How often do you make a New Year’s resolution to change something in your life? How long do you put that resolution into practice? Do you stick with it for a few months and then forget all about it? Well, if so, then you are not alone. Studies show that most people abandon their resolutions within six months. This is mostly because resolutions are often unrealistic, which is also why you may find it difficult to follow through with your self-development.
You may want to change your life but do not know how. What you may not know is that you need to change yourself to change your life. Self-development is the key to long-term success and personal growth. It is the only way to accelerate your growth and accomplish your full potential. Sounds easy. Right? But it is not as easy as that.
You may love the idea of self-development and learn all you can from multiple sources. But do you ever actually take action? While learning is valuable, it is taking action that matters. You need to step outside your comfort zone. Put into action what you learn. When you never leave your comfort zone, nothing new or exciting can happen. Embracing new opportunities and uncomfortable situations opens a whole new world of possibilities that help you to grow. Think of someone you admire who is successful. Do you think they were always successful? Probably not. They had the courage to face their fears and insecurities just like you need to do. But they overcame their fears and stepped out of their comfort zone to achieve their dream to change their lives. And you can too. It all starts with self-development. Success is the result of a continual commitment to self-development and personal growth.
Here are some self-development secrets for everyday use to help you.
Self-development – what is it?
Everyone wants something different in life. Some want to own a business and others want a good relationship while others want to achieve something beyond what they can currently do. Whatever you want out of life is okay. We all want to improve ourselves to achieve something more. It is an instinctive characteristic than may be a natural part of your DNA that drives you to seek personal growth
Self-improvement is vital to your personal growth and the key to long lasting happiness. While you may not always achieve your goals, this has more to do with the direction you are taking than anything else. When you do not clearly define your goals is when you keep stumbling around hoping you will eventually achieve whatever you desire.
So, if you are serious about your self-development, you need a clear direction and goals.
How to set self-development goals
There are two stages to setting self-improvement goals to help you achieve personal growth through self-development.
1. Defining your goals
When you do not have specific goals as a priority, it is time to consider what it is you want to achieve over the long term. Think about where you want to be in a year, five and 10 years from now. What do you want to be doing? The same things you are today? What does your life look like in the years to come? This will help you define your objectives. Once you understand your objectives, you can work backwards to identify what you need to do to achieve them.
If your overall objective is working for yourself, your immediate goals may be a business course or certifications that are useful for working for yourself. If it is buying a house, then you need a savings a plan to start putting away the money you need for a deposit over the short term.
2. Understand your purpose
You need to understand your purpose. What is the reason for your goals? Why do you want to achieve these goals? Why are they important? You need to ask yourself these questions. It is impossible to achieve self-improvement if you do not know why you are doing it. Do you want to become self-employed so you do not have to rely on someone else for work? Do you want to buy a house so you have a stable home for your family to grow up in?
Once you understand your purpose and make it a priority, it will be difficult to sway you off course when issues come up that threaten to derail you.
Tips for finding your purpose
You may not know where to start. To find or understand your purpose, take a look at the following aspects of your life:
- Finances. Do you spend a lot of time worrying about money? Would you like to get your financial position to a point where you do not need to worry anymore? Discovering how to become financially independent is a good driving force for self-development.
- Career. Do you want to improve your career prospects or start a business? There are many things you can do to facilitate personal growth. Learn a new skill, attend relevant conferences and webinars, even find a mentor who can help you identify your strengths.
- Physical and mental health. The more you achieve your goals, the more your physical and mental health will benefit. Developing your emotional, mental and physical health will underpin your growth in other areas of your life.
- Relationships. Good relationships are a fantastic basis to build your life on. There are many types of relationships — romantic, family, friends, work colleagues and casual. Take a look at how you can strengthen your relationships through your self-development.
