Why do you want to step up your standards?
Well, Liv Unbound explains why everything around you reflects your standards and if you want to live a better life then you have to have standards that show that better life. You can look at standards as being a filter of what you allow to be in your life.
How to set a higher standard
Listen to when you say I should and change it to I must. When you make the needed change in verbiage you change your mindset on what you stand for.
Look for proof that you are holding to this standard. If you are not then you may want to list out why you want to make this change in your life.
Watch for proof that that standard is what you truly want.