Self-Improvement on a Budget: 8 Powerful (and Free) Ways to Evolve

The “Create A Great Life” website is all about self-improvement.  To me, self-improvement is so important that we all should be doing something to improve ourselves every single day.  Frankly, if you aren’t spending part of each day trying to improve yourself in some small way, what exactly are you doing with your life? 

You should be spending some time each day trying to become the best version of YOU.  And the good news is that you don’t need money to do that.  Self-improvement can be a free activity.

Now, of course, if you have a lot of money, you can get all kinds of help to improve yourself.  You can hire life coaches and personal trainers.  You can spend money on gym memberships, meditation classes and buy a library of personal development books.

Or, with some self-discipline, you can embark on a self-improvement journey that doesn’t cost a dime.  The reality is that with self-discipline, commitment and some readily available, free resources, you can create your own self-improvement curriculum. 

Below are 10 powerful, free ways to embark on a journey of self-improvement.  Follow these approaches, and start on the path to becoming the best YOU possible!

Become Your Own Professor by Using the Internet

Thanks to the Internet and other free resources, you can easily educate yourself on nearly any subject.  For example, I currently am learning Spanish using books, Duolingo, and a free video series called, “Destinos.”  Those resources are all available for free, either at the library or online.

Honestly, if you have access to a computer and the Internet, the world is your oyster.  You can become an expert in nearly any subject.  You just have to pick a topic that you want to learn about and run with it. 

Now, I’ll concede that I like to have physical books.  In fact, I have a growing library in my home.  But owning actual books isn’t possible for everyone.  That’s why I love how many free resources are available on the Internet.  For instance, you can find free versions of classic literature on websites, like Project Gutenberg. 

So, when it comes to improving yourself intellectually, you simply don’t need money or admission to a university.  What you need is a desire to learn.  Take that desire, and then use the free resources that are available on the Internet and at your local library.  You can become highly educated in any field with a commitment to learning and a willingness to seek out free, educational resources. 

Journaling

The ancient Greeks used to say, “know thyself.”  Well, one of the best ways to get to know yourself is to write down your thoughts in a journal.  Of course, I’ll concede that journaling isn’t an entirely free activity.  You need to be able to afford a pen and paper.  But if you can get your hands on a pen and a notebook, you are off and running when it comes to journaling.

Now, you may not think that you have anything to write in a journal.  But I can assure you that you do!  You have thoughts flying through your brain all day long.  Write them down.  Then read them, and expand upon those thoughts.  Once you get going, you’ll find out that you have a lot to write about.

Journal writing is an opportunity for you to develop your own way of looking at the world.  In this world, we are bombarded with the views of others.  Journaling gives you a chance to shut out the noise of the society and figure out what you really think about any topic.

Having your own thoughts and opinions is critical because there is only one you.  You have a unique perspective based on your life experience.  And your important contribution to the world is to offer your very unique perspective!

Practice Meditation

One of my pet peeves is when meditation experts try to make meditation something complicated.  They want you to sit on the floor.  My God.  With your legs crossed.  Good grief.  With a perfectly straight back and your palms facing upwards.  Why?  I’ve never figured out why any of that is necessary.

The truth of the matter is that meditation is simply a matter of being still and giving your undivided attention to the present moment.  And that is all.

You can do that nearly anywhere, and in any position.  But if you want to make your life easy, you might approach meditation in this way: Find a quiet place.  Sit in a comfortable chair.  And just quietly be.  Let the thoughts float in and out of your head.  If you sit still for long enough, the thoughts will stop whirring around your brain.  And soon you’ll just be engaged with the present moment. 

While being in the present moment, you may hear the birds outside.  Or you may notice the stitching on your sweater.  You may notice your breathing, or the feel of the floor beneath your feet.  And all of that is relaxing.  The point of meditation is to give your brain a break from the noise and nonsense of the world and just allow yourself to be quiet for a period of time.  And that’s good for our brains!

What you’ll find is that meditation is a good way to give your brain some rest. And when your brain is rested, you’ll have more clarity of thought.  You may even have epiphanies! 

The good news is that meditation is free.  You just need a chair (or the ground) and a quiet place to sit for a period of time.  Give yourself those two things, and you have the foundation for a meditation practice!

Become a List Maker

There is something oddly magical about list making.  It seems that if you put a task on a list, you psychologically believe that it must get done.  As a result, lists are an incredible motivator.

I have mental lists going through my head of the things that I need to get done each day.  Feed the pets.  Exercise. Laundry.  Do some writing.  Cook dinner.  Etc. 

But if I have a project to tackle, then writing a To Do List is the most effective way to get it done.  With a list, I am able to take a large project and break it down into smaller tasks.  And since those tasks are on my list, they obviously have to get done!

