1- Be more honest. Honesty is a key component of your character. Show others that you are honest by making your actions match your words. For example, if you tell your partner that you will be more supportive of their career, show them you mean it. You could make a point to ask them about a big project they're on or you could offer to take over dinner duty during a particularly busy time.

• You can also become more honest by acting sincere. Don't feel that you always have to act a certain way. Give honest reactions.
• For example, you can say to your partner, "I'm sorry I wasn't more supportive earlier. I think it was because I just miss you when you're at work."

 2- Build your self-awareness. Self-awareness means paying to get to know yourself on a deeper level. By being self-aware, you can understand how your ideas and reactions are shaped. Getting a better sense of who you are can help you build your character. Set aside time to self-reflect each day. You can ask yourself questions such as, "Why did I react like that when Sue said that?" and "How could I improve my reaction the next time there is a conflict?"

• Meditation is also a great way to gain self-awareness. You can learn to meditate by downloading an app, taking a class, or reading a book on meditation. You can also just sit quietly and see where your thoughts take you!

3- Gain more self-control. You can develop your self-control by making small changes to your daily life. For example, you could work on controlling impulse eating. When you're about to reach for a late-night snack, stop and ask yourself if you're actually hungry. Then drink a big glass of water instead. You can consciously think about controlling your impulses.

• Making your bed daily is a great habit to commit to. It will help you develop discipline, which you can then use in other parts of your life.

4- Practice integrity. Living with integrity means that you're being true to the person you are inside. If your actions don't match your beliefs, then you will always feel unsettled inside. Know and honor your personal values and morals in your everyday life. Make your decisions based on these values, and don't bend to peer pressure.

• Join a cause that fits with your values.
• Think about how your decisions fall in line with your beliefs.
• Change habits that are out of line with your beliefs.
• Be honest.

5- Take responsibility for your mistakes and make things right. Everyone makes mistakes, but how you handle them shows your character. Be honest when you've messed up, and do what you can to make amends for your actions. Depending on the situation, you may need to apologize. Other times, you may need to change your behavior or take action to make up for what you did.

• Work with the person you harmed to come up with a solution.
• Consider ways that you could balance the situation.
• If you make a mistake or do harm to someone else, admit your mistake and make it right. You could say, "I'm sorry that I took credit for your idea. I'm going to tell everyone that you're the one who thought of it."

6- Take calculated risks. There are lots of reasons to take risks, such as increasing your confidence and finding new ways to pursue success. A calculated risk is when you have weighed the risks and the benefits. Don't dive headfirst into something that you haven't thought about.

• For example, maybe you've dreamed of starting your own photography business. It probably doesn't make sense to suddenly quit your job and depend on a brand-new business. A better strategy would be to start small. Try booking photography gigs on the weekend. As your business develops, you could think more seriously about pursuing your passion full-time.

 7- Practice patience. It's normal to find yourself feeling impatient at times. Maybe you've had to bite your tongue when a co-worker didn't immediately grasp a concept. You can build your patience with some work. Start by trying to view the situation through the lens of the other person. You could think, "Oh, maybe Mary doesn't understand what I'm saying because she doesn't have the same background in technology as I do. I could use less jargon in explaining it."

• You can also ask questions and listen carefully. Start with, "Mary, I'd love to help you understand. What points are unclear?" Then listen to Mary's response and try a new approach.

8- Ask someone you trust for feedback. Sometimes it can be hard to be objective about yourself. If you’re serious about making some improvements, consider asking someone else to give you some feedback. Make sure to choose someone who can be honest and constructive at the same time.

• Your best friend might be a good choice for this exercise. You could say, “Tom, I’m really looking for ways to be a stronger person. What do you think are some strengths and weaknesses of my character?”
• Accept their feedback with gratitude, and take steps to implement some of the recommended changes.