What do we mean by Self-Development?

Cutting through the fluffy stuff to get some answers

Do you know what it feels like to be in control of your life and the path that it takes?

Have you ever wanted to get out of a rut or learn how to better manage your emotions, health, and finances?

Personal development is about self-improvement.

This can include everything from learning more efficient ways to improve yourself physically (such as improving fitness) to learning better ways of dealing with stress. All these characteristics contribute to your overall happiness. Knowingly or not, you're always working toward being the best version of yourself!

Personal Development can be thought of in terms of “skills for life”.

Whilst various authors will use a range of different labels to define these skills, but in essence, we are talking about four key areas of life.

Communication: both with yourself and with others

Learning: reading, researching, thinking, questioning

Creativity : using what you have learned to create new solutions

Leadership: managing yourself and your relationships

Where are you at the moment?

Give yourself a score out of ten for each of these statements.

Ten means you fully agree that the statement describes you.

One means that you feel the statement in no way describes you.

Scores between two and nine give you an opportunity to rate yourself against each of the statements

1. I am an effective learner

2. I am taking care of my body.

3. I am good at managing tasks and time

4. I find it easy to express myself creatively

5. I find it easy to have passionate and meaningful discussions without getting too emotional

6. I collaborate well with others. I work well in a team

7. I am able to speak up to influence changes

8. I am able to recognise my emotions and moods. I am aware of how they affect my behaviour and can manage my thought, feelings and behaviours.

9. I am good at solving problems creatively

10. I have a deep understanding of my world, the people in it and how I affect it.

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These statements are not arbitrary, they are drawn from what psychologists have concluded are some of the ways to achieve a balanced attitude and approach to life. They often talk in terms of cognitive development, emotional intelligence, resilience, affability and assertiveness. These attitudes seem to be highly developed in people who are “successful”.

Of course, success is personally defined and so only you can identify the skills which would bring you happiness and contentment in your life.

Suggestion

In a personal journal make a note of the questions above and the scores you have given yourself.

Later, and especially after engaging in some personal development activity, revisit each and give yourself a revised score if appropriate.

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Alan /|\