16 Self Improvement Gifts Your Go-Getter Friends Need

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Last Updated on March 4, 2023

Meaningful, practical gifts that serve a purpose and better oneself are always a good idea. If you love helping the people in your life improve themselves, these self improvement gifts are a great place to get inspiration!

Self improvement means many things. For some people, it’s making sure they live a balanced lifestyle of rest and productivity. It’s also prioritizing self care so that your mental health is supported. It can also be pushing yourself to strive for the goals you care about. There’s many factors and intentions at play, and these self improvement gifts cover it all!

No matter who you’re buying for, this list outlines something for everyone. If you’re ready to make an impact on your friend or family member’s life, let’s get browsing!

The Five Areas of Personal Development

BetterUp has outlined five crucial areas of personal development that should be focused on. These aspects are great to keep in mind when considering the self improvement gifts you choose! It’s always good to keep the gift recipient’s needs and interests in mind, so these areas can help you out with that.

Mental Self Improvement

The mental aspect of personal development and self improvement is about challenging your brain but also taking care of your mental health. It’s important to always be learning and growing, rather than get too comfortable staying in one place. 

You also want to have a good mental health care regime in place. This consists of self care activities, such as going to therapy (read this to see if you should go to therapy!), journaling, meditating, and keeping a tight support system.

Social Self Improvement

Having both deep and casual social connections is truly essential. It feels good to have a circle of people we enjoy the company of, and this benefits us personally too. Not only does it improve our social and communication skills, but it helps us feel heard, loved, and supported. 

Spiritual Self Improvement

Spirituality isn’t only for religious folks. Spirituality is an important factor that’s actually outside of religious identification alone. It’s about gaining a deeper understanding of yourself, the world, and your place in it. It helps you identify your core values and beliefs, leading to greater awareness of yourself. 

Emotional Self Improvement

Emotional self improvement speaks to the aspect of emotional intelligence. This is the ability to identify and interpret your own feelings and other’s feelings. It’s also seeing the connection between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Emotional self development helps you understand why you may think, feel, and react the way you do.

Physical Self Improvement

Your physical health plays a greater role in your mental health and overall self improvement than you may think. By nourishing and nurturing your body, the benefits cross over to influence your mind as well. Prioritizing your health and wellness is an aspect of self improvement that shouldn’t be overlooked.

With each of these areas in mind, you can think deeper about which self improvement gifts would be best suited to your mom, best friend, boyfriend, or whoever you’re shopping for!

Self Improvement Gifts Guide for People Who Love Personal Growth

Starting off these self improvement gifts is the book Atomic Habits. This is one of my all time favorite books because it has the most realistic and practical approach to habit change I’ve ever seen! James Clear teaches you not only how to set realistic goals, but (more importantly) the systems you need in place for getting there! Perfect for anyone who needs a little push and an effective approach to get back on track.

Variety is the spice of life, and having a wide array of new self care products bundled for you each month is so exciting! The TheraBox Self Care Box is curated by therapists with products inspired by neuroscience and positive psychology–so you know it’s the real deal with quality products. Choose from a one-time mystery box or a recurring monthly subscription box.

{RELATED: Self Care for Introverts – 16 Ways to Recharge Your Social Battery}

Feelings can be complicated! My printable mental health journal helps you uncomplicate them. Jam-packed with 33 pages of mental health exercises and journal prompts, you’ll be on your way to understanding your emotions, reframing negative thoughts, and overcoming unhelpful behaviors. Super ideal for anyone struggling with anxiety, depression, or just wants to get through life’s everyday stressors!

Yoga mats are so multi-purpose: for stretching, at-home workouts, actual yoga, and probably more! Lulu Lemon has the best yoga mat featuring a rubber base with a little extra cushion on one side and a smooth, grippy surface on the other side. Super versatile, thick, and durable for the fitness enthusiast in your life!

Juicers are becoming popular right now. Pressed juices from smoothie shops and Whole Foods can get pretty expensive, so a juicer is a wise option for getting in plenty of fruit and veggie servings in one go! This juicer from Amazon has almost 1,000 really positive ratings. A great tool for staying on top of a healthy diet!

Meditation has many benefits like improved stress regulation, increased self awareness, and less negative emotions. But meditation, especially for newbies, can be tricky. Your mind tends to wander, you might not know how to make it effective, and frustration ensues.

