Is it just me, or does it rub you the wrong way when people justify not doing their best with something obnoxious or unnecessary? For example, most of us know that Amazon does not pay their workers near enough, yet we still shop there because it just so happens to be a very convenient option. I understand and respect that everyone’s personal best is different, but when you realize that you are not doing your best, don’t try to rationalize or justify it; do better! Self-improvement is far too important for everyone to be okay with their flaws or their inability to grow themselves. 

We all see too many injustices, big or small, in the world today to just stand idly by without taking any action to change ourselves. People love to throw around the phrase “if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” While this is beyond real, very few people seem to take these words to heart when changing themselves.

Making excuses and rationalizing your choice to stay stagnant rather than grow is inaction at its finest. We all want to be the best we can be, so let’s stop making excuses and start making changes. Instead of saying, “I really wanna save the planet but remembering my reusable bag is just too tough,” you should say, “I really wanna save the planet, but I’m struggling. Let me think of some ways I can start and go from there.” 

I want to share a couple of things that I have found helpful in stopping the rationalization and starting personal growth. My biggest tip is just simply to start small. Suppose your goal is to decrease your carbon footprint; begin by reducing your use of single-use products or limiting your meat intake. Eventually, this step will become easy, and you can add on more. It may seem tedious and time-consuming, but it will genuinely help you stick to your growth for longer since the small steps are more manageable.

My next tip is to write down your self-improvement goals. Let’s use the carbon footprint example again, write down your end goal, “reduce my carbon footprint,” and then write down all your “milestone” goals. This way, you will not become overwhelmed by your goals, and instead of making an excuse that “remembering my reusable bags is too hard,” you’ll instead remember your tote so you can cross off this step on your list. It’s like a reward within a reward.

So what I hope you can take away from my little rant today is that when you see injustice, whether it be in yourself or the world, do not be okay with inaction, but rather be the action and take action. You have the power to change anything that you want! Stop allowing yourself to make excuses and start becoming the best version of yourself!