What is Self-Development?
Self-development is the secret spice that everybody can add to their life to make it more interesting and satisfying. We are so busy everyday that it's easy to forget to invest time and effort in our personal growth. We become the hamster on the wheel: we run, run, run all day long, but we don't get anywhere, just to realize one day that its life is gone*. The hamster is of course a metaphore of many life situations: a solicitor, a housekeeper, a doctor, a teacher who wake up everyday, follow the same routine, eat the same things, and go to bed, only to do the same thing over and over everyday.
What can we do??? We can start by learning something new. It could be as simple as trying a new dish out, learn a new skill, singing a new song. Self-development is the process of enhancing one's knowledge, skills, and potential to become a better version of oneself. It is a lifelong journey that can significantly impact every aspect of our lives.
Why is Development Important?
Because once we open up to something new, we can see through a new lens, and life will look different. We will want to learn more. we will become curious and alive. It is the key to unlocking our true potential and creating a more fulfilling life. It enables us to discover our strengths, identify areas for improvement, and work towards our goals and aspirations. By continuously growing and evolving, we can increase our self-awareness, boost self-confidence, and develop a positive outlook on life. Embracing self-development also fosters adaptability and resilience, making it easier to navigate through life's challenges with grace and determination.
Why 'Self'-Development?
Because it's empowering! I want to be the master of my sea, I want the freedom of choice, I want the power of being the boss. It's my life and only I can do what's best for me. It's time to stop waiting for someone to save us and it's also time to stop blaming others for what's going on in our life. It's called 'taking responsibility'. It's what we should do when we become adults. We take responsibility, don't we? We go to work, earn a living, pay our bills. We finally get to chose if and when to clean our room. We eat what we want. We play games and watch screen till our heart is content. Only that our heart is not content. Time goes by and we are unsatisfied, unhappy. We are overweight, tired, our back hurts, not for working too hard, but by sitting on the couch for too long. How did we end up like that? Who's decision was that?
I hereby stop blaming my parents. I stop blaming my genes. I stop blaming the weather and the circumstances.
I am the boss. I know what's best for me. I can transform my life. I want to transform my life. I will transform my life. I am transforming my life.
I can therefore I do.
The Benefits of Self-Development:
Personal Growth: Engaging in self-development activities allows us to expand our knowledge and skills, opening doors to new opportunities and experiences.
Increased Confidence: As we achieve personal milestones and overcome challenges, our self-confidence naturally grows, empowering us to take on more significant challenges.
Better Relationships: Understanding ourselves better helps us empathize and communicate effectively with others, leading to stronger and healthier relationships.
Enhanced Productivity: By honing our skills and time management abilities, we become more productive and efficient in our daily tasks.
Reduced Stress: Self-development encourages us to adopt mindfulness practices and manage stress effectively, leading to a more balanced and peaceful life.
Where can I start from?
Self-development can happen in various aspects of our lives, and here are some key areas to focus on:
Personal Skills: This includes self-awareness, emotional intelligence, communication, and time management.
Education and Knowledge: Continuously learning and acquiring new skills or knowledge in areas of interest can have a profound impact on personal growth.
Health and Wellness: Taking care of our physical and mental well-being through regular exercise, healthy eating, and mindfulness practices is crucial.
Career and Professional Development: This involves setting career goals, attending workshops, and seeking opportunities for growth within one's profession.
Social and Interpersonal Skills: Strengthening social connections, networking, and developing empathy are essential for personal and professional relationships.
I have defined my own 7 categories of personal development, according to my own experience and belief. They can be modified, expanded or reduced, they are not written in stone! These are the result of years of reading, studying and researching, and will keep updating them in time:
Self-Awareness (seeing ourselves, putting ourselves in the context, understanding our own bias, identify our limits, define our vulnerability points)
Self-Confidence (find courage, speak up for ourselves, communication skills, accepting our limits, love ourselves as we are)
Self-Control (listening skills, time management, time control, patience, using lenses, stop procrastination, stop overeating, stop the chimp)
Being (define who we are and become what we want to be)
Knowledge (continuous learning, new skills, find our passions, read)
Behaviour and Habits (doing vs thinking)
Performance (achieving goals)
To start, scroll through the above categories or read the full list of tips (click here) and see which one resonates with you, the one that you always wanted to get or learn, the one that you feel strongly emotional about, and then identify the smallest action you can do to move you towards that. Then COMMIT to it. Intentions are a good starting point, but in order to achieve a significant transformation, we must endure and commit. (Click here to read more about committing.)
This is the beginning of an amazing life. If you believe it, go for it. If you don't believe it, just try it out for a week, there's nothing to lose.
*one important assumptions: the hamster is not satisfied of his life, he wants a change of scenery, he feels unfulfilled by his current activity. In fact, some hamsters can be fully satisfied of their life, content and happy. It is the case of those who's goal is to maximise the number of steps or hours of training per day, or being cuddled by their family, which would make their life fulfilled and satisfactory.