How to Achieve Personal Development

Personal development is a very broad term that consists of many actions and habits. Under the personal development umbrella you can find many topics ranging from language learning and reading, all the way to some major changes like sobriety and dietary shifts. There are six pillars that that we can break all of these topics up into so that your personal development journey can begin today!

First let’s define personal development, since this is such a broad term. The description that I have seen the most is this, personal development is: a process of activities that help people improve their skills, potential, and quality of life.

Where do we start? Take a look at the six pillars that personal development can be categorized by.

1.) Physical 💪

Physical development encompasses exercise, nutrition, sleep, and hygiene. To obtain growth in this pillar you can start by stretching in the morning and doing a short and light workout. Meal plan and work to incorporate better eating habits that make your body feel nourished and energized. Ensure that you are getting a good amount of quality sleep, this is different for everyone. Take the time to care for your body, this can look like going to regular doctor and dental appointments, getting a hair trim, and having a morning and evening routine for personal hygiene.

2.) Mental 🧠

Mental development is about improving your mindset and cognitive function. You can start by working on becoming self aware and getting familiar with how your actions affect your life. Some good habits to improve this pillar could be furthering your education, for example taking a free library class online, reading books, doing puzzles, trying meditation, and generally challenging your brain. Another great place to start is by setting up a few appointments with a therapist so that they can help you to sort out the more complicated road blocks you may encounter.

I really recommend books, books, and more books! 📖📚

3.) Emotional 💕

Emotional development includes learning to understand, express, process, and manage emotions. Emotions are often complex, and becoming familiar with how to handle your own emotions can be very freeing. You can start this process by becoming more aware of why you are having these emotions. Work on responding instead of reacting, and becoming more empathetic and understanding towards others. Mindfulness is a wonderful way to achieve these things. The practice of mindfulness will help you to improve self awareness, self regulation, empathy, and gain freedom from negative thoughts and judgments.

4.) Social 🙋‍♀️

Social development means gaining skills to interact with others in a healthier way. Self confidence plays a big role in this pillar. Being able to perceive and respect others will help you with social skills. Comfort in self expression and communication are great places to start. Being a good communicator and listener is beneficial in social setting as it will make you and your peers feel engaged and comfortable. Communication skills can include things like body language, speaking clearly, problem solving, avoiding interrupting, and awareness of social cues.

5.) Spiritual 🧘‍♀️

Spiritual development can be improved by connecting better to the world around us and also to our inner selves. I know this can sound kind of “woo woo” – just hear me out! You don’t have to do anything you are uncomfortable with, just do what works for you. A good place to start could be meditating a couple times per week, starting a yoga practice, being more present, and practicing gratitude. You can also try spending some time in nature or getting involved with your community. Any or all of these activities are likely to make you feel more connected and purposeful, which is the goal of spiritual growth.

6.) Financial ✅

First let me say that I am totally empathetic to the fact that everyone is in a different place financially. We all have different lives and different circumstances. That being said, the goal we are setting here is to better our financial management and make sure needs are met. Starting small could look like assessing your current financial situation and tracking your finances closer. after that you can start making a financial plan, budgeting, putting money into an emergency fund, saving, or paying off debt. You can start where ever you feel comfortable and where your personal situation allows.

I would like to highlight that in order for growth to happen we need to have an open and willing state of mind. You have to be okay with changing your habits, skills, time allocation, and mindset. If you are willing to do that then you can do just about anything!

Here is a quote I like from Brazilian lyricist and novelist Paulo Coelho –

” One day or day one”

Thank you for reading, have a loving and peaceful week!

Caelin 🤙