Becoming: How to be Great in 5 Steps

Image by Brydie Mack

Last night I finally got around to watching Becoming on Netflix, the documentary made around Michelle Obama’s book launch of the same name.

I was really taken aback in a scene, where at one of her book signings, person after person approached her, totally awestruck, crying, ecstatic, lost for words or all of these together. Michelle is amazing in that for each interaction, for every person, she looked just as awestruck and inspired by who was standing before her. I can imagine there would’ve been hundreds if not thousands of people each day she’d meet and every person, she took in.

It is what real empathy looks like. Working to understand a person, learning something new and listening to their story.

She explains how important it is to look someone in the eye and to take them in.

Becoming is all about how a relatively normal person is suddenly thrown into the public’s eye and her journey of learning to deal with this.

It got me thinking about some of the things that make a person great. So I made a small list of ways in which we can all reach our highest potential:

Look people in the eye

Acknowledging and being present with someone who stands before us is how we signal to that we are listening. Everyone wants to be heard and to be understood. It shows that we are interested and confident in ourselves.

Don’t take criticism to heart

Yes, sometimes criticism can be useful, it can help us to refine and develop ourselves but ultimately, the only critic we should really listen to is ourself. Note that it’s important to build a positive dialogue with ourselves that encourages us to be the best person we can be. Other people’s opinions are really just a reflection of how they see themselves, it has nothing to do with us.

Be your authentic self

We are all unique and special. Really. We all have a different story and experiences that make us who we are today. You should be proud of the journey that you’ve been on so far. All the quirks and crazy things about us is what makes us stand out from the crowd. You were made this way for a reason, embrace what you have because you’re the only one like you.

Create something everyday

Whether it’s writing, drawing, cooking, whatever takes your interest. Set yourself the challenge of creating something every day for 40 days. At the end of this period, you’ll be able to look back on what you’ve made and feel the satisfaction of what you accomplished. At the time it might feel silly or not perfect, but that doesn’t matter. The act of doing will release any fear you had about starting.

* Bonus tip - The messier the better. Sometimes we think that everything has to be perfect. Not every day we can feel 100% and get caught up in the criticism and doubt. Pushing through that and making something out of the mess is where growth comes from.

Read

Fiction or non-fiction, whichever you prefer, pick up a book or an article that takes your interest. Learn a new skill and massage that brain. Reading gets us inspired and broadens our perspective of the world, which is so important if we want to be the best version of ourselves.

Is there a way you like to improve yourself everyday? Leave a comment below and share your story.