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It is human nature to doubt ourselves from time to time. Imagine the situation when the five best universities in the United States are willing to have you as their student. This is one chance in a million, and you know this decision could define your entire life. Most likely, you will not randomly point your finger at one of them and say: “I will study here” (well, not immediately, at least). Instead you will conduct serious research, figuring out the advantages and drawbacks of being a student of each particular university; you will sketch out your future career perspectives as a graduate of each of these universities, and check a number of other parameters. And after intense doubts and worries, you would choose your favored institution.

This is the most reasonable approach. But in my case, I am sometimes prone to doubt even after I made a decision. Most likely, I would choose a university carefully, make a final decision, and then doubt the decision for a while, even though I would be already studying there. In real life, such a peculiarity manifests in more everyday situations. To stay at home or to hang out with friends? Whatever I choose, I will spend some time thinking about the opposite variant. To buy chocolate milk or beer? To go to the cinema or to the theater? To spend vacations in the mountains or at the sea? Not always, but more often that I would like, I start to reflect about trivial decisions.

Would I like to completely quit doubting? I think not. Doubts are a natural mechanism that helps us make the best possible decision in each particular case; without this ability, we would most likely make random, uninformed decisions regardless of their possible consequences. But at the same time, when the decision is made, you must start working to actualize it without hesitation, and this is the moment when doubts become troublesome. The more you think over a certain action of yours, the more likely you will delay the realization of what is on your mind.

Wise people teach us to be tolerant towards themselves, and accept both their negative and positive traits. I agree with this thesis, but with one small specification: this acceptance must not be an excuse for not working towards personal development and growth. This is my approach towards my proneness to doubtfulness: I can live with it, I know it is mine, but I am persistently working on getting rid of this quality.

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To Change the World, Change Yourself

You can't change the world if you don't change yourself first..

change yourself essay

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” — Leo Tolstoy

It was the American author and speaker John C. Maxwell who wrote:   “Most people want to change the world to improve their lives, but the world they need to change first is the one inside themselves.”

Everyone has an opinion on what is wrong with the world, yet few will do the work to improve their own lives. It is easy to draw attention to what is wrong in the world because on one level it is frustrating to observe these conditions and stand back while they take place.

I often remind myself and others, the world has existed for 4.54 billion years and is much older and wiser than us. We have existed for a minor part in that timeline and conditions weren’t always ideal. In fact, history shows conditions were less than idyllic. So, a Utopian paradise needn’t exist for us to be happy. We can still thrive despite the unrest in the world because outside conditions aren’t as bad as you think they are.

If you want to change reality, start with yourself first and attend to your own personal development. In doing so, problems give way to solutions and no longer affect you.

Author Larry Weidel writes in   Serial Winner: 5 Actions to Create Your Cycle of Success : “If we all live the richest life possible, it’s personally fulfilling, but it also changes the world.”

Raise Your Level Of Consciousness

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” — Mother Teresa

Most people are frustrated or angry with circumstances beyond their control. They believe that, if they can control these situations, they will be happy. Sometimes it is not possible since there are too many things to control. It requires redesigning your life to suit you or playing God, neither of which is possible.

Undertaking personal development will not only help you but influence those around you. It is simpler to attend to your own personal development. So when you feel frustrated, angry, or any other disempowering state, become curious and work on that part of you that is at war with reality.

It is futile trying to change conditions out there because life is constantly changing. It is like trying to keep plates spinning on a stick while more plates are added. You cannot keep up, and they will eventually come crashing down.   It makes sense to work on yourself so that outside conditions no longer affect you as they once did. This is the key to enlightenment: raising your level of consciousness so you transcend problems with a higher awareness. Albert Einstein recognized this principle when he said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Consider the following example, highlighting why you must attend to your own personal growth if you want to change the world. Imagine 100 people who constantly complain about the state of the world. One day they collectively decide they’ve had enough and undertake personal development to change their lives. Within months, they have stopped whining and are now open to embracing life instead of being mired in their problems. They act from a place of love, peace, and joy.

You’ve heard it said, you are the sum of the five people you most associate with. Therefore, if 100 people can influence five others, we have 500 people who are now more self-aware than before. If that cycle continues, a tipping point will occur so that anger and fear no longer prevail.

It’s an inside-out job. Now, I am not naïve and know this Utopian reality will not miraculously emerge overnight, if at all, within the coming decade. Yet, undertaking personal development will not only help you but influence those around you.

I have seen evidence of this with my family and friends and those I’ve coached. You change the world not by pointing out what is wrong with it, but by   upgrading your model of reality   to coincide with what you wish to see in the world.

It’s an inside-out job.

“You don’t have to change the world. You just have to change what you pay attention to in the world. And that, it turns out, is hugely powerful,” affirms Vishen Lakhiani in   The Code of the Extraordinary Mind: 10 Unconventional Laws to Redefine Your Life and Succeed On Your Own Terms .

Upgrade Your Model Of Reality

“You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world.”  ― Woodrow Wilson

It was the late Dr. Wayne Dyer, a well-known self-help author who said: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” He knew change must first take place from within and has a ripple effect on the lives of others. If that change is powerful enough, it will gather momentum to affect the whole of humanity.

Be aware of when you are pointing the finger outside of yourself. I admit it is difficult to focus on what is right in the world when we are governed by our internal state, which gets the better of us. The media adds to the negativity by reporting bad news to promote fear, and it becomes challenging to break the spell.

I often succumb to these disempowering states at times, so it is remiss of me to offer the advice and claim not to feel this way. Yet, through my own personal development, I’ve come to appreciate that these are fleeting states, and I don’t remain stuck in this condition for long. Awareness has taught me that what I focus on builds momentum and becomes integrated into my reality.

So the advice is clear and simple: be aware of when you are pointing the finger outside of yourself. Go within and attend to that part of you that is inclined to judge outside circumstances as bad.

Heal yourself first by integrating your shadow self and be mindful of your thoughts leading you down a path of negativity. If you do this often, you will break the cycle of incessant thinking that dictates there is something wrong with the world. It is worth the effort to your personal growth.

Eventually, problems that once consumed you will no longer affect you because you have upgraded your model of reality to coincide with a new awareness.

Reprinted from The Mission

Tony Fahkry

Tony Fahkry is a s elf-empowerment author and expert speaker. Your journey towards greatness starts here:  www.tonyfahkry.com

More By Tony Fahkry

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If You Want To Change The World, First Change Yourself: Four Steps To Making A Positive Impact

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So you have dreams about wanting to change the world.

Many people want to change the world. Few actually do.

Changing the world might seem like an insurmountable task, but I believe that’s because many people approach changing the world in the wrong way. They focus on trying to create wide-sweeping changes in the political and social structures around them. The problem is, these structures have been sturdy for so long that they are almost impossible to change.

Once people realize that changing the world is difficult, they begin to give up on those dreams they had. They let those dreams wash away and replace them with “realistic” goals that other people give them. Maybe you’ve even experienced this yourself. Have you ever heard the following statements?

“Get realistic”

“Stop chasing a pipe dream”

“One person can’t make a difference, anyway”

Maybe you listened to them, and now here you are reading this article.

To change the world, you have to change yourself first. You have to change your mentality, your habits, and your actions.

The truth is, it is possible to change the world. But to change the world, you have to change yourself first. You have to change your mentality, your habits, and your actions. It’s not easy changing yourself, but it’s necessary if you want to make a massive impact. Here are four steps that you can take today to change yourself positively and create a massive positive impact on the world.

Stop comparing yourself to others

Most people compare themselves to others. Usually this is done through social media. You go onto Instagram, or Facebook, and see other people living amazing lives that you wish you had. Maybe you see a friend of yours posting pictures of traveling the world with his fiance. Maybe you also see the same friend posing in front of a Maserati Ghibli that he recently bought. You see these pictures and start to feel bad about yourself.

A dirty little secret about social media (especially pictures-based social media) is that much of it is based off of people pretending to be something they’re not. You know nothing about what’s going on with people except what’s going on in the picture — and that can leave out a lot of significant context. “It must be nice to be able to travel the world with your fiance,” you think to yourself as you look at your friend’s pictures.

But as I said, there’s more context to those pictures than what you see. What you don’t realize is that your friend and his fiance argue quite often —he spends his money frivolously and hardly listens to his fiance. His fiance doesn’t really enjoy the trip (she doesn’t enjoy traveling that much, something she’s mentioned before often), and she’d rather that they spent some time together visiting her parents. That would cost 10 times less and she’d get 10 times more enjoyment out of it.

We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.

Meanwhile, your friend has to work extra hours every week at a job he hates in order to make the monthly payments on his Maserati that he could barely afford in the first place. Does it still seem like he’s having fun?

My recommendation to you is to stop using social media in order to compare yourself with others. Only keep what is necessary. Most people will still accessible through text or a phone-call, even if you delete your Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram. After doing so, you will most likely find that your mental health has improved (as did mine). You might also be surprised to discover all the free time you didn’t know you had because you were previously spending it frivolously scrolling through your social media feed.

Be as authentic and genuine as possible

Let’s go back to my previous example of social media. As I said earlier, many people use social media as a tool to portray themselves in a significantly more favorable way than they would normally be. This has unfortunately also led to what I believe to be higher levels of narcissism among people in real-life and a lack of authenticity. We expect people to put up facades and to follow the status quo.

That’s why authenticity works — fewer and fewer people are authentic these days. When we’re confronted with authenticity, it’s almost startling because it forces us to become self-aware of our own lack of authenticity.

What does it mean to be authentic and genuine? It means many things. Partly it means being principled to your beliefs, party it means not lying in an attempt to make yourself look better, partly it means stating how you actually think and feel.

Let’s take a look at several examples where a lack of authenticity can backfire. The first example is that of the workplace. You’ve been unemployed for a while, and you’re starting to get sick of the job search. Finally, after a few months you get offered an interview at a company. The company is so-so, but you really need a job so you take the interview. You do well in the interview, and they call you a week later offering you a job for $35,000. Here’s the only problem: they’re offering you less than half of what you think you’re worth. What do you do?

Most people in this situation would simply take the offer, because they believe that they won’t be able to get a better offer. That’s the inauthentic thing to do. The authentic course of action would be to voice your concerns to the employer that you believe you’re worth more than what they’re offering. You tell your employer that, given your experience, education, and skills, you believe that their offer is somewhat low but that you’d be more than willing to take the offer if they gave you anywhere between $45,000-$65,000. If they don’t offer you something within that range, you tell them that you can go to another employer who is willing to offer that amount of money.

The employer, recognizing that you will be vital to the company’s success, might say, “You know what, you’re right. Let’s give you $47,000 and you can work your way up from there”. You just made an extra $12,000 a year because you were authentic.

“But wait a minute,” you might say, “they might reject my offer.” Exactly. Authenticity doesn’t guarantee that you’ll always get what you want or that everybody will like you. It just increases the probability that you’ll get things in your life that align with your true beliefs and values.

Here’s another scenario where authenticity is key: relationships. I think many relationships go bad because of both a lack of authenticity and a lack of willingness to be genuine between people in the relationship. For example, you go out on a date with a woman and although she is nice you think she’s just OK. There’s nothing particularly special about her. However, you give her compliments as much as you can (even when you don’t really believe the compliments yourself).

