Mr Yousaf said the role continued to be a great honour as he prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of starting the job.
Wednesday will be one year since he won the SNP leadership contest and Friday will be a year since he was officially sworn in as First Minister at the Court of Session.
The First Minister spoke to journalists at a visit to Edinburgh Community Performing Arts’ re-connect, a project which supports those aged 65 and over with conditions including dementia and Parkinson’s.
He took part in a “chair dance” session as participants gathered in a dance studio in South Gyle.
Ahead of the anniversaries later this week, Mr Yousaf told the PA news agency: “It continues to be the greatest honour of my life, being the First Minister of the country that I’ve been born and raised in, the country I love the country and the country I’m raising my children in.”
He said his Government had achieved “a lot” on reducing poverty and increasing foreign investment, but recognised “there’s still a lot more to do to deliver for the people of Scotland”.
Earlier this month, Mr Yousaf announced his wife Nadia El-Nakla is due to give birth in July.
The couple already have two children – their daughter Amal is four and Mr Yousaf is stepfather to 14-year-old Maya.
Asked what advice he would give himself a year ago, he said: “Make sure you also set your boundaries.”
Politicians across the UK are increasingly recognising that mental health is “really important”, he said.
The First Minister added: “Sometimes, as politicians, we can end up sacrificing time with our families and that’s not a good place to be.
“So, certainly, I’ve managed to adjust over the course of the year in order to give my family a little bit more time.
“I think that’s really important to make sure you’re a balanced all-round individual.”
