
My goal in life is always to try to be a good person. I don’t always succeed. Life happens, stress happens, people happen, and things piss me off! Back to the drawing board.
I feel that I’ve come a long way in my maturity, compassion for others, kindness and patience. I really do want to improve myself and that’s something I work on daily. We should all do that, in my opinion.
Do not compare yourself to others, but compare yourself to who you were yesterday and strive to be better today.
If you’ve been asking yourself lately, “How do I start being a good person?” I’ve come up with 15 ways I think might help. It will take work – you need to be patient and willing to step out of your comfort zone to become better.
Now, I’m not saying that you should be so good that people start taking advantage of you or walking all over you. Nope, nope, nope. None of that stuff.
First, let’s answer one really important question.
What Defines a Good Person?
A good person is someone who treats others with respect, is willing to help without asking for anything in return, and is quick to smile and be kind to other humans, animals, etc.
Now, that’s a definition in a nutshell. There are a million things that can make someone a good person, but in my books, these are the most important.
15 Ways to Be a Good Person
If you’re wondering, “How do I make myself a better person?” I hope these 15 tips can help you. We should all strive to be better human beings. It will make the world a beautiful place.
1 Be a Better Listener
We all love to talk, to be heard, and not to be interrupted. Many of us don’t want advice; we just want an ear to hear us and a shoulder to cry on.
Instead of offering advice, offer your ear to listen with and a shoulder to cry on.
2 be kind more often
Today, you may be standing next to someone who is doing everything in their power not to fall apart. One day, that person might be you. Kindness matters.
Do your best to be kind at all times: we all need kindness in our lives.
3 Learn to forgive
This one is a toughie, but it’s so important. Forgiving others for their wrong-doings sets you free and helps you move on from past hurt and pain without a grudge. We forgive people for us, not for them.
Practice forgiveness, and let go.
4 Practice Gratitude
When we learn to count our blessings and not our problems, our lives improve exponentially. Trust me on that. Stop whining over the terrible things in your life and start appreciating all you do have right now.
Gratitude is a magnet for miracles.
5 Control Your Anger
Anger, like money, is the root of all evil. It can lead to relationship breakdowns, trust issues, and physical problems (headaches, insomnia, high blood pressure, etc.). Once you learn to control your anger, your relationships with everyone, including yourself, will greatly improve.
Speak to a professional about your anger issues if you need to.
6 Learn to Let Go
Let go of grudges, anger, pain, hate, and any other toxic emotion that is controlling you. These emotions damage not only your mental and physical health but your relationships with others, too.
Journaling and meditating are great ways to learn how to let go of these toxic emotions.
7 take care of yourself
If you aren’t taking care of yourself physically, your mental health will pay the price for that, as well as the people around you. Not only that, it will make you miserable.
It’s never too late to start taking care of yourself. Change your diet, start exercising, meditate, etc. You’re worth it.
8 Push your limits
Too many of us live in fear and stay in our comfort zones. This can lead to a stagnate life and depression. Get out of your comfort zone and start challenging yourself to do the things you’ve always wanted to do but were too afraid to.
When you start doing these things, you’ll become happier, which will, in turn, help you be a good person. You’ll see!
9 Stop judging others
When you judge someone, you are revealing weaknesses in yourself. When we judge, we don’t have time to love. I think that’s a Maya Angelou quote.
Judging is a toxic trait that only makes you look bad. Stop judging and accept people for who they are.
10 be yourself
Too many of us try to be someone we’re not, which is just a recipe for disaster. Stop pretending you’re someone else and just be yourself.
If you want to be a good person, be yourself. The world needs to see you.
11 work on your weaknesses
No one is perfect. We all have weaknesses. This is what makes us all unique, vulnerable, and beautiful. Don’t try to brush your weaknesses under the rug.
Take time to recognize them and work on them. We could all stand to do a little self-improvement.
12 speak up
Use your voice more for the good of yourself and others. So many of us stay silent when we see injustices, or we just walk away. Don’t do that anymore.
Find your voice and speak up for someone who can’t or is too afraid. Be their voice.
13 be honest
Honesty truly is the best policy. We all know that, yet some of us still lie—such a toxic character trait. If you want to be respected and well-liked, be honest.
Lying is for cowards. If you want to be a good person, be an honest person.
14 volunteer
Volunteering was life-changing for me. It not only helped me become a better person, but it also opened my eyes to the world around me and the challenges people face.
Find an organization that calls to your heart and go volunteer.
15 show respect
We all want to be respected, but it’s important to show respect to others as well. This is how you earn respect. Treat people with kindness, compassion, and respect.
At the end of the day, it will make you feel good, and it’s a simple way to be a good person.
final thoughts on how to be a good person
Integrity is everything in my books. If you lack integrity, you lack everything. If you really want to be a good person, you have to put in the work to at least try to be one.
The world needs more kindness and love. Do your part.