In the context of self-improvement, list making is a great tool.  If you want to make progress in any area of your life, it requires daily effort.  And making that daily effort a task on your To Do List is the way to make progress.

For example, if you want to improve your health, your list may include drinking 4 glasses of water a day.  Or it may include going for a daily 20-minute walk.  If you want to reduce your stress, your To Do List may include doing 20 minutes of meditation or yoga each day.  The ways that you can use lists to accomplish your personal goals are endless.

What is wonderful about lists is that they are free. You can make them in your head, or you can write them down on a piece of paper. The good news is that when you make daily lists, you push yourself to do something every day toward improving yourself.  And we all know that daily effort toward any goal means progress toward that goal!

Give Yourself 30-Day Challenges

If you are looking to make a permanent change in your life, one approach is to simply give yourself a 30-day challenge.  For instance, giving up alcohol for 30 days seems much more doable for some people than simply saying, “I’m never going to drink alcohol again.”

You can give yourself the same challenge with respect to giving up eating meat or starting an exercise regime.  It’s a lot easier to mentally commit to doing something for 30 days than to commit to doing something (or not doing something) forever.

What you’ll find is that if you give up doing something for 30 days, you probably won’t go back to your former lifestyle.  Years ago, I gave up drinking alcohol and eating meat.  And I can say that after a month, I no longer had a desire for either one.  And I’ve never looked back. 

The key is to commit to making your lifestyle change for just a 30-day period.  By changing your behavior for 30 days, you start a habit.  And if it’s a good habit, after 30 days, you aren’t going to want to go back to your old ways.  Because self-improvement feels great!

Fortunately, 30-day challenges are free. All they require from you is a desire to change, and one month’s worth of self-discipline!

Do at Home Workouts

When I was younger, I used to love to go to the gym.  It was fun to workout and be around other young people.  But as I’ve gotten older, and life has gotten busier, I’ve found that I need to work out at home.

Thanks to the Internet, working out at home is easier than ever.  There are loads of free workout videos online.  In particular, I enjoy doing online yoga videos.  One of my favorite yoga channels on YouTube is Satvic Yoga. 

You, of course, can exercise at home on your own, without a video.  But many of these workout videos are led by people who are inspiring!  Their positive attitudes are a great way to incorporate good energy into your day!

Fortunately, most of these videos are available for free.  You may have to put up with the occasional advertisement, but consider that to be a moment to get a drink of water during your workout.  The benefit is that by making exercise something easy to do at home, you’ll be more likely to do it. 

Walk or Hike

Running is a wonderful free way to improve your health.  But as we get older, our joints want a gentler form or exercise.  So, you might consider two other free ways to improve your cardiovascular health: Walking or Hiking.

If you are physically able, walking is a free activity that you can do for the rest of your life.  Walking is good for your digestion after a meal.  It provides a good cardio workout.  And (!) it’s good for your mental health.

In fact, I’ve found that the one way to really clear my mind is to go for a long walk.  For example, there was a period in my life when I was living in the Middle East.  I was under a lot of stress, and the way I managed that stress was to walk!  I had a wonderful dog at the time who could walk endlessly.  So, he and I took long walks every day, and those walks helped reduce my stress and allowed me to think more clearly.

So, take advantage of the free activities of walking and hiking! What you’ll find is that by going for a walk or a hike, you can focus on whatever issue happens to concern you and truly get some clarity of thought.

Connect with People who Intellectually Challenge You

I have a core group of three people with whom I talk about life’s issues.  My husband, my daughter and a friend who I’ve known since high school.  They’re all of varying ages and perspectives.  And they all challenge my ways of seeing the world.

What I’ve learned is that if you only hang out with people who agree with you, you won’t intellectually improve.  Instead, you’ll stagnate.  So, we all need people in our lives who challenge how we see the world.

For instance, my daughter is a very insightful person.  She is thoughtful and has a wise perspective.  I consult with her about nearly everything, and on occasion, she politely will tell me if she thinks I’m off base.  She’s so diplomatic in her manner of disagreement, that you really don’t know that your ideas are even being challenged!

The key is to find people who don’t want to “argue” with you, but who instead want to intellectually challenge you.  I’ll concede that those folks are hard to find!  It takes a certain level of emotional maturity to stop arguing with people, but instead, “discuss” issues.  Very few people have that level of emotional maturity.

But if you can find people who truly want to “discuss” issues, you’ll be enriched!  The process of discussing issues will lead you to become intellectually sharper because you’ll have to give greater thought to your points of view.

The good news is that relationships with other people are free!  You just have to find intelligent, kind, insightful people with whom you can have smart discussions.  And maybe treat those folks to a cup of coffee for their time!

If you are seeking to improve yourself on a budget, consider following the approaches above.  If you do, you’ll find that you can make incredible progress toward becoming the best version of YOU without even spending a dime! (To read about how to develop a self-improvement plan, click here.)