 Alan Bonner said, every morning, we get a chance to be different, a chance to change, a chance to be better. How there have been times you thought back to words you said or actions you did and you find yourself cringing in embarrassment, even though it's just a thought flashing through your mind. Such thoughts reveal a need to become a better person. Becoming a better person involves discovering ways to improve yourself, working on yourself and having the best interest of others in mind. It is about continually aiming and striving to be the best version of yourself. Below are 15 ways to become a better person. Taking them one at a time until there is a recognizable improvement in all aspects of your life will be a great way to go. 1. Be true to your heart. Too many people act like the rest of the world wants them to. They try to please everyone and deny what they want. This naturally leads to a conflict within. What you want is valid. Being true to your heart has been authentic and original. You do not live in a borrowed or copied life. It is the first step to being a better person because only when you know who you are, do you know what you are working on improving. 2. Learn to forgive. The call for people to see the need for forgiveness comes again. This is healing not only for the one who wants freedom from guilt but also for the one who learned to let go of the pain and hurt and decided to focus on better things. There is another aspect of forgiveness which many people don't talk about. Forgiving oneself. Learn to forgive yourself. If you did something wrong, ask for forgiveness. Make restitution if you can and forgive yourself. Remember, if you knew better, you would have done better. Forgiving yourself and others makes you leave free of guilt and bitterness. Practicing forgiveness will not only make you a better person but it will also give you a better life. 3. Embrace change. It is said that the only constant thing is change. It will be wise for you to be open to change and sometimes be the one to initiate the change if necessary. Embracing change will make you adaptable and avoid you being rigid. It also makes life exciting and prevents monotonous existence. As an initiator of change, you become inspired and innovative and this makes you relevant. Being rigid and opposed to change also hinders growth and may promote backwardness. If you would become a better person, you would have to be open-minded when it comes to change. 3. Watch your tongue. Words are more powerful than we can describe and so they should be used with care. Talk may be cheap but the words have the power to hurt or heal and so they should be chosen appropriately to make the world a better place and you a better person. The thing about words is that they can't be taken back after they have been spoken and so they need to be said with care. Watch your words and use them constructively instead of destructively. 4. Be a learner. Albert Einstein said, once you stop learning, you start dying. The best learning experiences are preceded by curiosity. A desire to know, remaining a learner makes you a well of knowledge and you become resourceful. It helps you relate better with the universe. Staying curious ensures that you never think you have arrived at your best self but you always find something else to learn and get better at. Be a learner. 5. Be a helping hand. You being a better person means you treat people well, you help people and do not see yourself as the most important being. When you offer a helping hand to friends, family or strangers, you have succeeded in putting a little good in the world. You may need to go out of your way to help but altruism also has a reward, making you feel good about yourself. Aside from the rewards of selflessness, you put a smile on people's faces and reignite hope in the hearts of humans. Give a helping hand. 6. Be thankful. Each day we have the option of looking at the proverbial glass as half full or half empty. You could be thankful for what you have or whine about what you don't have but you should know that the heart of gratitude gives a life of peace and positivity. Gratitude means doing what's best with what you have and what is right instead of focusing on what you wish you had and what is wrong. This is the art of gratitude and you will spread sunshine wherever you go, lifting sad spirits and encouraging others. 7. And the blame game. Some people always find someone else to blame for whatever goes wrong. Don't be one of such people. In becoming a better person, you should learn to take responsibilities for mistakes and mishaps and also realize that some things happen and are nobody's fault. Learning for whom to blame automatically takes your mindset off the need for solutions seeking and makes you detached. It means you do not seek to or try to fix what needs fixing. You can't be a better person if you're always seeking to shift responsibility and act selfishly. 8. Know your weaknesses. Knowing yourself involves knowing your weaknesses and knowing when they become a setback. This knowledge will help you more efficiently as you would seek to improve and make sure that those weaknesses do not interfere with your progress in life. Knowing your weaknesses means you keep trying to turn them into strengths. Talking about strengths leads us to the next point. 9. Do your absolute best. While you know your weaknesses, identify your strengths also. When you discover your strengths, ensure that you do your best with them. Your strengths are a gift to you and the world and should be used accordingly. In using your strengths in doing your best, you gain more insight. You stay relevant and you help more people. You sharpen your skills as they are used and you become an expert. So while you work in your weaknesses, do your absolute best with your strengths. 10. Realize that you matter. Many people believe that they love themselves and try hard to show it in every other way except in the way that tells the truth, taking care of themselves. They fight for their rights but they don't mind their nutrition. They don't allow anyone to get away with insulting them but they don't improve their physical health with exercise. They try hard to look good for everyone to see but they don't spend time alone to meditate and breathe and relax. You need to take care of yourself because you matter. If you would be a better person, take care of yourself. 12. Use the magic words. Saying thank you to show gratitude, saying I'm sorry to apologize and saying please when making a request doesn't make you a weakling. It means you respect yourself and others. When using the magic words, you are letting others know how you too should be treated. It shows you are humble and not egoistical. Using the magic words help you get ahead quickly so people are more willing to help. It helps solve misunderstandings quickly. You become the better man and woman when you use the magic words. 13. Have set goals. We all need something to look forward to in life. All of us. To be a better person, you need to set goals. The goals should be written down and put in a place that serves as a reminder daily. Your goals give you direction and using this direction, you know the path you should travel and the one you shouldn't. Without guidance, every road leads home. As someone striving to be a better person, your face should be set towards your goal and you do all you can to achieve it. You make plans and take steps which lead to attaining your dreams. 14. Stay the same. Now, this may sound contradictory but it's not. Are you the same person before your friends and before your boss or are you too faced? Do you pay eye service? In working towards being a better person, you should be the person of integrity. You should be the same everywhere. Can people expect you to say the same thing no matter who is present or would you tweak the truth because you see someone else involved? Integrity is missing in most people and anyone who possesses this rare quality will no doubt stand out as the better person. Growing and getting better is part of life. It is also an upward climb. Nothing good comes easy and the left to itself, everything would deteriorate, including our characters and behaviors. That is why in our journey of becoming a better person, we take a good look at our lives daily and see how we are doing. At the end of each day, we look back on our dealings with people and note areas which need improvement. If we do this frequently with time, we will be user-friendly to ourselves and the world. We will become better people. . .