Personal Growth Makes A Different Kind Of Glow From Within
The post is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.
Many people may agree that self-discovery can boost our confidence. However, if all we ever do is look within, how do we move forward? Self-reflection can be an important part of our emotional wellness journey, but it’s what we do with what we see that causes growth.
Personal growth and the pursuit of becoming the best version of ourselves can improve self-esteem, assist in goal setting, give us valuable perspective, and may even keep life from feeling static or stale. Here are some ways to think about and approach your personal growth.
6 Ways to Approach Personal Growth
1. See A Therapist
There is a wise saying that nobody knows better than you and that can be particularly true in areas like self-discovery and personal growth. However, if our only perspective is our own, we may lack the insights that an objective, qualified outside observer possesses.
When we engage in the process of discovery and growth, it can be helpful to seek professional guidance. A trained therapist or counselor may have a method they use with clients to help them dive deep as well as the tools to guide individuals toward action.
A compassionate counselor can also remind us to be easy and loving with ourselves as we tackle challenging aspects of our past and present. Some therapists even specialize in areas like self-esteem and personal development.
Traditional therapy is a great option, it’s not the only one. It’s easier than ever to talk to a professional counselor remotely to receive online therapy benefits. We can utilize therapists for more than just mental health challenges. They may also be able to help us grow and thrive.
2. Practice Mindfulness
At its core, mindfulness is the act of deliberately focusing your thoughts on the moment. Proponents of mindfulness suggest that it can help us slow down and quiet our busy minds.
Additionally, people who practice mindfulness may feel a reduction in stress and a greater appreciation for the pleasures of life. While it can involve meditation, mindfulness can also be as simple as making an effort to stop our thoughts and simply sit, observe, and not react.
Practice makes perfect, so aiming for a few moments of awareness every day can start a positive habit. Over time, you may begin feeling calmer and even seeing the world as more connected.
Mindfulness becomes a part of personal growth because it asks us to be still and observe both our surroundings and what happens within us. As we become more comfortable with both perspectives, we gain insight into many areas.
3. Practice Self-Care
Self-care can be as simple as doing something nice for ourselves on occasion or as deep as self-forgiveness. What we do with our self-care can be our personal decision.
Self-care can be a commitment to not harm ourselves, to be kind to ourselves, to engage in positive self-talk, and to allow ourselves to experience things we enjoy on a regular basis. Many people also view self-care as honoring our own intuition and boundaries.
A little caution may be needed, as it can be detrimental to begin rewarding ourselves with things that affect our lives negatively. Self-care should ideally feel nurturing, soothing, and respectful.
Self-care is not frivolous. It can be powerfully healing to rebuild or improve our relationships with ourselves. The more we see ourselves as a trusted friends, the more we may be able to take measured chances and go for our dreams. We might begin to support ourselves in deeper, more meaningful ways.
Have you done or said something nice to yourself today?
4. Make A Wellness Plan
When we begin discovering ourselves from the inside, we may start to think about the outside too. The more we grow to love ourselves, the healthier we want to be.
Personal development and self-discovery can lead to an organic interest in living a healthier lifestyle. We might choose to stick to an annual physical, decide to be more physically active, or choose more wholesome foods that nourish our bodies.
The ancient Greek philosophers spoke about fitness as a component of overall development.
Besides, it is a disgrace to grow old through sheer carelessness before seeing what manner of man you may become by developing your bodily strength and beauty to their highest limit. – Socrates
Allowing an interest in physical wellness to spring from our personal development can circumvent some of the challenging aspects of fitness. Health isn’t always about measurable achievements but simply the process of movement, nourishment, and vitality.
5. Expand Your Abilities
Personal growth involves learning! Our interest in discovering ourselves can expose us to ideas outside our own culture. It can reveal knowledge we’d like to attain.
As we examine, we begin blossoming outward and into a rich world. There are classes to take, people to meet, and things within ourselves we want to improve.
Although it’s the process that is often the most rewarding, we also gain skills that help us in our personal and business lives.
6. Embrace Spirituality
Although personal growth can be completely secular, many people choose a more spiritual path. Spirituality can bring peace, meaning, and connections into our lives.
People may benefit from considering that they are not alone and that there is more to existence than meets the eye.
Because this is a personal thing, we can embrace or turn away from spirituality depending on how it makes us feel.
It’s Grow-Up
The term growing up can sometimes have a negative connotation. It sounds like the fun ends and responsibilities begin.
However, when we make our growth one of our responsibilities, growing up sounds more like glowing up.
