Personal Development 101: 7 Easy Ways to Implement Change and Improve Your Life
Take a moment and think about what personal development means for you. According to the Business Dictionary, personal development is defined as “The process of improving oneself through such activities as enhancing employment skills, increasing consciousness and building wealth.” All that is good, but for me, personal development goes beyond that, and it should for you too.
Understanding What Personal Development is
In my opinion, personal development means continuing to develop yourself as a person in various aspects in addition to employment and building wealth. We live in a world where there are endless opportunities, and we each have the power to reach our highest potential by continuously developing ourselves as individuals.
Personal Development 101
I want to share with you 7 tips you can implement to grow, improve, and maintain your personal development. Keep in mind these are just a minimal number of things you can do but it’s just a start. Remember your personal development will be different so try not to get in the habit of comparing yourself to others.
Be open to learning new things
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “I learn something new every day.” This can be true, especially with the easy access we have to the internet. If you are not sure about something don’t be afraid to do research and learn as much as you can. Learning new things can allow you to gain different perspectives in life and/or obtain new information that you can apply within your life. For example, maybe you have worked for the same company for several years but have come to a point where you want to learn new aspects of your job or consider going down a different career path. Using information you gather through research can help you make the best decision, if any, for yourself if now is the right time to pursue new ventures that may bring more fulfillment to your life.
Set clear milestones and goals for yourself
Would you go on a 7-day road trip from New York to Texas without a plan and map? More than likely not, and the same goes for any goals you have for yourself. It’s a great idea to set both short- and long-term goals that you can work to accomplish over time.
Let’s say you are terrible at setting financial goals. What you can do is challenge yourself to save a set amount over a specified period. For example, you can say/plan, “Over the next three months, I will save a total of $3000 by putting aside $500 every 2 weeks to accomplish this.” This is a specific example of a financial goal you can set for yourself. You can even take it a step further that a portion of the money you save you will use towards starting a hobby that you enjoy and brings more purpose to your life. It’s great to be successful in your career but besides that, it’s important to have interests in other things as such that contribute to your personal development.
Is being successful one of your goals in life? Check out my post “13 Habits of Successful Women.”
Foster and promote growth in your relationships
Sometimes we are so focused on work and our daily hustle and bustle that we forget about the relationships we have with friends and family. I can admit that I can be a loner most of the time but as I get older, I realize that it’s OK to take extra time and spend it with family and friends. It’s nice to have others that you can talk to and get a different perspective, or just have someone else to listen to you, and you do the same. Take advantage of those you have in your life that support who you are and what you are trying to do in life to develop yourself. We all need a support system so don’t forget that!
Network
Networking is a great tool, especially if you have an interest in something specific that may be foreign to you. Don’t hesitate to research special events in your area or virtually that you can attend based on your interests. This can be applied both personally and professionally. For example, if you enjoy interior designing then consider attending a conference locally or even internationally.
You can also research locals within your area that are currently in the field of your interests and see if you can schedule a time to meet with them or communicate via email/phone. Sometimes talking to strangers can be intimidating but think of your end goal and why you are even doing it. You never know what kind of relationship you can build and things you can learn from others. Sometimes things may appear one way from the outside but when you have a conversation you may learn there are things you may not be willing to do.
Don’t limit yourself
Sometimes you may not get things right on the first try, but don’t give up. That applies to your career, financial, and personal goals. I recommend trying something at least 3 times. That way you can say, “You know what this is just not for me,” and move on.
Put your best foot forward
When you put your best foot forward and things still don’t turn out the way you imagined they would don’t be too hard on yourself. At least you can say that you tried your best and tried. At this point, you can eliminate what it is you were trying to accomplish and refocus your attention elsewhere. A lot of us may fail at many things several times, but it’s not always just about failing. It’s about the efforts you put forward. We all can’t be great at everything, but we all are great at something. It’s apart of our journey to figure out exactly what that is.
Expand your knowledge
Take advantage of any training and resources available that will allow you to expand your knowledge, both free and paid. If you are in a position now that offers training at no additional costs to you then go for it. Even if nothing comes from it, that’s another set of knowledge you have acquired. You never know when it may come in handy. And, if you’re not in a position that doesn’t provide a range of training you can always utilize many credible search engines such as Google and one of the biggest video resources, YouTube. So many individuals have self-taught themselves by using a combination of online resources to acquire new information and learn new talents that help them to grow, improve, and maintain their personal development.
Some Things to Remember
These are just a minimal number of things you can do to grow, improve, and maintain your personal development. I want you to start with these basic steps, but don’t forget to acknowledge and congratulate yourself on where you currently are in life.
A lot of times we are more worried about what we don’t have and where we want to be in life that we forget to appreciate what we have now. As you continue to accomplish goals and hit specific milestones, celebrate yourself. Always build in some time to recognize all the good that currently exists in your life, both big and small. You put in the work so why not.
I have to stress that celebrating smaller goals is just as important as celebrating bigger goals you have accomplished. It’s a sense of accomplishment and will build your self-confidence. As a result, you’ll continue to elevate at many levels in life and not remain complacent.
100% satisfaction with your personal development doesn’t happen overnight so don’t be too hard on yourself. What’s important is the thought, time, and effort you put forward. Remember things are not always going to go as you expect but that doesn’t mean give up.
Personal development is part of our daily lifestyle that we all are continuously working towards. You are your foundation and you must ensure your make yourself a priority. Just like everyone around you is trying to figure things out, I’m sure you’re doing the same. So, don’t get lost in what others are doing.
After reading this post, I hope that you challenge yourself to work towards becoming a better you in all areas of your life. Work to find your passion, your purpose, and better yourself from there. It’s all a part of the personal development process that we all are going through!
Need help finding your purpose in life? Download the FREE “Glowing on Purpose” workbook.
Meet the Author
I’m Shekinah, but I also go by SK or Kelly. Who doesn’t like options…lol. I was born and raised in the beautiful Miami, Florida but currently reside in the DC metro area. Shekinah’s eSKapades is a lifestyle blog that primarily focuses on food, travel, and self-love. However, since life is full of surprises and adventures you may find other topics covered occasionally. I encourage you to join me on my eSKapades through life, let’s enjoy it together!