Personal Growth: where to start


credit: Lydiat

One of the biggest questions people ask themselves when they start thinking about personal growth is “where do I start?” I know I did! If you’re reading this it means you’ve taken the first step – research, reading, hearing other people’s experiences. One of the greatest beginnings on your road to personal growth is making a start.

Life is so much more fulfilling when we are happy! In referring to happiness here, I’m not talking about the two hours on a Saturday night you’re shooting pool, hanging with friends and enjoying life! I’m talking about holistic happiness, or addressing many different areas that will make your life feel more fulfilled – personal growth. When you enjoy where you are at, you feel like things have come together the way they should. To live in this state is really to enjoy living, and you can start to head in that direction today.

Sometimes we reach a point in life where we are coasting. We get up, make lunches, drive to work, go about the day and come home looking forward to the weekend. Some of us play sport or go to church, but really we’re just on autopilot. Take some time now and do a bit of self-analysis. Think about the many parts of life that make up ‘you’ – do you need to work on an area?

If you really want to initiate personal growth in your life, and make some real changes that make a difference, start by looking at the following 7 areas:

Family and relationships: Your family and relationships need to rank very highly on your ‘how to spend my time’ list. Are your relationships as solid as they need to be? I know that for me personally, I’m committing to spending more time with my family this year. Maybe you’re like me and need to spend more time appreciating your loved ones. Personal growth and fulfillment is very difficult to achieve if you are a selfish person who neglects people close to you.

Work: are you happy with your job? Think back to when you were a child, or in high school. What kinds of dreams and ambitions did you have? Have you realised those dreams or are you ‘comfortable’ with where you are at? It’s very difficult to start a new job or career. Sometimes it means more study, relocating, starting over – but let me tell you something. You only live one life – don’t let it go by & have a life full of regrets. You can do a job that you enjoy! Sure, you don’t have to absolutely love driving to work every day, but if you don’t enjoy what you do to any degree then it’s time to get out! You really can and should change your line of work if you want to be happier in your life. If you’re not sure where to start, make some calls – talk to people who are doing a job you’re interested in & find out how they started. Call some universities or look up courses you’re interest in & find out about enrollment. Make some calls today.

Leisure: Are you taking some time out for you? Ambition and hard work are very important qualities, but relaxing and leisure will do so much for your emotional and physical well being. Some great family memories also come about from holidays – don’t neglect this area of your life.

Emotions: Are your emotions in check? Are you a person that often feels depressed? Anxious? Maybe you have a short fuse & yell at the kids when you find food spilt on the ground.. When you truly reflect on your emotions and reactions, how much of a positive influence are they in your life? Spend some time reflecting on the way you respond to situations & your feelings and emotions in general. Start to make some changes where you see the need for change – you can research this very easily, the point is your life will not feel very fulfilled when you can’t control your own emotions. Again – life is too short to be yelling your head off at people. It’s no good for them, and it’s worse for you – control yourself & you will enjoy life more.


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Spiritual: holistic health and personal growth is all about addressing many different areas of your life. Just because you may not go to church, or have been burnt by past experience, don’t neglect this area of your life. You will find you have a lot less ‘meaning of life’ questions when you address your spiritual well being. Start with prayer – pray for your loved ones. Pray for yourself! Cast off your cares and worries, and be specific with what you ask for. You will be surprised at the great results in your life.

Physical: A person’s physical well being is really important in terms of how you look, your fitness levels and your health. So many problems can be attributed to obesity and other forms of self neglect. Fortunately, we can do something about our physical well being. Don’t accept being overweight a minute longer if you fit into that category. Be aware of your body and eating habits, and make a decision to do the best for yourself that you can. You can start with your food choices – try and dedicate one week to making healthy choices. Not next week, this week: today! Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, drink lots of water. Get rid of the chips/chocolate/lollies and soft drink in your house. Start to make some simple changes and you will find it gets easier and easier. Regardless of your body size, everyone needs to exercise. It’s great for your stress levels, your health and fitness, and your overall well being. You can start by grabbing an ipod and going out for a walk – don’t think about it, just do it! Make plans to do it again in 2 days time. Don’t get slack, keep exercising!

Money: money is not the key to happiness! You will not be a happier person just because you are ‘rich’. Winning the lottery will not mean you can suddenly sigh with relief and put your feet up for the rest of your life. However, lack of money or limited finances can be a great source of stress and worry. You need to make sure you have a steady stream of income that is enough to cover bills, housing, food, basic requirements + include some leisure time for yourself. What can you do if you don’t make enough money? Start to do something about it. Research other avenues for income, talk to friends and family about ways to earn money on the side. Change to a higher paying job. Learn about budgeting, saving, investing. Don’t be obsessed with making money or let it consume your life – money is not everything after all.

No changes will happen in your life if you are content with where you are at now, or if you stay on autopilot and coast through life.

If you really want to make some changes and achieve personal growth, I’ve found that it helps to actually make the decision rather than keeping it as a nice idea in your head.

You can completely turn your life around simply by the choices you make and your level of determination.

How about you kick things off by writing down what you do and don’t like about yourself, think about what you can change. You can also get started by checking out 30 Days to Change Your Life. Telling a partner or close friend about your intentions to change is a great idea, and remember to stay consistent every day. All the best.