Another example is if she says something along the lines of, “I really enjoy doing X”, and you don’t particularly care for X, yet you still say “Oh wow, I really like X also” . Don’t pretend like you actually enjoy X! Unfortunately, many people still do this. All this does is create relationships built on false premises and beliefs — these relationships usually deteriorate after a while because it is mostly fake.

Generosity and empathy can go a long way

Generosity and empathy are two incredibly undervalued tools. To use them properly, you must first understand what they are.

Generosity is about giving to other people without expecting anything back in return. Many people view generosity one-dimensionally, unfortunately. Many people view generosity as the act of giving money away, often to charities. However, this is an incredibly limited view of what generosity is. You can be generous by giving a service, a good, money, or some advice.

Generosity is simply about the act of giving to others without the expectation of return.

The second part of the previous sentence is key — you cannot expect a return when you’re being generous. If you’re giving money away simply because you expect it to raise your status, or to lower your tax liability, then you’re not being genuinely generous.

Not sure how to start? Go find a charity to donate to that you feel strongly about, or find an organization to volunteer your time at on the weekend. Not only will you be helping other people, but you might also meet some interesting people along the way.

Empathy is also an incredibly trait to adopt.

People want to be listened to, and they want to be understood.

Empathy is about the ability to listen to other people’s problems and understand what they are going through. You’d be surprised at what people are willing to tell you when you simply become empathetic to them and allow them to open up — I’d know! I’ve had people tell me secrets that they wouldn’t even tell their closest family members.

When you’re incredibly empathetic and generous with others, it allows you to grow closer to the people that matter in your life. Even without an expectation of return, you’ll find that your generosity and empathy will be rewarded eventually. Maybe a young entrepreneur you gave encouragement to today will become the next big tech CEO five years from now and thanks you for the encouragement. Or perhaps you help a friend with finding a job today, and five years later he’s able to get you job when you’re out of your luck.

That’s the power of generosity and empathy.

Improve and change what is closest to you

Many people believe that changing the world requires that you to focus on making sweeping changes in the political and social structures of the world. However, this simply isn’t true. Many people who have changed the world did so, not by focusing on changing entire nations, but by focusing on improving and changing that which they were already familiar with.

One example is that of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her bus seat on a segregated bus. This wasn’t an act that was aiming to change the world — it was simply Rosa Parks making a small gesture that she believed the segregated buses were unethical and unfair. Yet that simple gesture changed the world by bringing more attention to the civil rights movement at the time.

Recognize that changing the world does not require making massive actions. Sometimes all it takes is trying to fix and improve what’s closest to you and affects you personally.

Maybe you have a friend who is depressed — you can lend them an ear and listen to their frustrations. If you talk to them, there’s a chance you can stop them from making a rash decision to themselves — maybe in a few years after that, your friend invents a new process that’ll reduce the cost of some medicine. You’ll indirectly be responsible for reducing that cost.

Perhaps there’s an old family member you haven’t spoken to in a while — visit them or give them a phone-call to see how they’re doing and bring some positivity to their life. Maybe they’ve got physical health issues that you didn’t know about, and that’s the last time you’ll be able to see them or visit them.

You can often make a bigger impact by trying to change and improve what’s closest to you than trying to change the massive political and social infrastructures that exist.

In Conclusion

Recognize that you can change the world — starting today — simply by changing yourself. The four steps I’ve outlined above are absolutely critical to making a positive impact on the world.

Now go out there and make a positive impact!

If you liked this article, please give it 50 claps!

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change yourself essay

If You Want To Change The World, Start With Yourself First

Tony Fahkry

Tony Fahkry

Mission.org

Attend To Your Own Personal Development

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” — Leo Tolstoy

It was the American author and speaker John C. Maxwell who wrote: “Most people want to change the world to improve their lives, but the world they need to change first is the one inside themselves.”

Everyone has an opinion on what is wrong with the world, yet few will do the work to improve their own lives.

It is easy to draw attention to what is wrong in the world because on one level it is frustrating to observe these conditions and stand back while they take place.

I often remind myself and others, the world has existed for 4.54 billion years and is much older and wiser than us.

We have existed for a minor part in that timeline and conditions weren’t always ideal, in fact history shows conditions were less than idyllic.

So, a Utopian paradise needn’t exist for us to be happy. We can still thrive despite the unrest in the world because outside conditions aren’t as bad as you think they are.

If you want to change reality start with yourself first and attend to your own personal development. In doing so, problems give way to solutions and no longer affect you.

Author Larry Weidel writes in Serial Winner: 5 Actions to Create Your Cycle of Success : “If we all live the richest life possible, it’s personally fulfilling, but it also changes the world.”

Raise Your Level Of Consciousness

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” — Mother Teresa

Most people are frustrated or angry with circumstances beyond their control. They believe if they can control these situations they will be happy. Sometimes it is not possible since there are too many things to control. It requires redesigning your life to suit you, or playing God, neither of which are possible.

It is simpler to attend to your own personal development. So when you feel frustrated, angry or any other disempowering state, become curious and work on that part of you that is at war with reality. It is futile trying to change conditions out there because life is constantly changing. It is like trying to keep plates spinning on a stick while more plates are added. You cannot keep up and they will eventually come crashing down. It makes sense to work on yourself so that outside conditions no longer affect you as they once did. This is the key to enlightenment, raising your level of consciousness so you transcend problems with a higher awareness. Albert Einstein recognised this principle when he said: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Consider the following example, highlighting why you must attend to your own personal growth if you want to change the world.

Imagine 100 people who constantly complain about the state of the world. One day they collectively decide they’ve had enough and undertake personal development to change their lives. Within months, they have stopped whining and are now open to embracing life instead of being mired in their problems. They act from a place of love, peace and joy.

You’ve heard it said, you are the sum of the five people you most associate with. Therefore, if 100 people can influence five others, we now have 500 people who are now more self-aware than before. If that cycle continues, a tipping point will occur so that anger and fear no longer prevail.

Now I am not naïve and know this Utopian reality will not miraculously emerge overnight if at all within the coming decade. Yet, undertaking personal development will not only help you, but influence those around you.

I have seen evidence of this with my family and friends and those I’ve coached. You change the world not by pointing out what is wrong with it, but by upgrading your model of reality to coincide with what you wish to see in the world.

It’s an inside-out job.

“You don’t have to change the world. You just have to change what you pay attention to in the world. And that, it turns out, is hugely powerful,” affirms Vishen Lakhiani in The Code of the Extraordinary Mind: 10 Unconventional Laws to Redefine Your Life and Succeed On Your Own Terms .

Upgrade Your Model Of Reality

“You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world.” ―Woodrow Wilson

It was the late Dr Wayne Dyer, a well-known self-help author who said: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” He knew change must first take place from within and has a ripple effect in the lives of others. If that change is powerful enough, it will gather momentum to affect the whole of humanity.

I admit, it is difficult to focus on what is right in the world when we are governed by our internal state which gets the better of us. The media add to the negativity by reporting bad news to promote fear, and it becomes challenging to break the spell.

I often succumb to these disempowering states at times, so it is remiss of me to offer the advice and claim not to feel this way.

Yet, through my own personal development, I’ve come to appreciate these are fleeting states and I don’t remain stuck in this condition for long. Awareness has taught me that what I focus on builds momentum and becomes integrated into my reality.

So the advice is clear and simple: be aware when you are pointing the finger outside of you. Go within and attend to that part of you that is inclined to judge outside circumstances as bad.

Heal yourself first by integrating your shadow self and be mindful of your thoughts leading you down a path of negativity. If you do this often, you will break the cycle of incessant thinking that dictates there is something wrong with the world. It is worth the effort to your personal growth.

Eventually, problems that once consumed you will no longer affect you because you have upgraded your model of reality to coincide with a new awareness.

Call To Action

To live a remarkable life, you must take consistent action in spite of your fears and doubts. download your free copy of my comprehensive ebook: navigate life and embark upon your journey of greatness today.

Tony Fahkry

Written by Tony Fahkry

🚀 Unlock your full potential with a Self-empowerment Author, Expert Speaker & Life Coach. Get inspired & reach new heights! 💪 #Success: https://bit.ly/3IgyNpi

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change yourself essay

The Change Starts With YOU

YB

Talking about change, I am reminded of Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat for a white man, and by doing so, she violated the law of segregation in Alabama, and got arrested for the same. Her case was then taken up by the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and they formally challenged the legality of segregation, knowing the risks all too well. But this did not stop her from demanding basic human rights.

She could have chosen to do just as she was told and be oppressed for decades to come. But, she stood up for herself, and by doing so, she stood up for others as well.

Change is not easy. It comes slow, with risks, failures and criticism. And, it is often the fear of those that stops one from taking a step towards change. That first step is the hardest and scariest part of the process because it makes one vulnerable. But, it also opens doors for freedom and great opportunities. The decision to bring change is a tough one and staying on that path by actually putting in efforts is equally tough and important but as they say, nothing good ever comes easy.

Wanting to change the world is a noble thought and I am sure all of us want to change the world in our own unique ways but where and how do we start? Well, it is like the lyrics of the song I’d Love To Change The World by Ten Years After- “I’d love to change the world, but I don’t know what to do, so I’ll leave it up to you…” , which brings our aspirations to change the world we live in to an abrupt end.

Coming back to the story of Rosa Parks, I believe that when she said NO to the bus driver on being told to do what every other black person was expected to do in a public transport, she was not trying to change the world or bring a revolution. She was just standing up for herself. She was bringing the change in herself - for herself. 

Every great leader, be it Nelson Mandela, or Princess Diana, or Martin Luther King Jr., or Mother Teresa, when they began their journey towards bringing change, they did not know that they would influence the whole world, they were not sure of their success either, but they did it anyway and it was their consistency and perseverance that brought change on such a large scale.

Mahatma Gandhi’s words “be the change you wish to see in the world” are not unheard by any of us. Gandhi was a man of truth and non-violence and believed in the simplest acts of kindness and bravery. He said that if only we would bridge the gap between what we do and what we are capable of doing, most of the world’s problem would be solved, and he was right. The leap from what we do and what we are capable of doing is where change can be seen. The moment we invest our abilities towards changing ourselves, we are already halfway there.

At some point of time in my life, I came across a quote that said, “Everything you want is right outside your comfort zone”, and looking back at everything that I have achieved or people around me have achieved, I realize how true that quote is. It’s only when we get out of our ordinary routine and do things differently that we achieve something extraordinary. That is what change is - stepping out of the ordinary.

Change is never comfortable; it is not supposed to be. If it was, everybody would do it. But, as uncomfortable as it is, it is also necessary. When we dream of changing the world, we often forget that in order to change the billions out there, we must first change ourselves. That is where it’s supposed to start. We must believe in ourselves. The world may or may not follow but in our hearts, we know we took the leap and made the journey and reached where we planned to.  As Miley Cyrus said, it’s the climb that matters.

One of my favourite Hollywood films, Patch Adams, is based on a man of the same name, who brought a revolution, starting with himself. After being suicidal for a long time, he decided to get better and change things around him. He is now a physician, comedian, social activist, clown and author. He gave hope to himself, and by doing so, he gave hope to others. It was only when he could change himself that he was able to bring it to others.

