy.
Because it blocks self-reflection and stops you from fixing what you avoid acknowledging, it keeps you in a victim mentality.
It drains time and energy that you could use for self-improvement. Remember, whenever you point a finger at a person, another three points at you.
Stop blaming others! Take full responsibility for your actions and outcomes, understand the power of change, and do things differently.
HARBORING ENVY
Do you struggle with envy when others succeed?
Envy is an ordinary feeling but a silent killer of joy and progress. It often stems from comparing yourself to others, shifting your energy away from positive actions and personal development, and leading to resentment, dissatisfaction, and insecurity.
Instead of letting it undermine your self-confidence and self-esteem and distract you from focusing on personal goals and growth, you better use it as a signal to reevaluate your path and aspirations.
To overcome envy, recognize your unique strengths and achievements. Celebrating your progress and setting personal goals helps shift your focus from what others have to what you can achieve.
Change your mindset. Celebrate others’ success, but do not lose sight of your journey.
Create your goals, and to progress, surround yourself with those who improve you, not those who imitate you.
THE PITFALLS OF PLEASING OTHERS
Are you exhausted from trying to please everyone?
Wanting to please everyone is indeed exhausting, unproductive, and ultimately impossible. It can make you act in ways that are not true to yourself, making it difficult to maintain authentic relationships.
It often stems from a desire to be accepted, which leads to emotional and physical burnout to meet the expectations of others while neglecting your own needs.
Often, depending on their approval of your self-worth can make you vulnerable to their opinions and judgments, weakening your self-confidence and independence.
It is impossible to be the best version of yourself while living for others.
Learn to say NO without guilt. Set boundaries that protect your time, energy, and goals.
Prioritize your well-being and trust that the right people will respect your choices.
CARING ABOUT WHAT OTHER THINK
When you care about the approval of others, you are their prisoner. – Lao Tzu –
Sometimes, it is natural to seek validation and approval through feedback. But when external opinions become an excessive concern, they stop you from living authentically.
Relying too much on the opinions of others alters your decisions and self-perception, stifling your personal growth.
Little by little, you diminish your self-esteem and imprison yourself in the expectations of others, always worried about fitting in.
This mindset can lead to anxiety and stress and prevent you from authentically pursuing your goals and aspirations as you try to meet diverse and sometimes unrealistic expectations.
Let go of the need for validation and strive for self-acceptance. Focus on your values and goals by trusting your intuition and judgment.
By valuing your opinions and beliefs over others, you can build a stronger sense of self and achieve greater personal fulfillment.
DOING IT ALL YOURSELF
The do-it-yourself lifestyle is something that I have translated into wrestling. – CM. Punk –
Do you struggle with the belief that you must handle everything on your own?
Let me tell you something. You can walk life’s journey alone, fighting the battles and defeating the challenges alone.
All this will give you strength and courage. But the lonely road is not an easy one. And it is not for everybody.
Can you succeed?
The answer is yes. But it will be a very tough road, which will slow you down and burn you out.
On the other hand, you don’t have to go it alone. While independence is admirable, collaboration brings fresh ideas, perspectives, and support, making the journey more manageable and enjoyable.
You don’t have all the skills or time to handle everything alone. So, surround yourself with people who complement your strengths and weaknesses and contribute their expertise.
In this way, you will open doors to faster growth and progress toward your journey to personal excellence.
Cherish the journey. Growth is sweeter when shared!
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
To be the best version of yourself, you need to leave that past behind and focus on what you can change today; this means letting go of those behaviors, patterns, and mindsets that no longer serve you.
You can change them with self-awareness, reflection, and intentional practice. Recognize them, challenge their hold on you, and take meaningful action.
Have you reached your best self yet?
Share your progress and the hurdles you have conquered in the comments below.
Till next time,
Keep Striving For Greatness!
Founder of Dare & Be.
Contact: support@dareandbe.com
This post has been really useful. Thank you very much for all the points you stated here. But I would like to highlight one that has really helped me. And it’s working around our tendency of being guided to believe that we already know everything. This is terrible because it hinders our opportunity to grow.
Hi Henry,
Thank you for stopping by. I agree with you. As long as we live with the false impression that we are omniscient, and that we do not need to assimilate other knowledge, we limit ourselves from the beginning the opportunity for personal development.
Hello there, this is a very great article! Sometimes I feel like with the demands of society, it prevents people from becoming their best selves. I really like the 10 things that you mentioned that hold us back and they are really true. The comfort zone was one that took me a long time to get out of but sometimes I do feel it creeping in sneakily. Pleasing others was one that I had trouble with too. I think a lot of these are quite relatable actually. Thanks for creating this post!
Hi Mike,
Thank you for stopping by, and I appreciate your input through this comment. Unfortunately, the two issues you mentioned are some of the most common that many people face. As long as you are aware that these issues are creeping into your life, you will always be able to overcome them by will.
