Personal development
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Personal development (also known as self-development, self-improvement or personal growth) is the development of a person's abilities to be more effective or enhancing the realisation of their inherent capabilities or human potential. It involves developing self-awareness, self-confidence and emotional competence.
[edit] Approaches to Personal Development
The term may refer to
- traditional concepts of education or training,
- counselling and coaching for personal transformation,
- New Age movement and spiritual beliefs and concepts - including "inner pathways" to solve social and psychological issues,
- professional development business trainers (some treat the whole person instead of business only),
- the storyline of a particular character in a film, book or television series, detailing how they develop as a character.
To understand this further: a person can have different personalities or 'social faces' in different contexts (at home / at office / at parties etc) but these share common threads of who he/she is and this can be called the "personal self". When someone is referring to personal development then he/she is meaning a full and total transformation from deep within and not just a temporary personality change for a specific occasion or context.
[edit] Area of work
There are certain areas of life (different personalities as mentioned above) which are considered in personal development. Personal development concerns with development in all of these areas. These areas are (the list is in no way a comprehensive list, please feel free to add more areas/subareas to it).
- Research and contribution: Development in this area means that you are contributing something original to the society and to the world and to your community. You are using your potential to make a difference to the world.
- Mental knowledge and learning: Are you learning something new each day of the week and each week of the year? Development in this area excites you and keeps your mind lubricated. You remain open to new skills and keep pushing the envelope and stretching your mind.
- Work, career and job: Improve your knowledge in the field you work in in order to do the job you want, have the opportunities you want, etc.
- Financial matters: Gain more wealth while working less. Money management (mortgage, real estate, market, etc) is one of the many are working on.
- Self help, character, spirituality and emotions: Become able to control your feelings, how you see others, your perceptions of the world. Develop your true self.
- Physical health: Learn to exercise, to be able to maintain the motivation to do so.
- Fun and adventure: Make your life more interesting by doing things you don't do generally. Do something people don't know you for.
- Intimate relationship: Revive the old flame between you and your partner, develop your sensitive side, the place where you listen to your partner needs.
- Home, family and relatives: Developing home abilities such as cooking, washing, cleaning. Learn how to make your family proud of you.
- Social circle, friends and clubs: Learn how to create/develop long lasting relationships with your friends, how to approach people you don't know, to convey the message you want to send.
[edit] See also
- Self-actualization
- Health and Fitness
- Psychology
- Naturopathic medicine
- Co-Counselling
- Re-evaluation Counseling
- Conflict style inventory
- Developmental psychology
- Human enhancement
- Human Potential Movement
- Humanistic psychology
- Neuro-linguistic Programming
- Positive psychology
- Personality
- Self-help
- Time management
- Transpersonal psychology