Using a guided meditation app is a GAME CHANGER! Headspace is the ultimate guided meditation program with tons of meditations for sleep, focus, stress, and so much more. They’ve really helped make meditation do-able! This is the perfect gift for your stressed out friend or family member.

Comfort during meditation is a must. You’ll never be able to stay zoned into what you’re doing if you’re sitting in an uncomfortable chair! This meditation cushion is the perfect addition to any meditation habit. If your friend or loved one is passionate about meditation, or has wanted to get into it, this cushion will make their practice a thousand times more peaceful!

Did you know that speaking or writing affirmations can actually re-train your brain to think more positively? It’s such a simple act, but it’s so easily implementable and helpful.

This deck of 40 printable affirmation cards serves as a powerful visual tool for positive vibes. Use them as journal prompts, stick ‘em on your mirror for an everyday reminder, or get creative and turn them into a vision board or collage! If you have a loved one who uses more negative self-talk than they should, these will help them view themselves more highly.

{RELATED: 75 Affirmations for Mental Strength to Encourage You}

Humidifiers are great for keeping your skin hydrated all winter long, plus alleviating cold/flu symptoms, and (BONUS!) this Canopy Humidifier even has a built-in aroma diffuser! This stands out from other diffusers because it’s super easy to clean and is mold-resistant.

No kidding, I’ve owned a Fitbit for 2 years and it has kept me SO motivated to workout and track my fitness goals!! For anyone into fitness or looking to start a workout routine, having a Fitbit really is a game changer. It’s great for keeping track of calories burned, sleep quality, heart rate, steps, and more. This Fitbit Charge 5 truly makes a difference.

Like journaling but can never stay committed? All you need is five minutes per day with the Five Minute Journal! This journal is based on positive psychology with the goal of improving happiness. The big focus in this journal is to cultivate gratitude, which we could all use more of for better mental health! Spending just five minutes each morning in this journal is a powerful way to start your day off right.

{RELATED: 80 Motivating Self Improvement Journal Prompts}

Tired of setting goals but never seeming to follow through? Unsure how to set goals that work in the first place? This Printable Goal Planner alleviates all of that by helping you set, plan, AND actually achieve the right goals for your life!

This planner helps you map out your goals from A-Z by first identifying your intentions, looking at the big picture, zooming into specific goals, and setting up the right habits to get there. I created this based on some of the ideas in the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, so it’s good!!

{RELATED: New Month Journal Prompts for Goal Setting}

Weighted blankets are extremely soothing for those with anxiety or sensory sensitivities. This Bearaby knitted weighted blanket feels like a full-body hug to help you sleep sounder and feel calmer naturally. It has 2,000+ nearly 5 star reviews and is SUPER plush!

{RELATED: 30 Day Winter Self Care Challenge to Beat the Winter Blues}

We all need things we do for enjoyment so life doesn’t feel like work, work, work! Give your loved one the gift of a hobby (here’s 100 fun & interesting hobbies for women in their 20s if you need inspo!) and they will appreciate your thoughtfulness. Pursuing hobbies offers mental, emotional, and physical benefits. Super important!

The gift of therapy is extremely valuable, so long as you approach it the right way with someone you are close to. There’s no shame in therapy and pretty much everyone can truly benefit from it in some way, whether they face anxiety, depression, or even just need to vent and gain professional insight on the little stressors that pop up all the time!

I always recommend Online Therapy because it’s a comprehensive, effective online therapy toolkit at an affordable monthly cost. I know it’s helped me tremendously! Get 20% off your first month at the link above!

Career Clarifier isn’t just any old personality test. They’re revolutionizing the career-seeking game by helping you identify careers that align with the skills, abilities, and interests you’re naturally drawn to and proficient at. The Career Clarifier Career Test is all for helping you eliminate job-hopping, career frustration, and wasted time!

Conclusion to Self Improvement Gifts

Self improvement is a well-rounded experience that takes multiple aspects into consideration: your mental, social, spiritual, emotional, and physical development. We are so lucky to have SO many tools out there to help drive us toward our goals.

If you have someone special in your life that you’re trying to shop for, and you know they prioritize self improvement, self care, personal development, or anything in this realm, they will be so thankful to receive something from this list of self improvement gifts!

Happy shopping!

16 Self Improvement Gifts That Encourage Personal Development

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LIKE THESE SELF IMPROVEMENT GIFTS? PIN THEM FOR LATER!