Hi, these are all excellent points. I think we can all see ourselves in these issues to some extent or other. I think in some respects it can be hard to judge with any degree of confidence whether we fall on one side of these issues or the other. And in some sense, dwelling on these issues can lead to a lack of confidence and to questioning our sincerity.
As an example, how can you be really sure that you are showing your really true self? let’s say that you are mostly spontaneous and natural in your behavior and all seems fine, but then you get into self-analysis or some form of deep therapy and you discover some personality traits that stem from childhood trauma. Then through therapy may be taking years, you resolve those deep-rooted issues now you are someone different. Now maybe your behavior changes, you become more natural and more spontaneous, and less inhibited. Does that mean that your behavior beforehand was fake?
I think the conceptual problem I am having is that this assumes total knowledge of ourselves. But none of us has total self-knowledge unless we are enlightened like Buddha. I agree with the principles that you lay down here, but I think they are relative directions that we can usefully orientate ourselves towards rather than absolute standards that we have to meet. For the simple reason that to actually meet those standards we would need total knowledge. That is not an assumption I would be inclined to make. Not for myself at least.
Best regards, Andy
Hi Andy,
Thank you very much for your appreciation and for your contribution through this comment. Each of us has faced, or still faces, some of these issues listed in the article. You brought up a very sensitive point, that of stopping on these issues, analyzing them, and discovering the truth behind them.
All these steps of becoming aware of a problem, of understanding why it exists, and what you will do to correct or change it, will lead you to a better Self-Awareness. Indeed, Self-Knowledge can bring fear to what you will be able to discover. But only in this way, you will be able to truly be yourself in any circumstance, you will be able to break certain mental and emotional blockages, and you will bring substantial positive changes in your personal and professional life, with every thought, perception and action taken.
On the other hand, when you ignore these aspects, your essence remains the same, and on the surface you continue to use these masks depending on each circumstance.
A fake person is one who consciously and deliberately uses these masks to bring him a benefit, to “look” good in one form or another, in different situations. A very common example is the relationship between boss and employee. That employee can’t stand his boss in any way, but he uses a smiling, docile, friendly mask, just to look good in his eyes. Its essence is the same, but on the surface it wears a mask.
In your example, you hypothetically used the phrase “you are mostly natural and spontaneous.” But you didn’t say “you’re a natural, spontaneous person.” The difference between the two gives you the hypothetical answer to the question.
To understand the difference, I will give myself as an example. What you see in me, that’s how I am. I am very direct and transparent as a person. I always say, and I said things by name, whether it was my boss, parent, life partner, client, or friend. This is my natural essence. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t have my emotional baggage that I had to work with. But this does not make me a fake person.
For Self-Knowledge you do not have to be enlightened like Buddha. It is indeed a process that requires you to be open to change, to realize that you need that change, and to allocate the necessary time and commitment to complete the process.
You can do this by yourself through Meditation, as I, and millions of other people around the world do!
I think this article The Art of Personal Transformation – Meditation is The Key can bring you more information related to the topic.
Hey there Diana. I read through your “about” and learned about the challenges you’ve faced in life. Isn’t it amazing how life has its way of challenging each and every one of us? I can tell you draw from your experience by the way you write.
Letting go of envy is something I’ve been working on over the past few years. My mother raised me to look at other people as competitors, not collaborators. It wasn’t her fault, she was born poor and had to work her butt off to get where she is. Competing with others was how she gauged her success. But now that I’m an adult I’ve realized that mindset only holds me back.
I’m in the habit of watching my thoughts consistently. When one appears which is judgmental/envious I remind myself that I’m judging/experiencing envy and I forgive myself by telling myself that the thought is a manifestation of my “conditioned self”, my “fake persona”, as you put it. It isn’t ME.
I’m not perfect, nor will I ever be, but doing that has indeed allowed me to slowly let go of my envy.
Keep on writing from the heart,
Erick
Hi Erick,
Thank you for taking the time to read a small part of my life story. Life is a challenge in general that can bring us down, or lift us up. The result is different from person to person, depending on how we perceive the challenge, and how we respond to it.
My articles are a combination of personal experience, with a very high percentage of professional experience. In the therapy sessions I have with my clients, I often encounter the problems I have reported in this article. There are many people who still face these issues, and as long as they do not overcome them, they will always be an impediment to their own progress.
I’m glad you shared your own experience. Being also a parent, I can understand your mother’s attitude, to a certain degree. In general, as parents, we want the best for our children, we want them to be as successful as possible, and we can often unconsciously push them into negative actions, just to get what WE WANT FOR THEM. This is the real problem.
The important thing is that you are aware of the emotions you have. As long as you realize that they exists, and you define them, you will always be able to overcome them and correct them in a positive way. You’re on the right track, Erick, try not to deviate from it.
