Writing down one thing you learn everyday may seem like a waste of time, or a bit cheesy, but you'll be surprised what such a small thing can do for your self-esteem and self value.

An increasing number of us put a heavy focus on setting personal goals and wanting to achieve the highest level in every aspect of our lives. When we fail to meet out own high standards, we can be far too hard on ourselves.

I have always set high goals for myself, to prove to no one else but myself that I am capable of my very best. Sometimes it leaves me feeling as though I haven't achieved enough. This attitude serves positives and negatives; I have high ambition and am proud of that, but I'm also prone to burnout, and often need to reflect on what I have achieved in order to find that confidence to continue.

Unfortunately, no matter how much you meditate [1] or practice self-care, we all have disappointing days or weeks. We all have parts of our lives that we aren't as passionate about, but whether you realise it or not, you learn something from each experience, each day. Writing these down can really help you to realise all those little wins.

It can be as small or big a "lesson learnt" as you like. For example, sometimes I'll have written down something as simple as "don't go in carriage B of the train; it is so busy you'll never get a seat", or a word definition I didn't know (and most probably should), or a new skill at work. By taking a few seconds out at the end of the day to actually think about what you learnt, you'll realise that you are always progressing, no matter how small or insignificant the day may have seemed.

This is an entirely personal exercise so you can be as silly or serious as you like. You'll soon find you reflect back every few weeks and relearn all those silly takeaways from the days before.

See what difference it can make in your day-to-day life and make it part of your 2018 self-care routine. [2]