Written by: Veronica Sanchez De Darivas, 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.
Personal development is a concept that has become fashionable in recent years and that implies a series of advantages for our internal and external progress.
Personal development can be defined as the process of taking the necessary steps to become the best version of yourself. It is about growing in all areas of life to reach your true potential, which involves making conscious decisions that positively affect your mental, emotional and physical state.
When we are able to develop our skills and knowledge and cultivate our inner being or our soul, we can be more successful and live a meaningful life.
There are many tools available to help us on our personal development journey, we will discuss a few here.
Self-reflection
Self-reflection is the act of reflecting on oneself, it helps us to observe our behavior and our attitudes, making us understand how our actions and decisions affect not only ourselves, but also those around us.
It is very useful to reflect on a regular basis to assess how you are progressing and which areas of your life need more attention.
To practice self-reflection, you can take a moment each day or once a week and consider the following questions:
What did I achieve today or this week?
What did I do well?
What could I have done better?
What areas of my life are causing me stress?
How can I improve my general well-being?
Goal setting
Setting goals and objectives help us to stay motivated, even more, without goals, it is easy to feel like we are not moving forward and give up.
There are a few things we need to keep in mind when setting goals and objectives.
First, make sure your goals are realistic, because it is not helpful to set goals that are impossible to achieve. Although, deep down, most things are possible, we must be honest with ourselves and know what we can and want to achieve and when. Second, set specific goals, as vague or unclear goals are more difficult to achieve. Finally, write down your objectives and goals and save that writing in a place where you can see it often, as this will help you stay on track.
Positive Thinking and Feeling
Positive thinking is very helpful in assisting us deal with difficult situations and events in our daily lives. However, thinking positively is not enough, because many times when thinking positive we are not feeling that way, rather we tend to feel thoughts that are not so good much more.
I always mention that it is not about not having negative thoughts or emotions, because that is impossible in this physical plane of separated poles, rather is about to take into account those emotions and thoughts and then be able to elevate our vibration to a slightly higher point, which allows us to observe ourselves and from there find solutions and act.
One way to start this practice is to develop the ability of observing our thoughts and emotions and here self-reflection can help us greatly. In addition, being aware of the power of words will make us advance even further on the path of self-knowledge. In this sense, one way to activate positivity in us is to repeat affirmations that empower and motivate us. But, we cannot forget that repetition must be accompanied by feeling.
Meditation
Meditation is an excellent tool to calm the mind, to help us stay focused and productive and, of course, to advance internally, that is, spiritually.
In its simplest form, meditation is concentrating on a single thought, sound, or sensation, and guided meditations are extremely helpful in this regard. Meditation gives us the ability to really pay full and conscious attention to the now, to the present moment. It is scientifically proven that meditating reduces stress, anxiety, depression and pain. Meditation also improves memory, creativity and emotional self-regulation.
Personal Development Books
Personal development books offer advice and guidance on how to achieve our personal, spiritual, and professional goals. Reading this type of books can serve as a guide in various aspects of life, as they bring along valuable teachings that, if put into practice, can change our lives for the better.
Many of these books focus on developing leadership skills and success in life. Other books focus on developing creativity, overcoming adversity, and personal motivation. Other books tell us about the soul and spirit, teach us how to meditate and live in the present moment. No matter what the subject of a personal development book is, they all have the potential to transform the lives of those who read them and put their teachings into practice.
Courses and workshops
Attending courses and workshops that help us acquire new knowledge and discover our abilities is highly recommended in our personal journey. These courses not only affect our self-esteem and confidence for the better, but also help us find our purpose in life.
In a personal development course, we can learn useful tools that help us achieve the objectives and goals that we have set for ourselves. With this type of courses we can also obtain a greater knowledge of ourselves and of others, making our personal relationships full of understanding, respect and love.
Finally, I must say that starting the path of developing your inner and outer persona can be intimidating, but it does not have to be. The first step is to identify what areas of your life you want to focus on, once you have identified these areas, you can create a plan that will help you achieve your goals and objectives. It is helpful and advisable to create a support system and perhaps find a mentor or coach. You should also make sure to set aside time each day to focus on your chosen development activities.
Personal development is self-care and is a continuous journey. Taking the necessary steps to start the journey and use the available tools requires will, commitment and consistency. Only then can we move towards achieving our goals, only then can we know ourselves and expand in all areas of our lives.
Veronica Sanchez De Darivas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Veronica Sanchez De Darivas shares tools on how to manage stress, negative emotions and build resilience and on how to use high vibration words. Veronica is a Spanish grammar and literature teacher. During the last twelve years, she has dedicated herself to spirituality and is a Certified Instructor for the Cyclopea Method of Internal Activation of the Pineal Gland, a method created in South America 33 years ago by the spiritual leader Fresia Castro. Veronica is the first instructor in the world teaching this life changing method in English. Veronica is a Spiritual Life Coach and a HeartMath Certified Coach as well. Veronica is also an author. She has been writing for many years for online magazines and blogs in Spanish and English. Veronica is both a Chilean and an Australian citizen now living in the UK. Her mission is the expansion of consciousness.