Also if you have the pleasure, you can read my article about envy.
Yes there are a few of these I need to work on for sure. I definitely care what others think and I also like to please everyone else over myself. To a degree, I think it is okay. But I usually get walked on and taken advantage of. Great advice and 10 good points for sure.
Hi Leahrae,
In my opinion, it is important to distinguish between what people who weigh heavily in your life, and who make a positive contribution to you, think about you, and the rest of the world. The problem arises when the opinion of the world in general weighs heavily for you. But even in the first case, the circumstances may be different, and your power to rationalize is the best answer.
For example, there may be circumstances in which a family member may have a wrong opinion of you, supported by their own way of perceiving you. But that doesn’t mean this is the reality, and here comes your power of opinion.
In the second situation where you like to please everyone, you will not have time to please yourself. Everything must be done in moderation. First of all, you have to live your own life, and that has to be in a much higher percentage than that to please everyone.
Thank you for your input, and for appreciation. You are welcome anytime to come back for new updates.
These are some great tips you have got on here. We all have to do our best to be the best version of oneself. For example Every morning, make a list of the 3 most important things you have to do for the day that will make the largest impact. This helps to cut out the noise and forces you to prioritize. For example, the top 3 things on my list today were to host a training, attend two executive meetings and write 2 articles. I completed all 3. #Priorities
Hi Patrick,
Pleasure to see you here. Thank you for your appreciation and for your point of view.
I am glad to see that you have your own ritual, which keeps you on top. Some people preferred to do this list in the evening, so in the morning they have time to do their morning routine, and after starting the activity itself.
There are a lot of solid tips on how to improve yourself in this article like trying to find out different things from other people and also the ability to know that you need to do everything yourself. Once you realize that everything is in your control then you begin to have a much better grip on your life.
Hi Jon, thank you for stopping by and for sharing your opinion.
Each process of self-improvement implies an awareness of the need to make changes, and especially the contribution that each individual is willing to brink in this process.
So yes, is true. Everything you keep under your control, will bring a better grip on your life.
You have a very unique way of discussing this topic. I agree with a lot of what you say and a lot of what you say has me thinking. I thought initially that I maight use fake persona’s with some people but then I thought that maybe they are not fake persona’s but just aspects of myself. For example, Deb the employee is different to Deb the mother or Deb the daughter or Deb the wife. I do portray a confident persona at work because that is the mindset that I want to cultivate. Yes I have negative moments but I try not to dwell on them because they will just drag me down. Thank you for making me think about these things 🙂
Hello Deb, welcome on my website. Thank you for stopping by.
This article it is Indeed a ” food” for the brain. The idea that I wanted to highlight related to fake persona, is that many people have lost their own personality, hidding behind these fake persona.
Personally, I am a very transparent person. For example you can notice if I am happy, sad, in good or bad mood.
That I am not influenced by negative feeling, is because I decided to change my mood, but it doesn’t not mean that I deny them.
Thank you so much for this wonderful article. Your article really motivates me. After reading your article I realized the mistakes of my life.it’s changed my mindset. thank you so much.it’s really inspired me. These 10 things really help me a lot to do something in life and will be becoming the best version of myself. Really you wrote a very motivational speech. This article also helps people who cannot change their life for stress and problems and also do not understand what to do in life.
Hello Mamun, I appreciate your kind words.
I am glad that my article is an inspiration and an motivation for you. This means that it gives you a landmark to review certain personal aspects.
Hello, I really want to first appreciate your effort in putting this great website together and writing this article. the act of improving on one’s self is a concious act that we must follow and work with everyday. your pictures speaks so much more and this is really a great post. thank you
Hello again, Benny. I am happy to see you back. Thank you for your appreciation.
If my articles are considered an inspiration and a motivation for my readers, then it means I do my duty properly.
We’re trained to please others and convey generally accepted moral and behavioral norms. We should never forget you are your first love; if you’re not capable to love yourself then you’ll never be able to love anybody else.
We should never compare to others, always compare with yourself in other time. The only constant in life is that everything changes all the time. If you understand that you’re static, most likely you’re moving backwards.
After love, fear is the most powerful and destructive feelings in live. We need to trust as babies and the universe will compensate us.
Hi Juan,
I appreciate your analysis based on my article. Thank you for your opinion.
The change is inevitable. Growth is optional. So it depends on each one, if he/ she is aware of the stage where is, and at what level he/she wants to reach.
Hello Diane,
Great post! Nowadays a lot of people depends on others’ opinion, have many faces, or pretend they know everything ( ” smart ones”) but, actually they have to learn a lot. In my opinion, they think, if they have family or a good job they don’t need to improve themselves spiritually or learn something new. ( scared to go out of comfort zone).