Over the years, I have taken decisions that I was hesitant to take because I knew that taking those roads meant opening up to new changes and like everyone else, it made me uncomfortable too, but looking back at those decisions, I am glad I made them and allowed myself to change for the better.

To change is natural. To be afraid of change is also natural. But what makes us human is doing it anyway. We are members of the human race, and rather than being defined by our ability to change the world, we are defined by the choices that we make for ourselves and what we do to become better human beings, because that is where the change really starts. 

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Essays About Change: Top 5 Examples and 10 Prompts

If you are writing essays about change, see below our best essay examples and writing prompts to help expand your horizon on this topic.

The only thing constant is change. It could be good or bad. It could be short-term or have a lasting impact. The best we can do is to ride on this inevitable and never-ending cycle of change and try coming out of it still standing, thriving, and smiling. This ability to cope with change is called resilience. 

However, some changes – such as the loss of a loved one or a livelihood — are too overwhelming to deal with that some fall into trauma and depression, in which case psychological support is highly encouraged. Read on to see our round-up of rich, well-written essays about change, and a list of helpful prompts follows to help you start your essay. 

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1. “The Psychology Of Dealing With Change: How To Become Resilient” by Kathleen Smith

2. how prison changes people by christian jarrett, 3. six ways the workplace will change in the next 10 years by jordan turner, 4. “social movements for good: what they are and how to lead them” by derrick feldman, 5. “the right way to make a big career transition” by utkarsh amitabh, 1. changing your lifestyle for the better, 2. be the change the world needs, 3. adapting to life-changing events, 4. addressing climate change, 5. how did technology change our daily lives, 6. people who changed the world, 7. if you could change the world, 8. dealing with resistance to change, 9. coming-of-age novels, 10. changing your eating habits.

“If you can learn to cope with change, you’ll lower your risk for anxiety and depression. Your relationships will flourish, and your body will feel healthier. But if you can’t cope with change, only a minor amount of stress can make you feel overwhelmed by life. You might also struggle to set and meet the goals you have for yourself.”

Instead of fixating on events and people over which we do not have the power to control, we should focus on ourselves and how we can embrace change without fear. Some tips in this essay include practicing self-care, being in the present, and focusing on your priorities, such as health and well-being. 

Check out these essays about being grateful and essays about heroes .

“Ultimately, society may be confronted with a choice. We can punish offenders more severely and risk changing them for the worse, or we can design sentencing rules and prisons in a way that helps offenders rehabilitate and change for the better.”

In an environment where you are forced to follow the rules to the letter and worry about your safety and privacy daily, prisoners could develop a kind of “perpetual paranoia” or “emotional numbing” and deteriorate cognitive abilities. The essay suggests a rethink in how we deal with law-breakers to encourage reform rather than punish and risk repeat offenses.

Check out these essays about police brutality and essays about assessment .

“As technology closes the divide between geographically separate people, it introduces cracks in relationships and cultures. The remote distribution of work means that many employees will not build the same social relationships in the workplace, leading to issues of disengagement and loneliness.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has already disrupted our way of work in our new normal, but more changes are yet to unfold. This essay looks into the future of work where responsibilities and demands will see a sea change; machines will be co-workers; and the best employee is defined by digital skills, not years of experience.

You might also like these essays about cinema and essays about jealousy .

“Social movements for good establish a mass platform of action for a population, which helps inform and cultivate the awareness necessary to help prevent an issue from affecting more people. True social movements for good have the power to generate awareness that produces tangible results, helping the general population live longer, more productive, happier lives.”

A social movement for good aims to bring social justice to an aggrieved community by calling for tangible support and resources. To accelerate a movement’s momentum, an effective leader must possess certain qualities in this essay.

“There were so many questions running through my head during this time. Why should I quit to make this my full-time job? Is this what I really want? When should I quit? Poet Mary Oliver’s words kept ringing in my head: ‘What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’”

Deciding on a career change is more complex than deciding whether you want to do something different. A career shift entails lifestyle, mindset, and motivation changes, each of which has to be carefully reassessed and prepared for. This essay guides you in deciding when or why it is right to leave your job.

10 Interesting Writing Prompts on Essays About Change

Below are thought-stimulating prompts to help with your essay: 

Committing to regular exercise or getting to bed earlier may be easier said than done. Moreover, the determination that was burning at the start of your lifestyle change journey may wane in the latter part when things get tough. So, for your essay, provide practical tips from wellness experts and your own experience on how to sustain a routine toward a better lifestyle. You can split your essay into sections for each health and wellness tip you recommend.

This is the gist of the famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi: “be the change you wish to see in the world.” Unfortunately, many of us get frustrated over people refusing to change but fail to see how this change should start with our perception and action. In this essay, write about what an individual can do to focus more on self-improvement and development. 

Have you ever faced a situation where you had to adapt to a drastic change? It could be moving to a different city or school or dealing with losing a loved one. Share your experience and list the traits and practices that helped you through this challenging phase. You may also research what psychologists recommend people to do to keep from falling into depression or developing anxiety. 

To offer a unique highlight in your essay, tackle what your school or community is doing to fight global warming. Interview city councilors and mayors and learn about ongoing initiatives to keep the city clean and green. So this essay could help entice others in your community to work together and volunteer in initiatives to slow climate change.

Essays About Technology

List down the advantages and disadvantages technology has presented in your life. For example, seeking clarification from teachers about an assignment has been made easier with the many communication channels available. However, technology has also enabled a work-at-home or distance learning arrangement that is causing burnout in many households. 

Feature a person who has revolutionized the world. It could be a scientist, artist, activist, writer, economist, athlete, etc. Preferably, it is someone you idolize, so you do not have to start from scratch in your research. So first, provide a short profile of this person to show his life and career background. Then, write about their ultimate contribution to society and how this continues to benefit or inspire many. 

If there’s one thing you could change in this world, what would it be? This sounds like a question you’d hear in pageants, but it could be a creative way to lay down your life advocacy. So, explain why this is where you want to see change and how this change can improve others’ lives.

Resistance to change is most common when companies modernize, and the dinosaurs in the office refuse to learn new digital platforms or systems. Write about what you think leaders and human resource units should do to help employees cope with changes in the new normal.

A coming-of-age novel tells stories of protagonists who grow up and undergo character transformation. From being eaten up by their fears, the main heroes become braver and better at confronting a world that once intimidated them. For this prompt, share your favorite coming-of-age novel and narrate the changes in the hero’s qualities and beliefs. 

Delivering fast food has become so easy that, for many, it has become a way of life, making it an enormous challenge to replace this practice with healthy eating habits. So, research and write about nutritionists’ tips on creating a lifestyle and environment conducive to healthy eating habits.

If you’re still stuck picking an essay topic, check out our guide on how to write essays about depression . For more ideas, you can check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

change yourself essay

Make a Difference: Change the World, Change Yourself

The relationship between society and individuals is closely connected, and what we do as individuals can have an impact on society as a whole. This means that the choices we make, both for ourselves and for others, can make a real difference in the world. However, many people who want to make a positive impact on the environment and society don’t know where to begin.

To help out, this article provides a guide for readers. It explains how acts of kindness can make us feel happier, and it offers seven practical ways that people can make a positive difference in the world.

CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

According to Jane Goodall, we cannot get through one day without making a difference. The question is, what kind of a difference do we want to make?

We now have scientific proof that, the more we care about the happiness and wellbeing of our fellow humans, the happier we get . One pleasant side effect of making that kind of a difference is that, by changing the world around us, we change ourselves. And vice-versa. It is a “virtuous cycle.” So let’s get down to business and talk about three ways we can make a difference.

Top 7 Ways to make a  difference

Here are the top 7 ways to make a difference for your life and the world you live in:

Image shows top 7 ways to make a difference.

1. Volunteer your time

Giving back to your community can be a fulfilling way to contribute to the world around you. Volunteering also provides an opportunity to connect with others and build strong relationships .

2. Donate to charity

If you have financial resources to spare, consider donating to a cause that you care about. This could be a local charity or a larger organization that is working to make a difference in the world.

These are some of the most well known websites that provide opportunities to volunteer:

  • Volunteermatch
  • Pointsoflight

change yourself essay

3. Practice gratitude 

Taking time to appreciate the good things in your life can help cultivate a positive mindset and increase happiness. Consider keeping a gratitude journal or simply taking a few moments each day to reflect on what you are thankful for.

4. Reduce your environmental harm  

Taking steps to reduce your environmental impact can help to create a healthier planet for future generations. Also, proactive behavior for protecting the planet can improve your happiness since it helps you to engage with Earth in a meaningful way . 

According to United Nations , simple changes like: 

  • Using public transportation
  • Consuming less water
  • Being a well informed consumer and so on can all make a difference.

5. Be kind to others 

Spreading positive vibes and emotions can make the world a happier place. Small acts of kindness can have a big impact on those around you. Whether it is: 

  • Complimenting a stranger
  • Helping a neighbor
  • Or simply smiling at someone who looks like they could use it. 

6. Learn about science of happiness

One of the most enjoyable ways of making a meaningful difference is to learn more about the new science of happiness (the focus of this website) and sharing insights with your loved ones . You will discover, or perhaps you have discovered, that depression and unhappiness are not only generated by the “wrong” DNA. Many people are digging their own “unhappiness hole” out of pure ignorance. They have no idea how much of an impact their actions, or life skills, have on their mood.

  • Practice self-care : Taking care of yourself is essential for your own happiness and well-being. This might include exercise, meditation, or simply taking time to do activities that you enjoy.

student taking science of happiness course

  • Speak up for what you believe in : Whether it’s writing to your elected officials, participating in a peaceful protest, or simply having a conversation with someone who holds different beliefs than you, speaking up for what you believe in can help to create positive change in the world.
  • Spread joy : Finally, don’t underestimate the power of spreading joy and positivity. Whether it’s through sharing a funny meme, sending a heartfelt message to a loved one, or simply expressing your enthusiasm for something you’re passionate about, spreading joy can help to make the world a happier place.

7. Learn about other cultures

Expanding your understanding of different cultures and perspectives can help to foster empathy and reduce prejudice. Consider reading books or watching films from other countries, or engaging in conversation with people from diverse backgrounds.

Act of Kindness

If you are too busy to volunteer, or you are looking for easier ways to make a difference, small acts of kindness can go a long way..and they are infectious! Acts of kindness not only bring happiness to those you assist, science shows that they can provide a big lift to your mood as well.  Randomactofkindness website is a treasure.

Finally, if you would like to make a difference with a few taps on your keyboard, please support our cause . We teach about depression prevention (a leading cause of opioid abuse) in schools .

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Further Readings

We offer several articles that introduce habits practiced by happy individuals. Here, we have selected three of them for you.

  • Relationships and Happiness
  • Unique Strengths & Happiness
  • The Philosophical Basis of Caring, Compassion, and Interdependence

Start Your Journey to Happiness. Register Now!

Intro to Science of Happiness

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7 Steps to Transforming Yourself From Who You Are to Who You Want to Be

Take the leap..

