How to Be Your Best Self

We've all heard it before - the phrase 'be your best self' gets thrown around like glitter at a New Year's party! It's everywhere. On podcasts, in Instagram captions, in the titles of self-help books. But what does it actually mean?

For a long time, I thought it meant hustle. Wake up at 5am, green juice in one hand, a colour-coded planner in the other. Productivity became my identity. But the truth? I was exhausted, disconnected, and chasing someone else's idea of 'best'.

Then came a moment that changed everything. I remember sitting on my bedroom floor one evening, surrounded by to-do lists I hadn't completed, and thinking: What if I've been aiming at the wrong target? What if being your best self isn't about becoming someone new, but remembering who you are?

That question became my compass.

Here's what I've learned on the journey back to myself:

 

Get Quiet Enough to Listen

The world is loud. Social media, work, expectations - it all drowns out your own voice. To know your best self, you need to make space to hear it.

For me, that meant journaling in the morning before the noise started, or taking long walks without my phone. I started noticing patterns in my thoughts, tiny sparks of intuition I had been ignoring.

Clarity doesn't shout, it whispers, and you can only catch it when you slow down long enough to tune in.

 

Know What You Value

Your best self isn't someone else's dream. It's deeply tied to your values - the quiet truths you live by when no one's watching.

I sat down one day and wrote out mine: honesty, growth, creativity, and kindness. Once I had that list, decision-making got easier. If it didn't align with those, I let it go. I stopped chasing goals that looked good on paper and started pursuing ones that actually felt good in my gut.

Saying no became a way to say yes to myself.

 

Give Yourself Grace

You're not always going to feel like your best self. Some days, your best might be just getting out of bed and breathing through anxiety. That's okay.

We tend to think growth is all high-energy and progress, but sometimes growth is choosing not to give up on yourself.

I stopped trying to be perfect and started trying to be present. Ironically, that's when real progress began: in the messy, human moments I used to label as failure.

 

Let Go of the Timeline

There's no deadline for becoming you. The best version of yourself is constantly evolving, and trying to rush that process only creates frustration.

Growth is messy and nonlinear. I've learned to celebrate the tiny wins - the times I chose calm over chaos, reflection over reaction.

Life doesn't follow a perfect script, and that's the beauty of it. You don't bloom on someone else's schedule.

 

Surround Yourself with Mirrors, Not Masks

The people you spend time with matter.

I started gravitating toward those who challenged me with love, who saw the real me and reminded me of her when I forgot. These people don't let you hide behind masks - they reflect back your strength, your growth, your potential. That's community. That's sacred. And it's something I now actively protect.

 

Just Remember...

Being your best self isn't a makeover - it's a return. It's the quiet, daily practice of listening in, choosing intentionally, and showing up with compassion, especially for yourself. It's not something you achieve, but something you become by honouring who you've always been.

And the best part? You don't have to do it all today. Just start by being real. That's more than enough.