What is Personal Development?

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developmentThere are many people in our society today that are very unhappy with their lives for one reason or another. Whatever reason they have for being unhappy, there is undoubtedly a way to change it. Sometimes it requires a change in career, or situation. Other times it is simply a change in the way that people think. Sometimes, it is both. This is what personal development is all about.

Personal development is a path that you take to better your family situation, career, spirituality, emotional health, and every other aspect of your life. Essentially, personal development is about making conscious decisions about everything that you do, the way that you think, and the way that you react to situations. Personal development can help you obtain everything that you always dreamed of, and more, with the simple application of a few simple mind sets and tools.

One of the biggest steps toward personal development is a change of mind set. If you think that you can do better, you will. If you think that you are stuck in a dead end job, without family or friends to support you, and no prospects of a better future, you will ultimately be very unhappy. When you change your mind set to positive thinking, you will find that you put forth more effort into everything that you do, and you will have much better results.

Another one of the important steps toward personal development is to set obtainable goals. This is not to say that your dream is not obtainable. But if you constantly think about the goal of being a millionaire with a successful family, you will feel pretty hopeless as that goal seems so far out of reach. Setting obtainable goals simply means that you set goals that lead to the ultimate goal.

It is really about taking steps. When you decide that you need food in your refrigerator, it does not automatically appear. You must make a grocery list, go to the grocery store, shop for items, purchase them, bring them home, and put them in the fridge. Obtaining a large goal is much the same way. You will not get there overnight. It takes going through a series of steps, or smaller goals, to find your way.

Smaller goals also help you to see the bigger picture. Instead of thinking that you are never going to reach your final goal, you will see the progress that you are making as you complete each smaller, more obtainable goal. This will give you a sense of accomplishment, as well as help you to change your thinking to a more positive mind set.

For some, personal development is also a matter of moving beyond past failures and misfortune to see what is possible in the future. Often the negative comments made by friends and family over a life time can be difficult to overcome. Past failures, or just the feeling that one is a failure, are another major obstacle. There are ways to move beyond these obstacles.

Personal development is really about making changes. Finding resources to make changes, move past obstacles, set goals, and find happiness is not always easy. But with all of the personal development books, articles, websites, and other resources available, personal development and happiness can be obtained. For those who need additional help moving past obstacles and making those changes, a counselor or personal development coach can also be of great worth.

To your success.

Michael W

Michael W

P.S. If you are looking for a confidence program that can help you with your self development. Send me an email at michael@youaresuccesslifecoach.com to request a copy of my “Maximum Confidence Transformation Package”. Afterwards we can arrange a telephone call to discuss the package and how you can benefit further from developing your confidence level.

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Enhance Yourself – 14 Methods

14 Practical Ways to Enhance Yourself

 

 

self-developmentYou probably worry about improving your finances and your landscaping, but do you ever give time and attention to improving yourself? Are you as knowledgeable, capable, and healthy as you can possibly be? Time spent on self-development is never wasted. Since time is limited, it’s essential that you spend that time wisely.

Enhance yourself and live a life you love:

  1. Try a new hobby. Try something outside your normal scope of activities. Join a ping-pong league or learn how to paint with water colors. Stretch yourself beyond your current boundaries.
  2. Contribute to your community. Consider volunteering a few hours of your time each week. You’ll help others, feel good about yourself, and make new friends.
  3. Get at least seven hours of sleep. Science has shown that everyone performs better after seven hours of sleep than they do on less. Create evening routines that contribute to sound sleep and get to bed at a reasonable time each night.
  4. Take on one of your fears. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a fear of clowns, spiders, public speaking, or heights. Get a book on phobias and try to help yourself. Get professional help if necessary. Conquering one fear can bring you a new confidence that forges through anything.
  5. Read something new each day. Reading is convenient, useful, and economical. There’s little that can’t be learned from reading. Schedule your reading time and develop a reading list. Most importantly, make an effort to apply what you learn. Knowledge is useless if unused.
  6. Learn a new language. You could be practical and learn Spanish or attempt something more exotic like Japanese or Persian. People that know more than one language are fascinating. There are many free language exchanges available online. You can help someone learn English while they’re teaching you French.
  7. Use your artistic talents. Make time for writing, photography, music, painting, or other artistic pursuit. Even if you believe you have zero artistic ability, it’s still worth the time. What form of art interests you the most?
  8. Create a new habit that supports the life you desire. It might be eating a healthy breakfast or going for a walk after work. Maybe you want to read or meditate for 15 minutes each day. Focus on one habit and make it permanent.
  9. Make a new friend. You can never have too many friends, but your life rarely changes when you hang around the same people every day. Find a new friend outside of your normal circle of people.
  10. Take a class. Learn something new from an expert and surround yourself with like-minded people. You’ll broaden your horizons and increase the size of your social circle.
  11. Start a blog. Share your experiences and expertise with others. You might even make a second career out of it.
  12. Get in shape. Make small improvements to your diet and exercise habits and finally get the body and confidence that you deserve.
  13. Learn how to meditate. Mindfulness and meditation are all the rage. There are many benefits, both physical and psychological, for those that meditate regularly.
  14. Take a trip to someplace new. Why are you waiting to take that trip of a lifetime? Time is ticking away. Get online and book a trip today.

Self-development can be fun! Increasing your capabilities doesn’t have to be like studying for a calculus test. It’s as much about having experiences as it is about gaining knowledge. Give yourself the attention you deserve. The more life skills and talents you develop, the more you’ll be able to appreciate and enjoy everything life has to offer.

To your success

Michael W

Michael W