How Self-Improvement Saves Lives

September is both Suicide Awareness & Prevention Month and Self-Improvement Month. These seem like separate paths — one focused on tragedy, the other on transformation. But in truth, the same pillars that anchor self-improvement can save your own life — and, by extension, prevent suicide in others.

The Five Pillars of Self-Improvement that Double as Prevention

1. Self-Awareness
Knowing yourself deeply is key to understanding how you react to the people and world around you, so you can recognize when you’re slipping into despair or burnout. This gives you the chance to seek help before you hit crisis mode; and when you model awareness, you demonstrate to others that there is no shame in expressing one's feelings or asking for support.

2. Boundaries
Saying “no” to what drains you and “yes” to what nourishes you protects your energy, peace, and mental health. People-pleasers will find it difficult to risk disappointing others. However, saying "yes" to what you want to say "no" to is a self-betrayal that leads to burnout, resentment, and codependent patterns. Strong boundaries actually create healthier relationships in the way that they require mutual respect and consideration, thereby strengthening connections that inhibit withdrawal and isolation that leads to suicide.

3. Connection & Community
Connection is a basic human need. That's why no one thrives in isolation, as the Covid pandemic proved. So, reach out, check in, and hold space for others. It takes mere seconds to send a quick "Thinking about you" or "Just wanted to say hi" text. In doing so, you let someone know they haven't been forgotten. You become a lifeline. You remind them that even though you're busy, they are important to you; and you just might save a life.

4. Purpose & Growth
Having a “why” — whether through passion, service, or creativity — is one of the strongest deterrents to hopelessness. Purpose replaces the uselessness that can set in when children leave for college, after a divorce, when one finds themselves alone in their "empty nest," and upon retirement. Plus, when others see you pursuing your purpose, it inspires them to pursue their own.

5. Resilience Practices
From mindfulness to movement, resilience practices equip us to bend without breaking. When you show up in your strength — breathing through anxiety, journaling through grief, or meditating through stress — you don’t just heal yourself. You model healthy coping strategies to those who don't know what to do with their spiraling emotions.

The Ripple Effect

Self-improvement creates a culture of hope. When you care for yourself and invest in your growth, you demonstrate to others that change is possible, no matter the circumstances; and you become better able to help others when they are struggling.

So, this September, commit to two things:

💕For You: Choose one pillar to strengthen — maybe it’s boundary-setting, or reconnecting with purpose.

💕For Others: Reach out to someone who might need your voice, your check-in, or your presence.

Because the truth is simple: when you improve yourself, you not only save your life — you may save another.

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDAL IDEATION, PLEASE DIAL 988 IN THE U.S. FOR FREE, CONFIDENTIAL SUPPORT.

💖For the full story on my personal experience with suicidal ideation, check out my third book, RISING FROM THE ASHES: Breaking the Cycle of Narcissistic Abuse, available on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible: https://a.co/d/bWk9jxl

✨For more on this topic, go to the companion article on my Substack!