I know I’m not perfect at English so, I decided to improve and sighed in the Wealthy Affiliate blog. I am happy, learned a lot, I met new people who willing to help if I need it.
Thanks, I hope someone will read your article and will change the mind.
Hello,
Thank you very much for your appreciation. It is true. I know personally many of this kind of people.That is why I wrote this article.
It is an alarm signal, and I just hope the right persons will cross with my article.
Will be an “open eyes” for who want to see their reality.
Thank you so much for sharing with us such a beautiful article. I’m glad I found it. After reading your article, I understood that we need to improve constantly ourselves and to improve our lives. I will try to apply in my life the solutions which you gave us for the 10 steps. I think it will help me to improve myself. Thanks for sharing your advice. I will definitely share it with my friends. My best wishes to be always with you.
Hello Sabrina,
Thank you for stopping by. I am glad that you consider taking my advice, and reconfiguring your life. I would love to hear more about your personal improvement process.
Best of luck.
When I went through your article, I started seeing some points you made that reflected my past life. Truly, there are some things that prevent us from becoming the better version of ourselves, and sometimes we don’t want to admit them.
I had the problem of caring what others think, what they will feel about my actions; if they will be annoyed with me, just a lot of things to present myself as one they would love to do things with. It was terrible especially among my peers.
I can say that there are lots of folks out there going through this. They need to be talked to. Some of them really have a hard time getting out of that situation. Your article will definitely help things out.
Hi Kell,
Deep analogy in your words. Thank you for sharing.
Unfortunately, it is true. More and more people are losing their own identity, just to please society.
This can happen through social media, in the group of friends or co-workers.
I really hope this article will be read by as many people as possible.
I will be available to every person who needs my professional help.
Hi,
Thank you for sharing this great article. You pointed very important things to us.
Many times I have tried to do and to change some things in my life, but I don’t know why, always something was stopping me from doing that.
But after reading this article I understiood that I need to be more confident in myself, to raise my point of view, and to take more action.
Thanks again for such a beautiful article.
Hello Shariful,
Thank you for stopping by.
I appreciate your insights from your life which you shared with us. I am glad that my article gave you that boost to reconsider some aspects of your life.
You are on the good track. Keep going!
Wow this post really touches some challenging aspects of living. I’ve learnt to figure out most of these things on my own, from my own experiences. It can be difficult to live up to that standard, trying to become your possible best at all times.
These attitudes that you believe we must avoid in order to become our best selves are simply on point. At one point, we find ourselves guilty of one or more of them. Perhaps, the most prevalent of them is the need to please others. I have personally struggled to rid myself of that ugly attitude.
I don’t believe you stand any chance of becoming your best self if you still need the approval of others.
Great post
Hello Rhain,
I am glad to see you here. Thank you very much for your time and for your appreciation.
This article is a really food for the mind.
My aim was to bring some clarity into this topic.
Many people live a life under the limitations that I pointed to in my article.
When they set free from the prison of these limitations, then they can say that truly lives their own lives, they can get a vision of their goals, and strength to put them in the action.
Thank you so much for sharing with us such a beautiful article. As a kid, my dad used to say one thing every day. Try to be the best version of yourself, and today I read this again through your article.
This is very helpful in our personal and professional life.
What I used to think about when I was a kid, has made a lot of difference with how I am thinking now, as I get older.
I could see through your article that I found the things which prevented me from being the best version of myself; the FAKE PERSONA, I KNOW IT ALL, THE COMFORT ZONE, THE SHADOW OF FEAR, SYMPATHY FOR EXCUSES, SENSE OF CHAOS, etc. and you gave me the solution to overcome this obstacles.
I gained a lot of knowledge from here.
All of this give me strength, courage, to learn how to love myself and to be aware of my weaknesses.
I have found the best version of the life through your article. Really nice.
I hope I will get something better in the future.
Goood luck to you, too.
Hi Santa,
My pleasure to share with all of you, my readers.
It seems we have the same principle that guides us in life. I am happy that you discovered through my article, the real reasons which holds you back, and I hope you will take actions to change that.
Be more confident in yourself and in your values.
Best of luck!
Thank you for this very inspiring article about becoming the best version of yourself. I went through all of your points and they are all valid and very important.
The problem is that it takes time and effort to work on all of those. I do yoga meditation every day and I believe that it will help me to unite with my real Self and in this way I’ll become the best version of myself (I’ll realize myself). What do you think about it?
Hi Sandy,
I appreciate your kind words. Thank you for them.
A self improvement always takes time and personal effort. As any action, is involve patience, perseverance and commitment.
I am glad that you can feel the power of meditation, and yes, this for sure will help you reconnect with your True Self.
In this way, you will know your strength, you will learn to love and appreciate yourself, and from here, all the aspects will flow naturally.
Kind regards,
Diana.