As human beings, we are our own worst critics. Most of us are guilty of focusing on our weaknesses instead of our strengths. We all have areas we would like to improve, but improvement requires work and effort. September is Self-Improvement Month. During this month-long event, work on different areas of your life that need improvement. But instead of being overwhelmed by every area we wish to improve, take it one week at a time. Below are a few suggestions for bettering yourself each week this month.

Week 1: Mentality

Sit back and evaluate how you feel about yourself. Do you get down on yourself because you do not finish your to-do list every day or because you are not the best cook? Do you ever find yourself being critical of how you look each day? This week, focus on how you can improve your mentality toward yourself. There are two excellent ways to accomplish this.

First, forgive yourself and let things go. Don't hold a grudge against yourself because you are not Mother-of-the-Year or Wife-of-the-Decade. Don't beat yourself up for things you may have done in the past that you regret. Let things go. Move forward with your life. Each day, think about the good things you have accomplished and praise yourself. And especially don't worry about anything you can't control.

Second, be grateful. Gratitude is one of the best remedies for improving your mentality and attitude toward yourself and those around you. Each day, make a list of three or more things for which you are grateful. After doing this for some time, you will begin to notice things that you never noticed before, and you will see the tender mercies in your life.

Week 2: Physical

During the second week of the month, focus on the physical areas in your life that could use some improvement. Whether you have weight to lose, you want to boost your energy or just cut your salt intake, set goals to make this happen during this week. If an increase in physical fitness is your goal, create a realistic fitness plan that you can stick to for several months. This could mean exercising three days a week, add more weight lifting to your current physical activities and more.

Additionally, take a look at your diet. When you eat healthy food, you will feel much better about yourself. Evaluate your diet to see how well you are eating and where you can make changes. Making a few small changes in your diet can affect your health and the way you view yourself.

Week 3: Spiritual

Your spirituality requires continual improvement to help you progress. When looking to improve your spirituality, find one area you can focus on this week to come closer to God. Whether that includes studying your scriptures instead of just skimming the verses, praying directly from your heart and not repeating the same phrases, or attending religious services more often, only you know what you can do to improve yourself and progress with your spirituality.

Week 4: Social

During the final week of the month, evaluate your relationships with those you care about most including your spouse, children, extended family and friends. Think about how you can be a better spouse, a better parent and friend. Do you need to put down your distractions and focus on what those you love are saying? Do you need to spend more time with those you care about and less time working on your to-do list? Think about the qualities you admire most in your family members and friends. Do you possess those same qualities? Are you putting as much into the relationship as those around you?

Self-improvement isn't a task you ask someone else to do, it must be accomplished only by yourself. This month is the perfect time to evaluate yourself, find the areas you wish to improve and dedicate the entire month to improving those areas and watching yourself gradually become the person you want to be.