I planned to write something today about personal development. Nobody can really write about anyone's personal development other than their own because it is personal. What I desire to change in myself is probably not the same change you desire because we are two different people. We are at different points in life, interact with different people, have different habits, ideas, interests and obligations. What do we have in common regarding personal development?
To make change there has to be motivation. If there is no reason to change, to improve, why bother? Perhaps you are already at a place in life where you are fully satisfied with who you are and how you are living each day. That's great but if not, what's missing? What are the gaps between where you are now and where you want to be? Often we are not motivated to change until we face a life crisis that forces change upon us.
Is there value in being more proactive and exploring areas where we can seek improvement? Developing your physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well being is the key to having a satisfying life. A good exercise is to write each of these headings down on a sheet of paper then list where you are and where you want to be in each area of personal well being. As a starting point I've listed some self analysis questions below that I developed to help with my own reflection on where I am and where I want to be.
Physical
- What can I do to eat healthier?
- Do I need to lose weight or I am just short for my weight?
- Does my level of fitness negatively affect my health or ability to do things that I would like to do?
Emotional
- Am I aware of my emotions and how they affect myself and others?
- Do I surround myself with people who energize me or with people who drain my energy?
- What do I do to cultivate new relationships and strengthen those I already have?
Intellectual
- Are there any skills I need to develop or improve?
- What actions can I take on a daily basis to enhance my knowledge and creativity?
Spiritual
- Do I express gratitude regularly for what I have?
- Is life satisfying?
- What can I do to help others?
I'm certain that you can come up with more questions that will lead to greater self awareness and help identify areas where you can improve your life and value to others - please share in the comments section.