A balance between focusing inward and directing action outward is always critical in life, especially in college when so many of us are making big decisions about significant relationships, majors, jobs, and post-college plans.  The quality of our lives equal the quality of our decisions. While this is true throughout life, it is particularly true now. You should start building your future today! So, take steps to improve yourself by making better decisions.Here are 5 ways to improve yourself:1.) Write in a journal.  For some of us writing in a journal is hard, but it is a great way to improve focus, sharpen thoughts, and track progress.  Writing forces the mind to be more disciplined.  Over time, you will find that you will journal about the things in life most important to you, and it will help you figure out how you want to handle those issues.
2.) Exercise. The mind-body connection is very powerful. A healthy physical lifestyle gives the brain lots of advantages. Start making fitness goals part of your daily routine. Eventually, your workout regimen will transition into a habit and then part of your life.  The quality of your thinking will improve. Physical fatigue will wreck mental energy as well. Â
3.) Look outside of your personal bubble. When people isolate themselves, their views on life can become distorted. The small picture becomes the big picture, and that’s not a healthy mindset. Do volunteer work, watch the news, call a friend, and take advantage of the wise council in your life.
4.) Don’t put up with shenanigans. Realize that you deserve the best quality of friendships and romantic relationships. If someone isn’t treating you well over a consistent period of time, the relationship is toxic. You need to find a way to cope with it, or, possibly, to detach from it. Toxic relationships suck up our thoughts and our time. Our time is our life. You have better things to do with your life. Figure out if you can handle the relationship better. If not, you may have to do something very difficult: detach and move on.
5.) Rest and take a power nap.  Successful, hard-working people consciously find time for rest. A well-rested body provides support for the brain to make good decisions. You should be sleeping between 7 and 9 hours every night, and, over time, you should develop consistent sleep and wake-up habits. Your brain will function best this way.
The aim isn’t to be perfect. Just be the greatest Y-O-U that you can be. Writer and motivational speaker Wayne Dyer once said, “All action starts with a thought.”  So, good thinking is your first step. Then, turn your good thoughts into actions. Soon enough, your good actions will become habits, and your good habits will positively form your character and take you to your destiny.
Twitter: @julitacardenas