Development Chart
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 28, 2021
- 4 min read
Written by: Heidi Tyler, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Even before we were born, our development and growth measurements were being tracked. How many weeks since the host body had changed its cycle, physical sensations, sickness, changes in appetite, to name just a few.
All the while, as an unborn baby, we were learning. Quite what, we wouldn’t know until later. How well we were doing? We’d find that out later too.
Government frameworks were created to help parents/guardians know and understand what to expect from their children at set stages of their growth.
The key areas in the framework (UK) are:
Physical development: How a child’s body is growing and changing, taking notice of their fine and gross motor skills at each age, and capturing developmental delays and difficulties.
Emotional development: Discovering the type of emotional changes a child is experiencing at each stage and providing emotional development milestones for them to meet in each age group.
Social development: How children interact, develop friendships, and connect with the world around them at each age or stage.
Cognitive development: Understand the child’s critical thinking, intellectual skills, speech and language development, the way they play, and the key cognitive milestones they attain.
As much as the framework is helpful, it also paves the way for parents/guardians to make comparisons of their children against others. Along with that a set of beliefs that their children were doing better or worse than others. Beliefs that get handed down and adopted by those very same children.
The accepted norm for all these stages of development doesn’t take account of individuals unless they happen to fit into certain criteria. Even then the criteria can be too generalised to make it meaningful.
The development chart strangely stops when we reach a certain age, replaced by a set of expectations created by our family, society, governments, and indeed ourselves. It’s up to us now to consciously track our own progress.
Welcome to adulthood, which didn’t necessarily happen at an age you might expect. For some it will have come all too early, making it all more valuable to know what to keep focus on.
What exactly should we track?
Physical development might be tracked in terms of weight, exercise, diet or when health goes wrong.
Emotional is often left unchecked until anxiety, depression, stress, or burnout creeps in.
Social may be visible, by how many appointments are in the diary, or felt when we’ve lost people we know or love, moved home or need to start again.
Cognitive is highly dependent on the learning journey each person has taken. Measured through exams, certificates, company expectations, or not measured at all when expectations aren’t defined or met.
The transition from childhood into adulthood also created a greater comparator through areas such as health, education, work, home, financial status, and even religion.
So just how do we keep a sense of balance in these, and other, vital areas of our life.
Being conscious of them is certainly an amazing start, but going a step further requires thought. Deep thought about what this really means to us and what we want it to be now, and in the future.
Stopping to ask yourself:
What areas of my life are important to me now and in the future?
How am I doing in these areas of my life?
What would I like to change and make better?
What are my beliefs and expectations for my own life, and those around me?
What are my personal aspirations and goals?
Simple ones to get started with might be:
What do I want my physical development to be, how will I know I have achieved it and how will I ensure I maintain it going forward?
What do I want to learn that keeps me inspired and lifts my spirits every day? Not just for my career but in all areas of my life.
Am I the person I want and know I can be? What can I change that would make my life even better? Who are my role models and why? What advice would they give me?
Do I know what all my emotions are, what triggers them, how I can manage them, so I am able to live a fulfilling life?
Is my social life what I truly want it to be, with the right people in my life who care for me well, as I do for them in return? People who inspire me to be the person I want to be.
Do I have a clear view of my financial status, what I want and need in the long term, with a clear plan to get me there?
Am I following the career path that I truly want or am I following someone else’s guidance?
Do I have a plan for the rest of my life? How will I stop myself from going completely off track?
Now is the time to be learning, designing, and creating your own life, your own future, so you get to enjoy it. A life of health & wellbeing, that’s full of love, joy, and happiness every day, surrounded by kind, caring, and inspiring people.
Craft your own development path, throughout adulthood, and keep tracking your progress.
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Heidi Tyler, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Heidi formerly worked in a corporate environment covering project, program, quality, and people management. Heidi medically retired at age 54 which led to her transformational journey of personal development and growth. Heidi reversed ALL of her medial issues and went on to become a Certified Lifebook Leader, Emotional Intelligence & Certified Clear Beliefs Coach, and Author. Heidi's vision is to help 000's of people around the world live their best life.
