Mel Robbins has a lot to say when it comes to making self-improvements. One of her videos made the biggest impact on me this year. In it, she said that no one is coming to change your life. You have to parent yourself. As the new year gets closer, you may find yourself wanting to make changes or knowing that you need to make changes, even if you aren’t excited about it. If you’re trying to start a new habit in 2024, consider using websites or apps for self-improvement to help in the process. Though a close friend is beneficial for accountability, having the data and reports that a techie tool can provide is sometimes great. So, along with listening to Mel Robbins, here are a few websites and apps for self-improvement as you make your journey in 2024.
Apps for Habit Tracking
Many believe that it takes 21 days to establish a habit, which seems to be a misinterpretation of Maxwell Maltz’s work on self-image. A European Journal of Social Psychology research study shows that it might be as few as 18 days or as many as 254 days. The key to establishing a new habit is to be consistent and not rush it. Don’t feel you must establish a new habit in “x” number of days because of peer or societal pressure. Here are a few apps to boost self-improvement practices and habits. Check them out to see if one is a good fit for you.
HabitBull
This app for self-improvement is for iOS and Android and can be customized in many ways to make it feel like it is your app. HabitBull helps keep track of all your habits, routines, and repeated to-dos. If you enjoy stats, graphs, and charts to see your progress, then you’ll like the many reporting features within this app. Take advantage of the free week trial period to see if HabitBull can help you establish new habits!
Google Sheets
If you enjoy spreadsheets, check out Molly McHugh-Johnson’s post on how to use Google Sheets. You may not have considered using Google Sheets for self-improvement or habit-tracking, but it could be your new best friend. You’ll find her article a nice mix of techie and doable! She walks you through adding dates, events, files, emojis, and more.
Todoist
You may be familiar with Todoist as a tracking app for your to-do list, but they also have templates to help you with various self-improvement and habit-tracking efforts. You will need to subscribe to the Pro account, which is currently $4 per month, to get the activity history, reminders, and durations you want. Plus, it includes a built-in AI assistant!
Apps and Sites for Meditation
Healthy Minds Program
If you want to meditate to improve your mental health or focus, you might find that many popular ones like Calm or Headspace come with a price tag that might be above your budget. If that is the case, consider checking out the Healthy Minds Program app, made free from donations. This app for self-improvement and well-being combines cutting-edge neuroscience, ancient wisdom, and practical skills to help you flourish.
Smiling Mind
You might also consider downloading and trying out Smiling Mind, another free app for self-improvement and mindfulness that lets you practice daily meditation and mindfulness exercises from any device. Here, you will find free programs for both children and adults. If you have a Google smart device, try saying something like “Hey Google, do a sleep meditation with Smiling Mind,” or “Hey Google, help me focus with Smiling Mind.”
Noisli
If you prefer background noise to help you meditate and focus but aren’t looking for an app to download, go to Noisli. Sign up for a free account and create your custom playlist with over 15 sounds, such as thunderstorms, wind, oceans, rain, fire, and more. You can adjust the volume of each to create the right mix for you.
Workout and Fitness Tools
Darebee
This nonprofit and ad-free site will get you up and running in no time. While it’s not an app for self-improvement per se, you’ll find plenty of information, including helpful videos for your journey. It will certainly help you identify the best routine to accomplish the goals you’ve set. Also, it shows how to have the correct form for each exercise that interests you.
Fitness Blender
This tiered website offers a ton of free resources so everyone everywhere has access to get healthy, even if you can’t afford a gym. It’s an excellent resource for self-improvement and habit-building. You’ll find free full-length workout videos, meal plans, and workout programs. Use their filter to locate free workout routines.
Muscle Wiki
Check out Muscle Wiki if you aren’t familiar with all the workout names but know which muscles you want to address. Click on the muscle in the diagram, and Muscle Wiki will serve up videos to address that muscle. If you know the name of the muscle or want to identify exercises you can do with specific equipment, then jump to their directory for an easy way to filter and find what will help you with your 2024 makeover.
Two Bonus Tools
Here are a couple of additional resources for self-improvement that don’t necessarily fit neatly into a single category. But these are worth considering as you look to make improvements for 2024.
TED is a rich resource of TED talks from experts in a wide range of areas. So, whatever interests you, there will surely be a TED talk to interest and motivate you. Browse their library and find many videos that you’ll need to create a bucket list for those you want to view.
Coursera is great if you want to learn new skills; whether you are looking for something as short as a two-hour learning experience or one that is much more in-depth, Coursera is sure to have it covered. Besides free courses, you can also find courses that let you earn a certificate or a degree!
What Are Your 2024 Goals?
How will you expand your horizons in this new year? Will you learn a new skill, go deeper into a passion you already have, or explore various topics? Whatever you do, I hope you find the perfect retreat to restore and renew you so you can be your best in 2024. Let us know if you use a particular app or website to help you. We’d love to hear about it and your goal(s).
1 comment
Thanks for this informative article! I use the term “strong like bull” for my fitness so the Habit Bull is great for my word of the year – consistency!