Self-development skill examples
There maybe personal skill you want to develop. These can be qualities or traits you already have, or ones you can learn. What is relevant to you depends on your goals. Here are a few common skills people often want to develop:
- Self-confidence. You may want to develop your self-confidence to help you believe in yourself and your decisions. Having confidence helps you be open to new opportunities with a new found belief you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
- Problem-solving. Do you have trouble solving problems? Do you ignore problems in the hope they resolve themselves? Developing problem-solving skills will help you calmly solve any challenging situations or issues that cross your path, or catch you by surprise. You will be able to assess all the options to discover the best solution instead of ignoring the problem.
- Adaptability. Adaptability is a great skill to develop. It allows you to adjust quickly and easily to changing situations. Instead of fearing change, embracing it allows you to thrive in any situation or environment.
- Communication. Good communication is a key to helping you achieve growth. Being able to write, speak and listen confidently and clearly will help build open, honest relationships in your life and prevent misunderstandings.
Self-development ideas
Your self-development continues throughout your entire life. It does not stop when you achieve a goal. Here are some self-development ideas that will help you grow.
Change how you think
Change how you think. Do not spend too much time putting yourself down with negative self-talk or you will put obstacles in the way of improving your life and achieving your goals. Instead of allowing limiting beliefs to become roadblocks, think of yourself in a positive light. This will help your self-development so you can grow in a positive way. Look for ways to improve how you treat yourself and everyone else.
Show kindness and generosity
Show kindness and generosity to everyone in your life. Volunteer for a charity, give credit where credit is due, be generous in your praise of others’ achievements, even help an elderly neighbour, or share a smile with the people you meet. Being kind and generous is such a rewarding experience and can help make you a better person. It can also reduce stress, makes others feel better and you become more approachable.
Appreciate your worth
When you do not appreciate your worth, you cannot expect others to appreciate you either. Others will talk behind your back and when you realise they are gossiping about you simply ignore it. People will always gossip and what they say does not validate who you really are. You do not need their validation as you know your worth. Carry yourself with dignity and strength, and never compromise who you are just because others think you should.
Replace your bad habits
We all have bad habits of some sort. Eating junk food, smoking, drinking too much or staying trapped in toxic relationships, for example. Giving these up can be a tough challenge. Continuing to indulge in bad habits will not help your self-development. In fact, they are more likely to hold you back from achieving your goals. Replace your bad habits with positive habits that are good for your mental and physical health. For example, instead of eating junk food, try cooking healthy meals or if you drink too much alcohol, go to the gym instead. You will be healthier and happier and your bad habits will no longer hold you back from enjoying life to the full.
Face your fears
Most people are afraid of something and this can hold us back. Maybe you are afraid of failing if you start a business, terrified of spiders or snakes, or maybe you freeze over when you need to speak in public. It is time to face your fears head on. This is a powerful way to improve your life because your fears can stop you from achieving your goals.
Try learning a new skill
Try learning a new skill such as a sport, how to create a website, a new language or how to fix things around the house. Learning something new is a fantastic way to open your mind. It takes you out of your comfort zone. Learning opens up new opportunities and boosts your memory so you become more versatile. With YouTube, free online classes and webinars, it is easy to learn something new in the convenience of your own home.
We are here to help
Self-development can be hard to master without any help. When you feel you do not deserve success, it can affect your career and the rest of your life. It can hold you back from accepting new opportunities. If you have trouble with your self-development, consider reaching out. When you have trouble achieving your goals, contact us to find out how we aim to help you. We are here to help support you so you may become unstoppable.
We can work with you over the phone, via Skype or in our Spas. Book in today for my Unstoppable You Program. I have an introductory offer for just $99 so you may start working towards your ultimate goals. We aim to support you to help you become unstoppable in all areas of your life.
Let me help you become unstoppable
My Unstoppable You Program has helped many people like you with their self-development. My aim is to help you replace self-doubt and negative self-talk with a future full of opportunities in weeks not years. Listen to what Heidi has to say about my program after only a few sessions.