Personal Development: What we all need to embrace
“Education is not the learning of the facts, but the training of the mind to think.” – Albert Einstein
When I was starting to write this blog, I had a look through a couple of dictionaries for the definition of “personal development”. I know what it is for me – it’s the practice of growing and expanding, empowering my mindset, acquiring new skills and practices, learning, and more than anything – it’s a daily non-negotiable. But I was interested in seeing what the official definition said… They touched on improving skills, increasing experience and personal growth, but that’s just scratching the surface in my opinion.
Tony Robbins has a really great acronym for it.
CANI:
Constant
And
Never-Ending
Improvement.
YES!! And the potential personal development releases in us is INCREDIBLE!
Why wouldn’t we all want this, right?
To be the best version of ourselves, to constantly learn, grow and expand… I truly believe we all need to make time for personal development on both a small and large scale each and every day. STOP – don’t freak out!! It’s a journey – so don’t think you need to overhaul your life right now. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that if you’re not growing, you’re shrinking and growing is WAY better! So start introducing in a little PD every now and again and grow from there.
When’s a good time for PD?
Haha – now! The earlier the better 😉
Personal or ‘self’ development isn’t something we are taught at school or is even considered a “subject” really, yet every successful person I speak to, listen to or read up on practices personal development religiously. More than that, they all make a point of saying how important and positive a change it would bring about to our society if it were taught in schools. Think of the role it could have for children suffering from low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, weight issues, lack of direction and so on if they were enabled with the life skills and confidence to better manage their everyday stressors.
I often think back to how different some of my most challenging years in my teens and early twenties may have been had I learned the skills needed to feel confident, worthy and empowered.
I know that today, when I feel that something may be “beyond me” or “impossible”, I turn to my practices of personal development and empowerment to remind myself (and others) that we can achieve anything we set our minds on. I’m not yet a mum but I’m surrounded by friends who are parents and very much heavily invested in personal development and don’t just limit it to themselves. They are passing the skills down to their children from an early age so they too, can learn to love the power of working on themselves and unlocking their true greatness and potential in the world.
My introduction to personal development came about through two significant experiences and has just grown from there. The first came thanks to my (now) husband. In 2008, Byron gifted me A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle (a must read along with The Power of Now). It was eye (and brain) opening. At the time, I was back on anti-anxiety/depression medication, yet not doing anything to work on my mindset. It invoked an understanding in me that there is some sort of state of ‘higher awareness’ that exists and my potential to tap into that.
The second came in 2010, during my first year of studies in Holistic Counselling and Mind-Body Medicine. I remember driving home from my first class feeling so uplifted and inspired realising this was it! I have the power to build, create and control my own thoughts and, through studying, I was going to finally find what I needed within me. Best of all, I would be able to pay that message and those skills FORWARD.
Fast forward over eight years and personal development is at the forefront of EVERYTHING I do both personally and professionally.
It is intrinsically linked in any business training I do, the people I spend time and work with in a professional capacity and more than anything, in the home I share with my husband.
My daily personal development practice
It’s all simple stuff but it is a big part of my life. Before I even touch work in the morning and last thing at night, I make sure I get my morning hit of PD. It’s part of my daily rituals (I list them all in my book The Juicy Movement).
- I prime (a Tony Robbins practice you can Google).
- I read my mission statement and choose an affirmation card as my mantra for the day. This creates an active and positive state of mind and sets me up for success.
- During the day, I might read one or two blogs by people I admire and follow, such as Gabby Bernstein.
- Every day when I take the dog out, I stick my earphones in and listen to a podcast (e.g. Lewis Howes The School of Greatness, The Melissa Ambrosini Show, Tony Robbins, The GaryVee Audio Experience and The Tim Ferris Show are just some of my faves) or a YouTube clip (I’m obsessed with TED X Talks!) while walking. Sometimes it takes me several days to get through one and that’s ok! I read books in bed at night that help me grow. Be it specifically on areas of health and wellness, entrepreneurship, business, mind-set or an autobiography by someone I find interesting or admire.
- I also read from a couple of affirmation books on my bedside table to once again reaffirm empowering beliefs and states just before bed.
- Documentaries are another fantastic way to expand the mind!
You might think this takes a lot of time, but it really doesn’t. Once you begin the process and fall in love with it, it just becomes a part of your day and what makes you, you. I now spend anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours per day on personal development, but start with just 10 minutes at first and then you’ll find you gradually spend more time on it as it becomes an empowering and fulfilling part of your life.
Feel the energy
I also believe it’s important to try and get to at least one live event per month (if you can, otherwise you can access great online events and webinars) that allow you to spend a few hours truly lost and committed in growing yourself alongside others who are doing the same. This is why personal development seminars are so powerful! Hours if not days spent in complete self-growth immersion – it’s where I’ve had my most significant moments of growth and change and it’s my wish for everyone in the world to be able to experience this on a regular basis. Reach out if you’d like me to recommend any.
We touch on areas of personal development in association with identifying your ‘why’ and what you want from life, health and wealth in our Holistic Business Co. events. Keep an eye out on my Facebook page and also my Events page for upcoming dates.
It’s my hope in writing this, that I‘ve ignited a spark of interest in you to pursue the art of personal development – or to extend the spark that is already there.
Your mind needs to be worked just like any other muscle in the body. What you think about you bring about. So think about greatness 😉 and remember, you can do this.
Stay juicy,
C xx
*You can find the list of resources and further readings I recommend in my book The Juicy Movement: A Holistic Approach to Clean Living and also some other recommendations in Things I Love here on my website. I also love to share what I’m currently reading/watching/listening to on my social feeds and stories so make sure you follow me on Instagram and Facebook as the list is forever growing!