Man jump

Humans are not meant to stop growing. In fact, no living thing on earth is meant to stop growing. We are all alive, reaching for the sun.

Progress in life is all about reinvention. I am going to preface all of this by saying that reinvention is not the same thing as endlessly seeking reward or achievement. There is a difference. Seeking an achievement usually implies an "end." You win the trophy and then you're "done." That's not what you want to aim for--because as soon as you say you're "done," you are no longer reaching and stretching yourself, which means you stop growing.

Reinvention, however, leaves the end open--which is actually a good thing. Reinvention is what allows you endless opportunities to continue exploring new parts of yourself. Exploration is growth, and growth in this sense is not outward facing but inward.

Whenever you find something about yourself you want to change, you need to look for a way to reinvent it.

1. See yourself outside yourself.

Imagine you are a sculptor. A sculptor looks at his or her piece of stone and endlessly questions new ways to shape it. And if he or she thinks of something to change, there is no emotional attachment. They just do it. This is how you need to see yourself--as a work of art, always in progress. No need to get upset, or come down hard on yourself when you see something you do not like. Instead, like an artist, just get to work.

2. Find the habit associated with the thing you want to change.

Far too often, people focus too much on the thing they want to change instead of the habits that formed the thing in the first place. For example: They try to solve being overweight with doing a lot of ab exercises, without acknowledging that the problem is their poor diet. To truly reinvent aspects of yourself, you have to find the habit that created that trait in the first place--and then adjust the habit.

3. Practice every day, no matter what.

Change is not something you do some days and then take a break from other days. Change is a shift in lifestyle. It requires daily dedication, to the point where that new habit takes the place of an old one and no longer requires conscious effort.

4. Set realistic goals.

You can't just wake up one morning and say, "I'm not going to be impatient anymore!" Yes, you are. And you actually help yourself by acknowledging that a bad habit like that won't be solved immediately. Instead, set the goal to be more patient during your team meeting that happens every morning. Use that as an isolated practice space and subconscious reminder of what it is you want to practice. Focus on that for a few weeks, and then go from there.

5. Constantly look in the mirror.

Things get dangerous when you refuse to stop and really look at yourself--when you avoid self-reflection. There is a time and a place for "go go go" mode, and then there is a time and place for reflection mode. Both are necessary. And you will quickly find that unless you take the time to ask yourself the tough questions, you will fall off track and not know how you got there.

6. Surround yourself with people who will tell you the truth.

If everyone around you is telling you "yes," then you have a serious problem. You need people who are going to challenge and question you. You need people who won't be afraid to tell you the truth. Tough feedback is essential for personal growth.

7. You have to take risks.

You will never become the person you want to be by continuing to be the person you currently are. Growth's only request is that you step out of your comfort zone. That's it. And unless you are willing to take that risk, to take that uncomfortable leap into the unknown, you will forever stay exactly where you are.

Reinvention is an art. It is a process. It is not a "quick fix" or an "overnight solution." It is a deliberate practice, day in and day out, until you realize who it is you want to be, you already were all along.

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If I Could Change the World Essay: Examples & Writing Guide

To write an engaging “If I Could Change the World” essay, you have to get a few crucial elements:

  • What? How? Whom? When? Where?
  • The essay structure that determines where each answer should be;
  • Some tips that can make your writing unique and original.

Let us help you a bit and give recommendations for “If I Could Change the World” essays with examples. And bookmark our writing company website for excellent academic assistance and study advice.

  • 🗯 What Would You Change?
  • 💁‍♂️ How Would You Do It?

👉 Whom Would Your Changes Affect?

⏱️ when would you change the world, 🌎 where would you make changes, 📦 out-of-the-box thinking, 🤔 deep understanding, 🧠 an intelligible structure, 🗣️ excellent language.

  • 📝 Essay Example

✏️ Change the World Essay FAQ

🔗 references, 💡 if i could change the world essay: essential questions.

What do you think about the world we are all living in? The vast majority of people love their lives, being human, and living on the Earth. They may have no time to think about the world around them or notice that this world requires changes.

And do you have time to notice this? Do you believe that our world is no longer the best and safest place to live in? If you do and have some suggestions on how our world can be changed, you can write a good “If I Could Change the World” essay.

Start crafting your paper by considering these questions:

If I could change the world essay questions.

Answering them will boost your imagination and help with outlining your essay. Besides, you may find something new about yourself and your mind.

🗯 If You Could Change the World, What Would You Change?

What do I want to change in the world? Start this essay with those particular things that you believe require fixing. We are sure you will not have difficulties with this point because the problems we face these days seem endless.

We’ve gotten used to having such problems, and many people are sure that nothing can ever change. But what if millions of people became more conscious and decided to make even a minor effort to solve just one problem? In that case, we would already live in a better place.

For example:

Why not mention global warming or air pollution? There are plenty of problems common to humanity that require our intervention, so essay writing about global issues is also a great opportunity to narrow down your topic.

Use your imagination and describe your great ideas in your essay about changing the world for better. You could build up a fantastic paper—or maybe even change the world.

💁‍♂️ How Would You Change the World?

What ways do you think would be the most effective to make necessary changes? Whose help might you need? You have to speculate, “How can I change the world?” for the essay.

You’ll have to use your imagination here again:

  • Delve deeper into the topic. List the ways, methods, or strategies you’d utilize to help the world we live in.
  • Make a list of these people or organizations.
  • Explain how they could contribute to achieving your aim.

For instance, you could consider involving global charities or celebrities to assist you on your path to a better world.

Would your changes influence society in the world? Or some particular groups of people would need them more than all the others?

This is another exciting idea that you could develop in your essay. Give insight into whose lives your actions would change. For example, you could think of improving the lives of poor, hungry children in Africa or helping animals suffering from global warming.

Do you think that the problems you are talking about require immediate solutions? There are issues worldwide that can’t wait any longer and need to be changed urgently.

Why not discuss them?

Here’s an idea: Bring up a topic related to a pressing global health issue. For example, focus your main point on incurable diseases or infectious diseases that annually kill more than 17 million people .

In what part of the world would you change something?

It’s essential to touch on the location of your global changes. Are you audacious enough to implement your great ideas worldwide? Or would you be better off starting in a small area and eventually growing it into something on a larger scale?

Consider these ideas as well, and don’t forget to mention the location in your paper.

You can also read our article on world peace to learn more about current problems and issues that require changes.

✒️ If I Could Change the World Essay: Writing Guide

What are the criteria that guide your professor when evaluating your “If I Could Change the World” essay? Are there any one-size-fits-all characteristics you can safely incorporate to end up with a breathtaking paper?

There are! And knowing them will help you write more convincing essays that earn better grades.

If I could change the world essay tips.

Representing your original thinking as an author doesn’t mean that you have to invent something new or discover some unknown theory. Not to discourage you, but chances of doing that are pretty small.

Try writing a “changing the world” essay different from other students’ papers because of its original approach . You could look at things from an unusual angle or come up with a new hypothesis. Even the purpose of your writing can differ if you add creativity.

Your “If I Could Change the World” essay topic is a platform for unlimited imagination and original thinking. Go ahead and make the most of it!

A perfect essay about the world’s problems—just like any other essay—shows in-depth knowledge. Demonstrate the comprehension of all the facts, concepts, and issues you’re talking about. You also need to clearly understand why these ideas matter, both to you and your reader.

To end up with a fantastic “changing the world” essay, you should do the following:

  • Craft and polish a persuasive thesis, stating your position clearly.
  • Find credible sources to add quotes and value to your writing.
  • Use engaging, relevant facts for your arguments and central hypothesis.
  • Consider and analyze different viewpoints.
  • Summarize and synthesize data from various sources.
  • Double-check information that you’re uncertain about.
  • Write a reference list at the bottom of your essay.

Don’t forget to analyze and consider all points of view and include quotations from reputable sources.

The first and foremost thing to bear in mind when outlining your essay is that it should answer the following three questions:

Also, a high-quality essay contains all of the necessary parts of an academic paper:

  • Introduction : Starts with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention. Directs the reader, identifies the focus, and provides the context of the issue. Most importantly, it includes a thesis statement. If you struggle with this part, try to make use of a thesis statement generator .
  • Main body : Provides the argumentation for your thesis and supporting details. Includes quotes and other data that you’ve gathered. Every paragraph starts with a topic sentence and ends with a concluding one, tying the text together.
  • Conclusion : Restates and develops the thesis and summarizes the arguments. Gives the last impression on the reader, leaving the final thoughts in the concluding sentences. May include a call for action.

Your “If I Could Change the World” essay should have a consistent discussion and a balanced argument. Relevant facts and data should support all the points. The conclusion weighs your evidence and provides your final opinion about the paper’s central idea.

Your discussion should be smooth and effortless so that your readers feel like they are in safe hands. The sentences should be flowing naturally and logically from one to the other. The reader should understand everything from the first read. Do not deviate from your topic, or else the focus of your essay will be lost.

You should strive for flawless grammar, spelling, and punctuation, without mistakes or typos. To ensure its flawlessness, proofread your paper or ask someone to do it for you.

If I Could Change the World: Essay Topics

  • Can one person change the world?
  • What can we do to eliminate the global violence?
  • How I would change animal rights and welfare laws .
  • Helping homeless people is a critical task for humanity.
  • Becoming a social service assistant is the best way to change the world.
  • Creativity can change the world and make it a better place to live in.  
  • If I could change the world, I would destroy nuclear weapons.
  • Can courage change the world when the cost is so great?
  • We need to stop climate change to save the world.
  • What I can do to save the world from global warming.
  • The things I would do to eliminate gaming addiction from the world.
  • I would save the Earth from destruction by making hanges in an energy crisis.
  • Why we should pay more attention to the overpopulation problem .
  • Fighting inflation and unemployment is a way to change the world.
  • What I can do today to help integration of children with special needs.
  • Elimination of smoking will change the population’s health for the better.
  • If we want to save the Earth, we should reduce air polution.
  • The best career choice to change the world.
  • If I could change the world, I would improve the humanity and nature relationship.
  • The most important thing I would change about this world is the disease prevention level.
  • Combat the growing trend of obesity to improve health in the community.
  • Should we ban consumable plastics to save oceans wildlife?
  • Using electric vehicles instead of gas cars will improve people’s life quality.
  • Removing domestic violence and abuse is the thing I would do to change the world.
  • What I would change to create an ideal society.  
  • Becoming a teacher is my way of improving schooling for young learners.  
  • How I would change the economic situation in modern Latin America.
  • My plans on banning experiments on animals.  
  • Preparing effective tools to change the children’s world.
  • We need to change the system to remove health disparities.  
  • What I would do to change the situation with alcohol abuse in the world.
  • Racism is the global issue that requires an immediate change.
  • The things that can be done to change the level of substance abuse among adolescents.
  • If I could change the world, I would remove gender inequality from it.
  • The solution to social problems within educational institutions is the change we should make in this world.
  • What changes can we make to overcome the world poverty?
  • Why it’s important to resolve the global water crisis.  
  • The solution of immigrant problems is a step towards a better society.
  • How eliminating corruption will make this world better.
  • What can I do to help resolve the problems of older adults ?
  • Lowering crime rates will change the world.
  • How I would change the situation with indigenous Australians.
  • Preventing and curing breast cancer is one of the greatest concerns in modern society.
  • What can we do to prevent disease outbreaks?
  • Why the problem of school violence requires our immediate attention.
  • How I would change the food distribution to combat the issue of world hunger.  
  • Why we should promote renewable energy sources.
  • Terrorism is the most urgent problem in modern society.
  • What would I do to change the situation with school bullying?  
  • What should we change in the world to resolve the problems of LGBT people?

