For the longest time, “self-improvement” for men meant hitting the gym, eating chicken and rice every day, and maybe bragging about a new personal best. Oh, and don’t forget about that whole “rise and grind” mindset, and even choosing the right exercise equipment for your home, too (and protein powder, don’t forget about that). Well, at one point in time, basically, just recently, that was the blueprint. Like, that was the whole blueprint here. So, if you weren’t bench pressing something heavy or running a marathon, or anything wild and crazy like that, well, it didn’t count as progress.
Like, thankfully, things are finally starting to change a bit (granted, maybe a bit of a slower pace than you might think). But yeah, it’s finally getting to this point where people are finally understanding that self-improvement isn’t only about the gym (or your bank account, for that matter). So, instead of lifting weights, it’s more about lifting your whole life.
These days, self-improvement means a lot more than reps and protein shakes. You could honestly just scroll through TikTok for just a few minutes, and you’ll pick that up. You’ll see that it’s about getting more sleep, it’s about touching grass, not being glued to your phone, it’s about skincare, mental health, and this list could probably go on forever.
Okay, so basically, it’s about feeling good, not just looking like you could wrestle a bear.
So it’s All About Maintenance
Some guys still roll their eyes at the idea of “self-care.” Like, why do that for starters? You obviously need to take care of yourself, like that’s already a given, right? Besides, just really think about it for just a second, there’s nothing cooler than someone who clearly takes care of themselves. What’s not beautiful there?
Wouldn’t you want to be the guy who smells good, dresses well, keeps his hair neat, and actually moisturises his skin? Wouldn’t you want to be the man who’s giving “adult man with his life together” energy? Besides, isn’t something like that miles more attractive than anyone pretending they’re too tough for soap that isn’t 3-in-1 (which so many men are guilty of buying anyway).
Taking care of yourself isn’t vanity; whoever said or thought that is wrong. It’s weird how there’s this societal expectation to take care of yourself, but at the same time, it’s also considered wrong, at least when you do it “too much,” whatever that even means. Actually, here’s a great comparison: you get your car serviced, right? You change the oil, and you clean it when it starts looking rough. Well, the same logic applies to your body.
No, seriously, it does. Like, you only get one, and pretending you don’t care doesn’t make you mysterious or cool, or whatever else (or effeminate because some reason taking care of yourself somehow equates to that for some men, too). Do you really want to feel run down? Do you really want to look tired? Do you really want to look older than your age? Yeah, probably not.
There’s the Whole Mental Fitness Aspect of it
Well, the whole physical fitness gets all the attention, which makes total sense because most people immediately think of that when it comes to self-care and just general improvement, too. But in order to have physical fitness, you almost always need to have the mental fitness aspect too. Like, with weight loss and eating right, for example, it’s a mental test, it’s a mental strain, not really a physical one.
Besides, mental fitness is where the real growth happens. A lot of guys have spent years acting like emotions are some kind of weakness, when in reality, they’re just another part of being human (that awful boomer mentality of showing feelings seriosuly needs to go). But yeah, keeping everything bottled up doesn’t make anyone stronger; it just makes life heavier.
Thankfully, it’s finally getting to this point (mostly in recent generations) where more men are starting to see the value in therapy, meditation, and just having real conversations. It’s not about sitting in a circle and crying (unless you want to do that kind of like that scene in Fight Club). Actually, it’s more about being more self-aware and not letting stress pile up until you’re snapping at traffic lights.
Those Little Upgrades Do Add Up
Well, the little and the big ones both do. So, the guys who seem like they’ve got it together aren’t usually doing anything dramatic; it’s not like that whole Patrick Bateman morning routine or anything like that at all. Instead, it’s smaller, like way smaller. Getting more specific here, it’s more about consistency in those smaller things. For example, they’ve finally learned how to cook more than pasta, or they’ve stopped treating sleep like an optional hobby. Maybe they figured out that a good face wash actually exists and it’s not “just marketing.”
Again, it’s smaller things, but bigger things like penile girth enhancement with dermal fillers are fine too, same goes for getting straight teeth, hair plugs, botox, or whatever else you want to spend your money on to make you happy (and not others). But yeah, smaller things are just as fine, like using a teeth whitening kit from time to small, a decent skincare routine, trimming the beard, having a hairstyle you like to have, finding a signature scent, and ironing your clothes could be something too.
But you see, there are big and small upgrades, just pick and choose what will make you happy.
There Doesn’t have to be Pressure with Self-Improvement
So, this is going to piggyback on what’s being said above, but the best part about this new era of self-improvement is that it’s not one-size-fits-all. Just ignore influences online and what they’re doing, and what they’re pushing, because you don’t have to go the route they’re going. You don’t have to overhaul your whole life or start waking up at 4 a.m., drinking raw eggs. You can make small, realistic changes that actually fit into your day. Just chase perfection; it’s about chasing your own happiness in what will work for you and your life.