Personal Growth is Engineered, Not Experienced: Design Your Plan

Although it seems as though personal development should be one of the most natural and easy things to accomplish, it is quite difficult to commit to changing things about yourself. Although you may have been frustrated by your past failures, this article is meant to provide you with the tips you need to help ensure success in the future.

Some level of contentment is crucial to mental health and self-improvement. While self-help tactics and tips focus on constant striving, there is a bigger picture to consider. You will never achieve holistic health and mental happiness without allowing yourself a bit of enjoyment. Learn to be content with things you cannot change (your family, last year's earnings, etc.). Once you are satisfied with the permanent things in your life, you are ready to change the things you can control.

When you are trying to help yourself, it is important that you free yourself of any extreme stress factors in your life. If you have constant negativity around you, of course you are going to feel negative! Make sure you surround yourself with the positive energy that you should know and you definitely deserve.

Take responsibility for your own life. If you aren't where you want to be in life, it is easy to blame others. You may feel that your parents let you down, your teachers weren't good enough, your boss had it in for you or that you didn't have as many advantages as someone else. The truth is, your choices and actions have gotten you to the point where you are today. The only way to make changes is to stop blaming others, and take responsibility for your thoughts, actions and accomplishments. Only then will you be fully in control of your own life.

If you want your dreams to become reality, make them your goals. Visualizing something makes it easier to break down the components that makeup the scene. If you're able to dream it, you can make something like it happen. By motivating yourself by making your dreams into tangible goals, you'll find yourself in a new place in life in no time.

Schedule time for your personal development to make sure it does not get lost in the chaos of daily activities. Developing yourself takes effort and commitment and deliberately scheduling time for development activities gives them the importance they deserve. Whether you schedule short blocks or longer ones, the key is to make your personal development a documented priority.

Always carry a book or something productive to do with your hands. Whether we spend it waiting in the doctor's office or on public transit, idle time is wasted time. Take along a book or perhaps some handwork to more productively occupy the time that would be wasted. You'll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish in a day.

Face your fears and triumph over them. Many people let their fears control them and these fears manifest into more fears, worries and anxieties. You must learn to face your fears and get to the root of why they have control over you. Once you do this, you will find yourself conquering your fears.

Exercise can be a valuable self-help strategy. Research has shown that exercise can drastically reduce symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Though it is not clear why, women who engage in aerobic activities on a regular basis are much less affected by common symptoms of PMS, like irritability, mood swings, and depression.

Do what you love. Most people think that going where the money is will help them reach their goals. This could not be furthest from the truth. The most successful people in the world became successful by doing what they love. Even if your personal goals are not career or money orientated, having something you are passionate about - even if it is only as a hobby - is the key to true happiness.

Remember that it is entirely acceptable to be less than perfect. Perfection leaves no room for learning or improvement, yet these are two of the things that can make life so exciting and enjoyable. Assess your imperfections to determine what their likely effects are on your life. More than likely, you will find that even your flaws shape who you are and how you live.

If your development is health or fitness related, try to join a support community related to the topic. This can help you learn new tips, but it also helps you to stay accountable. This can be either a group who meets at regular intervals or an online forum. Forums are often more convenient, as you are able to update at your leisure.

Exercising often is going to reduce the stress in your life. If you take some time and do some activities that simulate the "flight" response in your body. This will release the excessive adrenaline that has been released into your body during stressful situations and leave you feeling much better.

Focus on one single task at a time. If you try to do more than one thing at a time, each task will take you longer to accomplish. Eliminate multitasking and you'll have the extra time that you need to do the things you want.

Don't forget to breathe, and breathe deeply. Deep breathing helps to circulate the blood and can improve health and endurance. Take deep breaths frequently throughout the day to help clear your thoughts so that you can constantly start fresh. Deep breathing will also give you the energy you need to make it through your busy day.

Get plenty of rest. A good night's sleep will not only ward off illnesses, but will also make sure that your mind is crisp and ready for the daily tasks that lay ahead of you. Not getting enough sleep can make you irritable and cranky, and it can literally hinder everything that you do. Don't skimp on the beauty sleep.

Perhaps the most important thing when it comes to personal development is to remain patient and committed to the process of changing yourself. Results will not occur overnight and although it is easy to be frustrated, by applying the tips from this article to your daily life, you will help ensure you make the changes you want.