📝 If I Could Change the World: Essay Example

In this section, you’ll find an essay example on the topic. The downloadable PDF version is under the preview. Hope it will inspire you to write your own If I Could Change the World essay!

If I Could Change the World: Pros and Cons (Essay Example)

The idea of having a tremendous influence on the course of the world history is rather tempting since it implies huge power and the availability of any resource possible. Thus, the possibility of changing the world might be perceived solely as a positive concept at first. However, without the ability to encompass and understand the global implications of the changes that I would make, I would take the actions that would most likely result in the suffering of multiple people, which is why the described scenario is highly undesirable.

Now that you know a little more, it’s easy to come up with even more “If I Could Change the World” essay topics. Just think about them carefully or surf the web for some inspiration.

Thank you for reading till the end! Leave your comment in the section below. Share the article with friends who also have to write an “If I Could Change the World” essay.

Further reading:

  • World Peace Essay in Simple English: How-to + Topic Ideas

It is a paper that deals with a controversial question “Can we change the world” (or similar). There are many ways to develop this topic: from telling about a person, invention, or idea of speaking about skills for changing the world.

To be concise within such a broad topic might be a challenge. One strategy might be to think about who or what in human history has changed something in society a lot. It might be an invention, a politician, a scientist, etc. Then, focus just on that subject.

There many ways to change something, both negatively and positively. If we do not care about ecology, we ruin the world’s biosphere. If we do our best to stay eco-friendly, we make it a better place. We can also change the world with the help of education, science, medicine, etc.

If you do not like the topic you are given, there are always ways to divert from it. Meanwhile, you will formally keep it the same. You can, for example, start by introducing a correlated idea. Then, write about that idea and its connection to the topic.

  • One Person Can Change The World
  • Essay about Three Things I Would Change in the World
  • The Power of Music to Help Change the World (and Me!)
  • If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
  • To Change the World, Change Yourself
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How to Write an Essay about Yourself — The Ultimate Guide

By: Author Marcel Iseli

Posted on Last updated: April 13, 2023

How to Write an Essay about Yourself — The Ultimate Guide

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Of all people in this world, you know yourself best. Nevertheless, writing an essay about yourself is not, and will never be, a walk in the park.

While it is a bit grueling, knowing how to write an essay about yourself effectively can be your ticket to Mars – or more precisely, to your dream job or scholarship somewhere in this world.

So, today, we’ll look into the secret recipes of writing an essay about the self. Examples and explanations are available, too, to make things easier to digest.

Let’s begin with a brief answer.

Writing an essay about yourself

  • Know your audience
  • Write for your audience
  • Stick to one topic
  • Avoid sensitive topics
  • Be cohesive
  • Be personal
  • Mention relevant people
  • Proofread your work

How to write an essay about yourself in more detail

Writing is not for everyone. So, no matter how seemingly easy the topic is, like writing about the self, we can’t really say that everyone can do it.

But, on the brighter side, writing is a skill, and thus, it can be learned. Time and effort are the two main ingredients needed to get better at it.

So, to create an essay about yourself, here are eight guidelines that you can refer to and follow to make essay writing less taxing.

1. Know your audience

Knowing your audience allows you to convey your message effectively. Apart from that, it allows you to talk directly to whoever your reader is.

This can be done by doing research in advance. So, if you’re writing an essay about yourself, you need to have some idea as to who will be evaluating your essay.

If you are applying for a job, for instance, you need to bear in mind that one of the Human Resources staff will most likely be your target audience.

All in all, knowing your audience should give you a great avenue for your essay preparation as a whole; this allows you to take control of whatever writing piece you want to focus on.

2. Write for your audience

Apart from knowing your audience, it is needless to say that you have to write for your audience too.

Yes, you will be discussing your life in your essay, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t connect to your audience when doing such a thing.

Writing for your audience basically means looking for a strategy to make your target reader empathize with your story.

In other words, you have to write in such a way that your reader gets too immersed in your work that he or she will be reading until the last word in your conclusion.

Thus, you have to make your story as interesting as possible – just like how prose writers do their job, or at least close to it.

3. Stick to one topic

When writing an essay about yourself, it is advised to focus on one topic. So, instead of writing every relevant experience you’ve had, it is best to stick to one and go in-depth with it.

This allows you to write a richer essay, and at the same time, this would also keep your reader hooked on a particular event in your life.

Writing one too many topics in a single essay is not suggested because it derails your audience from what you really want to convey.

To contextualize, just think of a teacher introducing ten book chapters in a sixty-minute class. Apparently, you are less likely to retain all the information in this scenario.

So, again, think of a single topic that has essentially molded you to become a better version of yourself and just stick to it.

4. Avoid sensitive topics

While you can generally be free as to which topic you’d be writing about, there are certain things that you might want to steer clear of.

Some of these sensitive topics include gender, religion, social taboos, and politics. You should also avoid saying negative things about certain people and their beliefs in your essay.

In case your personal experience has something to do with sensitive issues, the best thing you can do is to focus on how you were able to cope with it.

Again, avoid name-dropping people who may have wronged you before so you won’t get off-topic.

5. Be cohesive

Cohesion or unity is not only important within a nation. It is also a fundamental aspect of writing and any other structured communication activity.

Effectively connecting your ideas by transforming them into readable text allows you to demonstrate your organizational skills to your reader.

Needless to say, you also need to be as coherent or logical as possible when presenting your inner thoughts so that your audience can be in-sync with you.

You can show cohesion by using connective devices such as conjunctions and adverbs or a combination of both, conjunctive adverbs, especially at the beginning of your paragraph or sentence.

6. Be personal

As you are writing an essay about “yourself,” you obviously have to be as personal and warm as possible in your write-up.

Being personal does not mean you have to share your deepest secrets with your reader just to grab their attention and keep them intrigued while reading.

What it means is that you need to present your story in such a way that it characterizes yourself and not anyone else.

The purpose of personal statements and essays about the self is actually for an organization or institution to get to know you as a person.

So, at the end of the day, you had better showcase your human side when writing these kinds of texts.

7. Mention relevant people

While it was mentioned early on that you have to avoid badmouthing others in your essay, it follows that you definitely can praise relevant people in your piece.

Mentioning how others have helped you get through the toughest times in your life bodes well because it shows your grateful side to your reader.

On top of that, it also shows that you are not self-centered and that you actually know how to appreciate others who have helped you along the way.

To do this, you can mention your family members, mentors, classmates, sports coaches, favorite writers, philosophers, and so on.

8. Proofread your work

Last but not least, you have to reread your work and make corrections, if necessary. It is best to do this a day or at least a couple of hours after you finish writing.

Essay writing is not just a five-finger exercise. It takes time to get done, and hence, you’ll get drained of your energy after doing it for hours.

This means that upon reaching your conclusion, you’ll probably not have the same amount of mental energy as much as you had when you started your introductory paragraph.

So, you may not be able to spot superfluous and ambiguous sentences as well as grammatical and typographical errors upon reaching the end of your essay.

Also, you have to remember that even the most seasoned writers are not immune to all kinds of writing errors that can be committed, hence proofreading is a whole different story.

If you can, it would actually be best to ask another person to proofread your essay and ask for feedback from that person.

Now that we’ve discussed the do’s and don’ts when writing a personal essay, let us now see how all these parts fit together.

Here’s an example essay for your reference:

Sample 1: A general essay about yourself 

Thinking I got it all figured out, a careless mistake changed my life forever. Back in early 2015, I was confronted with the most challenging problem I had to face – the consistent two red lines on the five pregnancy test tubes I bought for $5.99 at Walmart. “No. This can’t be true,” I thought to myself, so I scheduled a doctor’s appointment a couple of days later just to make sure. As expected, the doctor confirmed that I’ve been cooking a little bun in the oven for five weeks already. Devastated and still in shock, I headed back to my small apartment and blankly stared at the TV screen for hours not knowing how to react.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks later, when I finally had my bearings, I called my mom in Idaho, told her what happened, quit school, and decided to go back home. Mothers really know best, and this isn’t a myth at all. My mom accepted me and helped me get through all the physical, mental, and even social struggles I had back then, notwithstanding her own life problems at that time. Seven months later, I gave birth to the most wonderful purple-ish creature I have ever seen in my entire life – Everett.

My son Everett, who looks more like my mom than me, has taught me so many things I never knew I was capable of – from changing poopy diapers to becoming a moderately-celebrated one-woman band in my hometown, Nampa. Yes, Everett has also made me pursue the only thing I loved but never knew I was good at – music. My son is four years old now, and I’ve been steadily raising him up through being a freelance voice talent during the day and a local musician at night. With this set-up, I have been able to see my son grow day by day without missing a beat.

This entire experience has not only taught me how not to give up on life but also on myself. My mom, most especially, has also contributed a lot to why I decided to keep going despite everything. For that, I owe what I have become today to my beautiful son Everett and to my guiding light, my mom, Evelyn.

How to write an essay about yourself for a scholarship

Writing an essay for a scholarship program more or less shares the same structure as any kind of personal essay out there.

The difference, though, is that you will have to explain the purpose of your essay in the intro paragraph if you won’t be asked for a cover letter for it.

Writing a cover letter for an essay is also not just a cakewalk because it would also require time and effort to get done, just like any other writing piece.

Also, scholarships do not just land on one’s lap. It is something that we have to apply for and do some research about.

If you’re lucky enough and you have the right connections, someone might just be able to introduce scholarship programs to you.

When this happens, you had better prepare a thank you letter for a scholarship that you can give to your scholarship grantor.

So, how exactly should you write an essay about yourself for a scholarship program? Let’s try to find out below.

Writing an essay about yourself for a scholarship

  • Write your intent
  • Build the hook
  • Describe your experience in detail

Provide a climactic event

  • Reconcile and offer value

1. Write your intent

If a cover letter for your essay is not necessarily asked by the institution or organization you are applying for, it would be best to explain your purpose at the beginning.

This part is important because it is what tells your reader why he or she is holding a piece of paper or staring at his or her screen.

Remember that not all people are good readers, which means not everyone will immediately understand what you are trying to convey.

So, be clear with your purpose or intent in the first paragraph. Clearly, you should also formally introduce yourself in this part.

2. Build the hook

The hook comes after the intent – at least in a scholarship essay that does not necessarily require a cover letter.

The hook is what captures your audience’s attention, so this part is nothing less than crucial too. Think of the hook as something that would tell your audience “Hey, I’m worth reading.”

You can use a rhetorical question or statement here. Or, you can also use a relevant quote or a life lesson that you had learned based on the story you’re writing.

In the example essay a few sections later, you will see that the hook uses a jump-in strategy where it immediately tells you why the essay is more or less worth reading.

