101 Tricks for Self Development

Self-development is a lifelong process. Life constantly changes and either gets more challenging or easier and with that comes changes in our mental health and wellbeing.

Although, Let’s backtrack to define “Self-development”. The term can be defined as - “constantly improving yourself through various aspects in your life such as personal growth and increasing one’s knowledge, skills and talents”.

Sometimes a change will force us out of our comfort zones and maybe off-putting for people, but research suggests that humans are wired to seek change. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, created by psychologist Abraham Maslow, suggests that all individuals have an innate need for personal development and growth.

The top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs pyramid (Picture attached below) emphasizes the need to achieve our fullest potential, but the question is:

How do we develop ourselves to reach our maximum potential?

There are numerous ways to do so, but for now, we will focus on only three.

(1) Starting a journal.

Expressing your thoughts on paper will keep your ideas and goals all in one concise place and help you remember to follow through with your plans. Writing down your thoughts keeps them from looming around in your mind and taking away from other important tasks.

(2) Declutter everywhere, whether it be your closet, bedroom, or even your car, get rid of unwanted clutter that has no use or value anymore. For example old receipts from years ago, gifts or trinkets from people you no longer talk to, and even old worn-out clothes (yes, even the socks with holes in them). Harboring objects instead of parting with them shows that you are unable to part with the past and move on towards new beginnings.

(3) Last but not least, Give yourself a break. A lot of people are in the “hustle and bustle” of the regular school/work routine(s) and don’t know how to slow down and relax and I, for one, am guilty of this as well. Taking a break and winding is beneficial for everyone, and you can “take a break” in many different ways such as watching TV, listening to your favorite song or even going outside for a walk and basking in the sunlight. Whatever helps you unwind.

Self-development is different for everyone and what I have listed may benefit you, however, it may not help the next person.

But what is most important is how simple steps like these can have a large impact on your life.

Hierarchy of Needs: