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There’s a lot of negativity in the world. But I also see that many people want to improve their personal growth. A quote attributed to Gandhi was that we should each try to be the change. When each of us is in a positive space, we can’t help but make the world a better place, which always begins with the person staring back in the mirror. And that’s personal growth.

There’s another reason you should consider getting on a personal development path. People who are more emotionally aware of who they are improving their chances at opportunities in all aspects of their lives because their lens gets colored with negativity. When you become an expert in being aware of who you are as an individual, and you sharpen your awareness about yourself, you increase your opportunities for both your personal life and work.

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a better version of yourself, I challenge you to begin today. There’s no reason to wait for the new year to resolve to improve yourself. Start today by working on yourself first, which will help you be kinder and more considerate of everyone you come into contact with on any given day and improve your life.

1. Make learning a daily practice. 

People who excel at personal development are intellectually curious, meaning they are well-informed about many different topics. When you stay curious and are looking to understand people, issues, and things related to your work and life, you become a better conversationalist and more exciting person, increasing your opportunities.

2. Become present for personal growth. 

I know that many people talk about mindfulness and presence these days and then give it lip service. Staying in the moment is a good exercise because it helps you become aware of how you react to stresses in your life. By becoming present, you have a chance to “observe” your interactions and learn about yourself. So, instead of thinking about the past or ruminating about the future, try to be present. So, learn about yourself as you go through your daily experiences.

3. Practice self-motivation in life. 

We’re only human, and even people who are very optimistic in their daily lives have more challenging days than others. However, people who practice self-development know that they must motivate themselves as much as possible, limiting negative news and people and doing things that will provide them with inspiration and motivation. Positive things you can do to help you stay motivated include exercise, music, and spending time around people who have a good outlook on life.

4. Develop your creative skills. 

Creativity gets overlooked but doing something creative is good for the brain. It increases positivity and helps people feel good about themselves. Creativity can come in many forms, such as cooking, the arts, even developing a life plan. Anything that can help you expand your thinking and perhaps also do something with your hands and your mind that goes beyond the lines we create for ourselves will be beneficial.

5. Take consistent action. 

Focusing on personal development means taking action––consistently. This point is most often the piece that a lot of people miss. People develop plans and think it would be great to focus on personal development or improvement goals. Still, they forego consistent action, which is one of the reasons why most resolutions fail. The trick is always to take small steps and build into higher goals and efforts. Start small and use each success and building block to higher goals and objectives.

Once you’ve committed yourself to the path toward personal growth and development, you’ll see not only how opportunities arise but you’ll also play a part in making the world a better place.

 

 

Author of “Not Your Father’s Charity: Grip & Rip Leadership for Social Impact” (Free Digital Download)

 

© 2018 Wayne Elsey and Not Your Father’s Charity. All Rights Reserved.