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Personal development. Do you understand what the term personal development means? Do you have a self-development plan? If you’re silently shaking your head in wonderment, you are not alone. Many people don’t know either. Half of you are probably shrugging, disinterested in the entire subject while the other half of you are keenly reading, wondering what knowledge you’re going to gain. Keep reading, this could change your life…

Even if you don’t think you’re interested in personal development, the truth is that you are – who wouldn’t be? You’re probably unconsciously doing things to improve yourself, like learn new things, be more efficient, set goals. Guess what? It counts toward personal development.

We’ve put together a list of the 6 key areas of personal development, these are the most common areas where people look to make improvements.

Relationships

We have intentionally put this one first because it might seem as though it has little to do with personal development – the truth is it has a lot to do with it. Every relationship you have, whether it’s with your partner, children, neighbours, friends, co-workers or parents, falls under this umbrella. You’re part of these relationships, therefore, who you are as a person influences how they operate. So, if you tend to have a lot of relationship issues across the board then you may need to take a long look within yourself to understand what is causing you to stumble in so many relationships. Start thinking about what you can bring to each of these relationships and what steps you need to take to improve them. Remember, it’s all about relationships.

Self Esteem

Did you know that there is an overlap between self-esteem and self-respect? Self-esteem, though, is a reflection of how much value you place on yourself. It is your attitude towards you as a person. And it covers beliefs like “I am good enough,” “do I deserve love,” etc… It also includes emotions like shame, triumph, pride, and even despair. It’s our self-concept. How do you view yourself? Is it positive? Is it negative? This is your self-esteem. It is believed to influence the outcome of your career, your happiness, your relationships, and beyond.

Spirit and Spirituality

This does not necessarily mean religion. Your spirituality doesn’t need to be related to religion – there are plenty of people who want to get in touch with their spirituality and use meditation to do so, instead of going to church. There are different ways you can help develop your spirituality – if you are religious then consider what steps you can take to improve grow that portion of your life. The most obvious steps would be to attend church more often, to spend more time in prayer, and perhaps to delve deeper into your holy text. For those who are spiritual, but not religious, you can meditate regularly and find a community of like-minded people to commune with. Ask yourself…What are your goals for your spirit? How can you reach that goal? What can I do today to get closer to my spirituality goals?

Career

Do you have a three-year or five-year plan for your career or perhaps just a one year plan? What are you doing to develop your career? If you’ve been waiting for a promotion that seems to never come it’s time to ask yourself why. What are you doing to improve your chances? Talk to your boss about what other steps you can take to improve your working life. Remember, your career is what drives your financial situation, too, so if you want to develop it you need to work harder on improving your career chances.

Creativity

We are all creative! We all have some type of creativity flowing through our veins – it’s all about getting in touch with what art allows us to express ourselves most accurately – that could be playing the piano, it could be writing, it might be cross-stitching, painting, dancing, or even basket weaving. It doesn’t matter what makes you feel creative, it matters that you stretch yourself and engage in those activities regularly. Take five minutes today to explore your creative side!

Health

How healthy are you? Do you eat potato chips at lunch and enjoy a dinner of sugary cereal? Do you smoke between meals, top up your whiskey one more time before bed? It’s time to take your health and wellness seriously – so create a plan to improve your diet and exercise regularly. Start with a three-month plan and grow into a six month and annual plan. You won’t be sorry you chose to develop your health, it plays a role in everything else listed above.

The purpose of personal development isn’t merely to live or even to thrive, it’s to strive – you should always be pushing yourself grow a little bit more. While there is nothing wrong with being happy with your lot in life, there are always different areas where you can improve, even if they seem small. You can be a better you, all you have to do is take the first step towards your self-development plan!