3. Describe your experience in detail

As the hook is designed to capture your audience’s attention, they would be asking “why” you wrote it in the back of their minds.

So, the next paragraph should be where your story starts so your reader can build a connection to your hook. 

You can start with the day your story happened or a little before that. You may also want to use visual representations like describing your story’s setting.

The very point of this paragraph is to bring your reader to the day that your story happened. This is done to make them walk through your life or whatever story you are telling.

Like in books and movies, you can also add a climax to your essay. The climax is known to be the highest point or peak of your story.

Here, you might want to be as detailed as possible so that your audience would also feel the tension that you are building.

The use of appropriate descriptive words is simply the key to making this happen. So, write your climax in such a way that your reader will be holding his breath while reading.

4. Reconcile and offer value

After the climax comes the reconciliation part. Here, you would want to write about the most important lesson you have learned from your experience.

This can also serve as the conclusion already. In this part, you will explain how your experience molded you to become better.

You can also mention relevant people in this paragraph, and explain who they are and how they helped you somehow get through life.

To see how all these parts fit together, here’s an example essay for a scholarship application:

Sample 2: Essay for a scholarship application

As the ginormous wave came toward me, I felt so thrilled waiting to ride and tame it with my five-year-old surfboard. Little did I know that another ginormous rock was also waiting underneath the waters to change my perspective on life forever.

I have already been surfing for a decent amount of time because I grew up around Laguna Beach, Orange County. So, I thought to myself “This is just going to be another awesome ride.” As the giant wave neared, I patiently paddled toward it and prepared to stand. Four seconds in, I was doing really well, so I gave myself a silent “good job” praise. A few moments later, I suddenly got off-balance and ended up getting rag-dolled by the apparently not-so-harmless wave.

“Stay out of the washing machine,” I suddenly heard my brother’s voice in my head. That was the very first lesson I had to learn the easy way back when I was younger. That wasn’t my first time getting wiped out either, so I was confident I could just survive the first wave. Thinking I got it all under control, I rose to the surface only to see an even larger wave about to crash. It was too late. I had been annihilated by nature once again. But this time, a sharp edged-rock hit the back of my head and caused me to faint and drown. Luckily, another surfer saw what happened and immediately helped me get back to the shore.

Because of the incident, I was hospitalized for a month, and my parents thought I wouldn’t make it. At that time, it would be fitting to say that I hit rock bottom, literally. Had Dylan, my savior, chosen another surfing spot, I would have not been able to write this essay at all. I owe my life to him, to my family, and to the doctors who decided not to give up on me at the end of the day. For the record, the day I had my surfing accident was the same day I decided to quit school because I had mindlessly thought it wouldn’t do me any good. So, when I recovered, I firmly told myself I would do everything not to mess up ever again, especially when education is at stake.

This particular near-death experience of mine has taught me to value the gift of life. Most of all, this has taught me that education is way more important than what I thought I would only be good at — surfing. If I will be given a chance to secure a slot in your scholarship program, rest assured I will make the most out of it to make Dylan and my whole family proud, to say the least.

How to write an essay about yourself for a job application

Meanwhile, job application essays about the self may take just a slightly different approach from that of a scholarship and general one.

An essay about yourself intended for a job application is also known as a cover letter in business correspondence.

You may want to check out our guidelines on how to write a cover letter for an event manager job as a reference or sample.

At other times, essays about the self may also be called a personal statement, such as when applying for teaching-related positions.

Although encompassing a similar intent, a cover letter is different from a personal statement in terms of creativity and level of formality.

When writing an essay about yourself for a job application, the main goal is to “sell” yourself to your potential employer.

It follows that you need to highlight relevant skills and experiences that would tell your reader exactly why you can be a good fit for the role you are applying for.

So, how can we do that? Let’s find out in the next section.

Writing an essay about yourself for a job application

  • Introduce yourself formally
  • Show why you are a good candidate
  • Summarize how you can be an asset

1. Introduce yourself formally

Like in the essay for a scholarship program, the default strategy is to formally introduce yourself to your reader and explain your writing purpose.

This allows your reader to get the hang of why your essay is being laid out in front of them. Put simply, this part should quickly explain the rest of the information that goes right below the intro.

Ideally, two to four sentences should suffice in creating the introduction part of your job application essay.

2. Show why you are a good candidate

“Show” and do not “tell” why you are a good candidate in the body of your essay – this is the golden rule when writing it for a job application.

As you may know, the body comes after the intro. In a five-paragraph essay, the body is composed of paragraphs two, three, and four.

In a three-paragraph essay, which is the structure in the example below, your body is made up only of paragraph number two.

In the example, you will see how the body aims to elaborate on how the applicant got influenced by external factors in applying for the role.

On top of that, you will also see in the body the applicant’s genuine motivation in seeking a particular job. Being as genuine as possible is highly suggested when writing this kind of essay.

3. Summarize how you can be an asset

Lastly, you can summarize your message into three to five sentences. You can do this by focusing on the most important areas that the job may entail.

Do not sell too much on the idea that you are the best among the other applicants because that’s something you should do during the interview.

Instead, the goal you should have in mind when writing this part is, in fact, to prompt the reader to schedule you for an interview.

This means that having a call-to-action prompt towards or at the end of your last paragraph is also highly suggested.

Sample 3: Essay for a job application

Apart from my educational and professional experience as a virtual sourcing associate last year, my interest in this particular role has been mainly influenced by my elder sister. She has been working from the comfort of her apartment for three years now. Before that, she used to live with us in my parents’ house. That particular role actually gave her enough resources to move out and start a life of her own — something I would also want for myself. She used to live with us back when I was still in college, so I had the chance to help her with some tasks from time to time.

This situation gave me an initial exposure to a remote employment setup. Remote employment is the kind of setup I am strongly vying for because of the freedom it offers. Clearly enough, a remote employment setup is not for everyone because it also has its own can of worms. To succeed in this, one must have effective time-management, communication, and organizational skills. However, as I have been exposed to this early on, and I am undoubtedly interested in it too, I believe I can be a good fit for the position you are looking for. I would be glad to share more about what I can offer to your organization in an interview.

How to write an essay about yourself for a job interview

Applying for a role in an organization is one thing, whereas securing an interview from your target organization is another.

If a person or organization wants you to write an essay about yourself before an interview, it means that they want to save time and effort.

Therefore, taking your best shot in the essay writing part is highly advised as this would also allow you to pitch yourself more.

In this kind of intent, you need to elaborate more on your personal side so as to give your interviewer an idea of who you are as a person on top of being a professional.

Writing an essay about yourself for a job interview

  • Jump to the hook
  • Build the tension
  • Explain what you have done 
  • Mention a relevant person
  • Show excitement toward the interview
  • Thank your interviewer for the invitation

1. Jump to the hook

As you are writing an essay about yourself for a job interview, it means that you need not necessarily introduce yourself anymore.

In other words, your interviewer wouldn’t have scheduled you for an interview had he or she not known about your basic information.

So, quickly jump to the hook and grab your reader’s attention. Remember to stay honest and not overdo this part.

2. Build the tension

Tension-building through words is an art. Luckily enough, this idea should not be treated as only limited to movies and novels.

Here, you will explain a problem or challenge that you are most likely facing and convey it through your human side.

Bear in mind that life is not all roses and rainbows, so it’s fine to share some of your struggles in life as a person.

You can show your emotional side in the sincerest manner possible in this part and avoid a showing-off stance.

3. Explain what you have done

After building the tension, you may now start explaining what you have done to try to solve the problem or challenge you explained early on.

In the particular case of job interviews, it would be nice if you could tell a story of how you got to learn to apply for the role you’re vying for.

Perhaps, you can go a little bit deeper into the details of how or why you came across the job posting or how you had an idea about the job opening.

When doing this in an e-mail message, you may want to avoid saying “I came across your job posting” because of how “unintentional” it sounds. 

4. Mention a relevant person

This part is optional. But, if there’s a particular person that has introduced the job opening to you, it would be best to mention that person in this part.

This would demonstrate your good and grateful side to your reader, or perhaps, potential employer, which is definitely what you want to happen.

To do this, you can simply elaborate on how a relevant person helped you out by introducing the job vacancy or maybe even how a certain person encouraged you to take a leap of fate.

5. Show excitement toward the interview

Another proven and tested trick you can incorporate in your essay for a job interview is to show how excited you are for the interview itself.

Remember that your excitement should be directed towards the interview and not the job role yet as you are not yet officially hired.

Showing excitement and humility at the same time is a great recipe for landing your dream job or any other goal in life.

6. Thank your interviewer for the invitation

Finally, a brief paragraph dedicated to thanking your interviewer for setting up an appointment with you should also do the trick.

If you are able to appreciate another person’s role in introducing a job opening to you, you should also not forget to thank your interviewer for taking a chance on you.

So, the conclusion of your essay should bear a grateful and excited tone but already dedicated to the interviewer.

You can see how all these tips and parts fit and flow together in the essay below:

Sample 4: Essay for a job interview

But, I didn’t want to just look for any job – as I have always wanted to become a writer. I also knew right from the start that going back to my parents’ house is never an option, no matter what. So, finding the right balance between what I really wanted to do and what I actually needed to do at that time was one of the hardest decisions I had to make.

With a bit of luck and a lot of desperation, I decided to draft an application for an entry-level writer/researcher role in a start-up media company in New York City. Earlier that night, I bumped into a long-lost friend from Ohio who was the main reason for how and why I got the role I applied for.

My friend Lillia, a single mother of two lovely kids, happened to just move to an apartment located beside XYZ 86.09 – a local radio station. “I’ve read they’re looking for a new research staff or something like that at the station because the last one just quit last week. You should give it a try” – these were more or less the exact words that she said that night.

So, when I got home, I did some research about the radio station, did more about the position, wrote a cover letter together with a resume, and submitted the application online. When I woke up the next morning, an interview invitation was already sitting in my inbox. At that exact moment, all I ever wanted was to do my best in the interview so I could land the job I always knew I’m good at. Interestingly enough, willpower and luck should somehow go together to make things happen.

So, I sincerely thank you for inviting me to an interview at your station this Friday, Miss Levine. I would be more than happy to share and know more about what I can do to contribute to your company through the role I am applying for.

How to write an essay about yourself from a third-person perspective

Writing from a third-person point of view simply requires the use of third-person pronouns. That said, doing so means avoiding the use of first and second-person pronouns.

Third-person pronouns include everything else except “you,” “we,” and “I.” So, these pronouns are made up of “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they.”

Writing in the third-person perspective in academic writing allows the objective and neutral flow of ideas. 

In creative writing, third-person narration allows you to present yourself as a character in your own story. This is good because it makes your ideas less biased and more convincing.

In connection with this, the question of whether we should write a resume from a first-person perspective is asked by quite a lot of people.

The rule of thumb when writing formal texts such as resumes is to religiously avoid the use of “I’s.” Instead, pronouns must be dropped to make the information more factual.

So, how exactly can we write an essay from a third-person point of view? Is that even possible? Let’s check that out below.

