Meditate in the morning. Eat healthier. Exercise. Sleep better. Be more productive. Stay calm. Be more mindful.
The list never seems to end.
In recent years, self-improvement has become an endless project in our lives. We feel that we need to be a little better, fitter, more successful, and more aware every day. Social media constantly shows us new ways to do this: a new routine, a new book, a new workout, a new habit…
But what if, at some point, we are simply tired?
Improving ourselves is, of course, valuable. Listening to our bodies, understanding our minds, and changing the things in our lives that no longer serve us can help us grow. But when self-improvement quietly becomes an obligation, our relationship with ourselves begins to change. It starts to feel as if who we are is never quite enough.
Yet we do not have to solve every emotion, change every behavior, or set a new goal every day.
Sometimes we can be unhappy. Sometimes we can lose our motivation or simply not want to do anything. That does not mean we are a problem that needs to be fixed.
Yoga practice reminds me of another side of this. We do not have to go deeper every day, do a more difficult pose, or push our bodies to their limits. Sometimes, simply noticing the breath and listening to the body as it is, is enough.
Life can be like that too.
We do not have to move forward every day.
Putting the phone away, walking without listening to anything, drinking our coffee without rushing, or simply sitting quietly for a few minutes are also part of life.
What we have forgotten for a long time is how to simply exist.
Improving ourselves and accepting ourselves are not opposites. We may want to be healthier, stronger, or more mindful. But we can do this not because we think we are not enough, but because we want to take better care of ourselves. Real growth begins when we no longer feel that we have to constantly change ourselves. Because life is not a self-improvement project that needs to be completed.
Sometimes, to become a better version of ourselves, we need to stop running and find ourselves exactly where we are.
Not doing more.
Not becoming better.
Sometimes, simply being.
İnstagram: @melispurelife
Mail: a.melisgence@gmail.com