Writing an essay about yourself from a third-person perspective

  • Think of yourself as a book or movie character
  • Steer clear of “I,” “we,” and “you”
  • Stick with “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they”

1. Think of yourself as a book or movie character

The first thing to do is to simply think of yourself as a character, probably the protagonist, in a movie or book that you want to write about.

This means that you need to think of yourself as someone else while recalling your own story. Doing this is naturally tricky as you have to distance yourself from, well, yourself.

However, in the example later, you will see how and why writing an essay about yourself in a third-person perspective makes the story more interesting and less opinionated.

2. Steer clear of “I,” “we,” and “you”

The next thing to do is to avoid using the personal pronouns “I,” “we,” and “you.” While “I” and “we” are both in the first person, “you” is used in the second person.

Remember this rule, and you’ll come up with an interesting essay or even a short story about yourself. You may even want to consider becoming a novel writer in the future after doing it.

3. Stick with “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they”

Last but not least, to come up with a nicely-written essay about yourself in third-person POV, remember to only stick with the pronouns “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they” while drafting.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you cannot use other types of pronouns such as object pronouns, possessive pronouns, and reflexive pronouns that are also in the third person.

You have to treat “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they” as your default reference pronouns only no matter what kind of story angle you want to build on.

To make things clearer, here’s an example essay about the self but written in a third-person point of view:

Sample 5: Essay from a third-person perspective

Fast forward to the present, Joe is now a licensed architect in Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland. He built a start-up firm from scratch. Today, this very architectural firm, whose mission is to create and design spaces that are both sustainable and environment-friendly, already has around forty employees. This goes to show that, at least, he managed to quadruple the number of years he spent at school with his current company size.

If you ask him today what made him decide to root for his own success, he could go for hours. If you asked the same question a decade ago, he would just laugh and tell you to talk to another person instead. According to his staff, they could never, ever believe he used to be the black sheep of the family. That exact reaction is what keeps him going these days. It makes him feel like he is on the right path, and for that, he can’t thank all the people he works with enough.

He is also grateful for his parents, especially his mom, who did not give up on him before. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to get to where he is right now without the guidance of his mentors and professors at school. Joe hopes that his story, though not the most ideal, could somehow help those students who are still trying to be the best versions of themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions on “How to Write an Essay About Yourself”

How can i start an essay about myself.

To start writing the first paragraph of an essay about yourself, you can make use of either a formal introduction plus the intent. Or, you can start directly with a hook in the form of rhetorical statements or questions, quotes, or personal life lessons.

How can end an essay about myself?

To end an essay about yourself, you have to reconcile the ideas that you previously introduced. This means you have to summarize the points you presented and write a realization about those. You can make this part more powerful by focusing on other people’s contributions to your improvement rather than talking more about how you did things alone.

What topics can be written in an essay about myself?

Near-death experiences, general life struggles, education, mentorship, ambitions, and weaknesses are some of the most popular topics that can be used when writing an essay about the self.

Marcel Iseli Author Profile

Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.

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How to Be a Better Person

We all want to be our best, but many people wonder if it's actually possible to become a better person once you're an adult. The answer is a resounding yes. There are always ways to improve yourself. This answer leads to more questions, however.

How can you improve yourself to be a better person? What is the easiest approach? And what are the most important aspects of self to work on? Taking into account your own well-being as well as the best interests of others, here are some of the most important ways to become a better person. 

Let Go of Anger

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We all experience anger in our lives. Uncontrolled anger, however, can create problems in our relationships and even with our health. All of this can lead to more stress and additional problems, complicating life and keeping us from being our best selves. That's why learning to manage and eventually let go of anger is so important to becoming a better person.

Letting go of anger isn't always easy. But the first step is learning more about recognizing anger and knowing what to do when you feel angry in your life.

Recognizing anger is often simple if you make an effort to notice when you feel upset and decide to manage this feeling rather than denying it or lashing out at others as a way of coping. Focus on noticing when you feel angry and why, and know that there is a difference between feeling angry and acting on that anger. Then, know your options.

You can change your beliefs about what is making you angry. This can work by learning more about the situation, or even reminding yourself there may be things you don't know yet.

Remind yourself that maybe that person who cut you off in traffic was distracted by something challenging in their own life. If a friend seems to be rude to you, inquire about how their day is going and find out if there's more that you don't know.

You can also focus on what your "anger triggers" are, and eliminate them as possible. For example, if you find yourself becoming frustrated and angry when you have to rush, work on making more space in your schedule (even if it means saying "no" a little more), and try to eliminate that trigger. If a certain person makes you angry, try to limit their role in your life if it doesn't work to talk things out with them first.

It's also important to learn to let go of grudges and residual anger from each day. Don't wake up holding a grudge from the night before if you can help it. Focus on forgiveness , even if it means you don't let someone who wronged you continue to have an important role in your life. When you stay in the present moment as much as possible, this becomes easier.

Practicing stress relievers like meditation can also help you to let go of anger. Focus on releasing the hold that the past may have on you. Put your attention to the current moment and it becomes easier to avoid rumination and stay in a good place.

Support Others

Helping others may seem like an obvious route to becoming a better person. We often think of "good people" as those who are willing to sacrifice for others. This, in the minds of many, is what makes a person "good." However, good deeds can also make us better people because of the connection between altruism and emotional well-being.

According to research, it just may be true that it's better to give than to receive. So while you may feel too stressed and busy to extend help to others when it's not absolutely necessary, expanding your ability to focus on the needs of others can really help you as well. It’s true:  Altruism  is its own reward and can actually help you relieve stress.

Studies show that altruism is good for your emotional well-being and can measurably enhance your peace of mind.  

For example, one study found that dialysis patients, transplant patients, and family members who became support volunteers for other patients experienced increased personal growth and emotional well-being.

Another study on patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) showed that those who offered other MS patients peer support actually experienced greater benefits than their supported peers, including more pronounced improvement of confidence, self-awareness , self-esteem , depression, and daily functioning. Those who offered support generally found that their lives were dramatically changed for the better.

In addition to making the world a better place, exercising your altruism can make you a happier, more compassionate person. Because there are so many ways to express altruism, this is a simple route to being a better person, one that is available to all of us every day. This is good news indeed.

Leverage Your Strengths

Losing track of time when you’re absorbed in fulfilling work or another engaging activity, or what psychologists refer to as " flow ," is a familiar state for most of us. Flow is what happens when you get deeply involved in a hobby, in learning a new skill or subject, or in engaging in activities that supply just the right mix of challenge and ease.   

When we feel too challenged, we feel stressed. When things are too easy, we may become bored—either way, finding the sweet spot between these two extremes keeps us engaged in a very good way.

You can experience flow by writing, dancing, creating, or absorbing new material that you can teach others.

What may bring you to that state of being may be challenging for others, and vice versa. Think about when you find yourself in this state most often, and try doing more of that.

The state of flow is a good indicator of whether an activity is right for you. When you're in a state of flow, you're leveraging your strengths, and this turns out to be great for your emotional health and happiness. It's also a very positive thing for the rest of the world because your strengths can usually be used to help others in some way. 

When you learn enough about yourself to know what your best strengths are and find out how to use them for the benefit of others, you're on your way to being a better person, and a happier one as well.

Use the "Stages of Change" Model

Ask yourself: If you had a magic wand, what would you like to see in your future? Ignoring the ideas of how you’ll get there, vividly imagine your ideal life, and what would be included in it.

Take a few minutes to list, on paper or on your computer, the changes and goals that would be included in this picture. Be specific about what you want. It’s okay if you want something that you seemingly have no control over, such as a mate who is perfect for you. Just write it down.

You may follow the lead of many businesses and have a one-year, five-year, and 10-year plan for your life. (It doesn’t have to be a set-in-stone  plan , but a list of wishes and goals.) Keeping in mind what you hope for in your future can help you feel less stuck in the stressful parts of your present life, and help you see more options for change as they present themselves.

There are several ways to focus on change, but the stages of change model can lead you to your best self perhaps more easily than many other paths. This model of change can be adapted to whatever mindset you have right now and can work for most people.

The Stages of Change Model

  • Precontemplation : Ignoring the problem
  • Contemplation : Aware of the problem
  • Preparation : Getting ready to change
  • Action : Taking direct action toward the goal
  • Maintenance : Maintaining new behavior
  • Relapse : Reaffirm your goal and commitment to change

One of the most important parts of this route to change is that you don't push yourself to make changes before you're ready, and you don't give up if you find yourself backsliding—it's a forgivable and even expected part of the process of change. Understanding this plan for making changes can help you to be a better person in whatever ways you choose.

Press Play for Advice on Creating Change

This episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how to use the six stages of change to apply them to your own process of change. Click below to listen now.

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Take Care of Yourself

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You may not always have control over the circumstances you face. But you  can  control how well you take care of yourself, which can affect your stress levels and enable you to grow as a person when you face life's challenges.

Self-care is vital for building resilience when facing unavoidable stressors for several reasons. When you're tired, eating poorly, or generally run down, you will likely be more reactive to the stress you face in your life. You can even end up creating more problems for yourself by reacting poorly rather than responding from a place of calm inner strength.

Conversely, when you're taking good care of yourself (both your physical and mental health ), you can be more thoughtfully engaged with whatever comes, use the resources you have in your life, and grow from the challenges you face, rather than merely surviving them.

Taking proper care of your body, soul, and mind can keep you in optimum shape for handling stress. That gives you added resilience to manage those challenges in life that we all face, as well as those that may be unique to you.

Basics of Self-Care

In terms of self-care strategies , there are several that can help, but some of the most important aspects of self-care include the basics:

  • Connection with others

Sleep is important for your emotional and physical well-being because too little or poor quality sleep can leave you feeling more stressed and less able to brainstorm solutions to problems you face. Lack of sleep can take a toll on your body as well, both in the short term and in the long run. Poor sleep can even affect your weight.

The same is true with poor nutrition. A poor diet can leave you feeling bloated and tired, and can add extra pounds over time. You need the right fuel to face life's challenges, but when stress hits, it's often the unhealthy food we crave.

Social Connections

Feeling connected to others can help you feel more resilient. Good friends can help you to process negative emotions, brainstorm solutions, and get your mind off your problems when necessary. It's sometimes challenging to find time for friends when you have a busy, stressful life, but our friends often make us better people both with their support and their inspiration.

Finally, it is important to take a little time for yourself. This can mean journaling and meditation, or it can come in the form of exercise or even watching re-runs at home. This is particularly important for introverts , but everyone needs some time to themselves, at least sometimes.

Learn to Be User-Friendly

Our relationships can create a haven from stress, and help us to become better people at the same time. They can also be a  significant source of stress when there is conflict that is resolved poorly or left to fester. The beauty of this is that as we do the work it takes to become a better friend, partner, and family member, it can also be a path to becoming a better person.

To improve your relationships and yourself, learn conflict resolution skills. These skills include being a good listener, understanding the other side when you are in conflict, and anger management techniques .

These things can help us be better versions of ourselves. They can also minimize the stress we experience in relationships, making these relationships stronger. Close relationships usually provide plenty of opportunities to practice these skills as you work on improving them, so you can perhaps even appreciate the opportunities when they arise and feel less upset.

Mental Health Foundation. Cool down: Anger and how to deal with it .

Post SG. Altruism, happiness, and health: It's good to be good . Int J Behav Med . 2005;12(2):66-77. doi:10.1207/s15327558ijbm1202_4

Cheron G. How to measure the psychological "flow"? A neuroscience perspective . Front Psychol . 2016;7:1823. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01823

Sadler-Gerhardt CJ, Stevenson DL. When it all hits the fan: Helping counselors build resilience and avoid burnout . American Counseling Association VISTAS 2012(1).

National Sleep Foundation. How much sleep do we really need?

By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

Frequently asked questions

How do i write about myself in a college essay.

Most importantly, your essay should be about you , not another person or thing. An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability.

Your essay shouldn’t be a résumé of your experiences but instead should tell a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

Frequently asked questions: College admissions essays

When writing your Common App essay , choose a prompt that sparks your interest and that you can connect to a unique personal story.

No matter which prompt you choose, admissions officers are more interested in your ability to demonstrate personal development , insight, or motivation for a certain area of study.

The Common App essay is your primary writing sample within the Common Application, a college application portal accepted by more than 900 schools. All your prospective schools that accept the Common App will read this essay to understand your character, background, and value as a potential student.

Since this essay is read by many colleges, avoid mentioning any college names or programs; instead, save tailored answers for the supplementary school-specific essays within the Common App.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding your message and content. Then, check for flow, tone, style , and clarity. Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors .

If your college essay goes over the word count limit , cut any sentences with tangents or irrelevant details. Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

If you’ve got to write your college essay fast , don’t panic. First, set yourself deadlines: you should spend about 10% of your remaining time on brainstorming, 10% on outlining, 40% writing, 30% revising, and 10% taking breaks in between stages.

Second, brainstorm stories and values based on your essay prompt.

Third, outline your essay based on the montage or narrative essay structure .

Fourth, write specific, personal, and unique stories that would be hard for other students to replicate.

Fifth, revise your essay and make sure it’s clearly written.

Last, if possible, get feedback from an essay coach . Scribbr essay editors can help you revise your essay in 12 hours or less.

Avoid swearing in a college essay , since admissions officers’ opinions of profanity will vary. In some cases, it might be okay to use a vulgar word, such as in dialogue or quotes that make an important point in your essay. However, it’s safest to try to make the same point without swearing.

If you have bad grades on your transcript, you may want to use your college admissions essay to explain the challenging circumstances that led to them. Make sure to avoid dwelling on the negative aspects and highlight how you overcame the situation or learned an important lesson.

However, some college applications offer an additional information section where you can explain your bad grades, allowing you to choose another meaningful topic for your college essay.

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

  • Extracurriculars, especially sports
  • Role models
  • Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
  • Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
  • Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
  • Overcoming a difficult class
  • Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

Yes. The college application essay is less formal than other academic writing —though of course it’s not mandatory to use contractions in your essay.

In a college essay , you can be creative with your language . When writing about the past, you can use the present tense to make the reader feel as if they were there in the moment with you. But make sure to maintain consistency and when in doubt, default to the correct verb tense according to the time you’re writing about.

The college admissions essay gives admissions officers a different perspective on you beyond your academic achievements, test scores, and extracurriculars. It’s your chance to stand out from other applicants with similar academic profiles by telling a unique, personal, and specific story.

Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial to avoid distracting the reader from your college essay’s content.

A college application essay is less formal than most academic writing . Instead of citing sources formally with in-text citations and a reference list, you can cite them informally in your text.

For example, “In her research paper on genetics, Quinn Roberts explores …”

There is no set number of paragraphs in a college admissions essay . College admissions essays can diverge from the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in English class. Just make sure to stay under the specified word count .

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

  • Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
  • Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
  • Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
  • Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
  • Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

You can use humor in a college essay , but carefully consider its purpose and use it wisely. An effective use of humor involves unexpected, keen observations of the everyday, or speaks to a deeper theme. Humor shouldn’t be the main focus of the essay, but rather a tool to improve your storytelling.

Get a second opinion from a teacher, counselor, or essay coach on whether your essay’s humor is appropriate.

Though admissions officers are interested in hearing your story, they’re also interested in how you tell it. An exceptionally written essay will differentiate you from other applicants, meaning that admissions officers will spend more time reading it.

You can use literary devices to catch your reader’s attention and enrich your storytelling; however, focus on using just a few devices well, rather than trying to use as many as possible.

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

  • Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
  • Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

  • Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
  • Focuses on you and your experiences
  • Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
  • Is creative and original

Unlike a five-paragraph essay, your admissions essay should not end by summarizing the points you’ve already made. It’s better to be creative and aim for a strong final impression.

You should also avoid stating the obvious (for example, saying that you hope to be accepted).

There are a few strategies you can use for a memorable ending to your college essay :

  • Return to the beginning with a “full circle” structure
  • Reveal the main point or insight in your story
  • Look to the future
  • End on an action

The best technique will depend on your topic choice, essay outline, and writing style. You can write several endings using different techniques to see which works best.

College deadlines vary depending on the schools you’re applying to and your application plan:

  • For early action applications and the first round of early decision applications, the deadline is on November 1 or 15. Decisions are released by mid-December.
  • For the second round of early decision applications, the deadline is January 1 or 15. Decisions are released in January or February.
  • Regular decision deadlines usually fall between late November and mid-March, and decisions are released in March or April.
  • Rolling admission deadlines run from July to April, and decisions are released around four to eight weeks after submission.

Depending on your prospective schools’ requirements, you may need to submit scores for the SAT or ACT as part of your college application .

Some schools now no longer require students to submit test scores; however, you should still take the SAT or ACT and aim to get a high score to strengthen your application package.

Aim to take the SAT or ACT in the spring of your junior year to give yourself enough time to retake it in the fall of your senior year if necessary.

Apply early for federal student aid and application fee waivers. You can also look for scholarships from schools, corporations, and charitable foundations.

To maximize your options, you should aim to apply to about eight schools:

  • Two reach schools that might be difficult to get into
  • Four match schools that you have a good chance of getting into
  • Two safety schools that you feel confident you’ll get into

The college admissions essay accounts for roughly 25% of the weight of your application .

At highly selective schools, there are four qualified candidates for every spot. While your academic achievements are important, your college admissions essay can help you stand out from other applicants with similar profiles.

In general, for your college application you will need to submit all of the following:

  • Your personal information
  • List of extracurriculars and awards
  • College application essays
  • Transcripts
  • Standardized test scores
  • Recommendation letters.

Different colleges may have specific requirements, so make sure you check exactly what’s expected in the application guidance.

You should start thinking about your college applications the summer before your junior year to give you sufficient time for college visits, taking standardized tests, applying for financial aid , writing essays, and collecting application material.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

  • A unique, personally meaningful topic
  • A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
  • Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
  • Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
  • Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
  • A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

In most cases, quoting other people isn’t a good way to start your college essay . Admissions officers want to hear your thoughts about yourself, and quotes often don’t achieve that. Unless a quote truly adds something important to your essay that it otherwise wouldn’t have, you probably shouldn’t include it.

Cliché openers in a college essay introduction are usually general and applicable to many students and situations. Most successful introductions are specific: they only work for the unique essay that follows.

The key to a strong college essay introduction is not to give too much away. Try to start with a surprising statement or image that raises questions and compels the reader to find out more.

The introduction of your college essay is the first thing admissions officers will read and therefore your most important opportunity to stand out. An excellent introduction will keep admissions officers reading, allowing you to tell them what you want them to know.

You can speed up this process by shortening and smoothing your writing with a paraphrasing tool . After that, you can use the summarizer to shorten it even more.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

In your application essay , admissions officers are looking for particular features : they want to see context on your background, positive traits that you could bring to campus, and examples of you demonstrating those qualities.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

You don’t need a title for your college admissions essay , but you can include one if you think it adds something important.

Your college essay’s format should be as simple as possible:

  • Use a standard, readable font
  • Use 1.5 or double spacing
  • If attaching a file, save it as a PDF
  • Stick to the word count
  • Avoid unusual formatting and unnecessary decorative touches

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

  • A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
  • A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

Campus visits are always helpful, but if you can’t make it in person, the college website will have plenty of information for you to explore. You should look through the course catalog and even reach out to current faculty with any questions about the school.

Colleges set a “Why this college?” essay because they want to see that you’ve done your research. You must prove that you know what makes the school unique and can connect that to your own personal goals and academic interests.

Depending on your writing, you may go through several rounds of revision . Make sure to put aside your essay for a little while after each editing stage to return with a fresh perspective.

Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your language, tone, and content . Ask for their help at least one to two months before the submission deadline, as many other students will also want their help.

Friends and family are a good resource to check for authenticity. It’s best to seek help from family members with a strong writing or English educational background, or from older siblings and cousins who have been through the college admissions process.

If possible, get help from an essay coach or editor ; they’ll have specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and be able to give objective expert feedback.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Include specific, personal details and use your authentic voice to shed a new perspective on a common human experience.

Through specific stories, you can weave your achievements and qualities into your essay so that it doesn’t seem like you’re bragging from a resume.

When writing about yourself , including difficult experiences or failures can be a great way to show vulnerability and authenticity, but be careful not to overshare, and focus on showing how you matured from the experience.

First, spend time reflecting on your core values and character . You can start with these questions:

  • What are three words your friends or family would use to describe you, and why would they choose them?
  • Whom do you admire most and why?
  • What are you most proud of? Ashamed of?

However, you should do a comprehensive brainstorming session to fully understand your values. Also consider how your values and goals match your prospective university’s program and culture. Then, brainstorm stories that illustrate the fit between the two.

In a college application essay , you can occasionally bend grammatical rules if doing so adds value to the storytelling process and the essay maintains clarity.

However, use standard language rules if your stylistic choices would otherwise distract the reader from your overall narrative or could be easily interpreted as unintentional errors.

Write concisely and use the active voice to maintain a quick pace throughout your essay and make sure it’s the right length . Avoid adding definitions unless they provide necessary explanation.

Use first-person “I” statements to speak from your perspective . Use appropriate word choices that show off your vocabulary but don’t sound like you used a thesaurus. Avoid using idioms or cliché expressions by rewriting them in a creative, original way.

If you’re an international student applying to a US college and you’re comfortable using American idioms or cultural references , you can. But instead of potentially using them incorrectly, don’t be afraid to write in detail about yourself within your own culture.

Provide context for any words, customs, or places that an American admissions officer might be unfamiliar with.

College application essays are less formal than other kinds of academic writing . Use a conversational yet respectful tone , as if speaking with a teacher or mentor. Be vulnerable about your feelings, thoughts, and experiences to connect with the reader.

Aim to write in your authentic voice , with a style that sounds natural and genuine. You can be creative with your word choice, but don’t use elaborate vocabulary to impress admissions officers.

Admissions officers use college admissions essays to evaluate your character, writing skills , and ability to self-reflect . The essay is your chance to show what you will add to the academic community.

The college essay may be the deciding factor in your application , especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

Some colleges also require supplemental essays about specific topics, such as why you chose that specific college . Scholarship essays are often required to obtain financial aid .

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Myself / Things I Would Like to Change About Myself

Things I Would Like to Change About Myself

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Pursuing personal growth, cultivating positive habits, embracing a mindset of growth.

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