As women, we often find ourselves juggling multiple responsibilities and we “forget” to take the time to focus on ourselves. Sadly, we don’t prioritize what we see as selfish: meeting our own needs for life satisfaction and growth. What makes matters worse? Fulfilling our potential and seeking life satisfaction is not selfish at all. In fact, exploring our own personal development is actually our sole responsibility.
It’s not up to someone else to encourage us, and support us, and remind us to do it.
It’s up to us to make it a priority and darn it, make it happen.
And when we “forget” to make it a priority, we’re doing the rest of the world (not ourselves) a disservice.
Sound like tough love? Well, it is. It’s time for this nonsense to stop.
How to Unlock Your Potential: Step One
I was raised to put my own needs last. It’s not healthy, and it’s not at all what the universe intended for us.
But it’s so common. So many of us accept this as a moral certainty, when in fact, the flip side is much closer to the truth.
Meeting our needs for fulfillment and joy should be at the top of our list – today and every day.
Because that’s how we will discover the real person we were meant to be.
And the purpose we are meant to fulfill.
Personal Development and Fulfillment is Our Responsibility
That’s right, our responsibility. There’s no doubt that unlocking our potential is essential to living a truly fulfilling life.
But beyond this, and much more importantly, personal development is the path that enables us to explore and honor the gifts we’ve been given.
Personal development is essential to happiness, it is true; but the desire to become our best selves is not selfish at all.
We should seek to remember, always, that it’s actually our duty to make the most of our potential and the gifts we’ve been given.
Think of it as a way to truly DEMONSTRATE our gratitude. Not just be grateful, or say prayers of thanks, but actually prove that we’re truly grateful for all the potential we’ve been given. To be our best. To do great things.
While we’re at it, let’s take this one step further and say it’s our responsibility to be happy.
To find joy. To love the people we’re meant to love, do the things we’re meant to do, and thrive in the ways that feel right in our gut.
Being Our Authentic Selves is a Gift We Owe the World
The world needs each and every one of us to be the best US that we can be.
We’re the only one in the universe with our specific set of skills, faults, talents, and habits.
Who knows why it was essential that our unique recipe of characteristics was given a home within us?
It really doesn’t matter who knows, or if anyone knows.
What matters is that we embrace that beautiful mixture of contradictions, opinions, emotions and thoughts and accept them as who we truly are – and watch where life takes us next.
Because we each have a purpose, and it’s our job to discover it and give it our all.
And the path to reach understanding, fulfillment, and satisfaction is the same path that allows us to fulfill our purpose.
It all starts with developing a growth mindset.
Develop A Growth Mindset
Once we accept the gifts we are born with, the next step is to believe that we’re meant to nurture them.
To take them to the next level. To use them for good works and great things beyond our own imaginings and limitations.
A growth mindset is the belief that our abilities and qualities can be developed through dedication and hard work and the belief that we can each improve and grow, regardless of our current abilities.
When we have a growth mindset, we’re more likely to take on challenges, learn from our mistakes, and persevere through obstacles.
Having a growth mindset means that we believe our abilities and talents can be developed over time with effort and perseverance.
It’s the opposite of a fixed mindset, which holds that we’re born with a set amount of talent and intelligence that cannot be changed.
Personal Development: What a Growth Mindset Looks Like
Developing a growth mindset can help us overcome challenges, learn from failures, achieve our goals, and ultimately achieve our live purpose.
Fulfill our personal responsibility to make the most of our gifts and find happiness and fulfillment all at the same time.
Here’s what adopting a growth mindset looks like:
- When faced with a challenge, instead of feeling overwhelmed or giving up, let’s view it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Let’s embrace challenges as a chance to improve our skills and expand our knowledge. We may not succeed at first, but every failure is a chance to learn and improve.
- Feedback is another important tool for our growth. It can help us identify our strengths and weaknesses and provide insight into how we can improve. Instead of being defensive or dismissing feedback, let’s try to see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Let’s even seek it out – and ask for constructive feedback and use it to make positive changes.
- A positive attitude can help us overcome obstacles and achieve our goals. Instead of focusing on what we can’t do, let’s focus on what we can do. Let’s celebrate our successes and use them as motivation to keep going. When faced with a setback, let’s remind ourselves that it’s just a temporary obstacle and keep moving forward.
- Persistence is key to developing a growth mindset. When faced with a challenge or setback, let’s not ever give up. Let’s keep trying, even if it feels difficult or uncomfortable. Let’s make it our habit to recognize that progress takes time and effort and be willing to put in the work to achieve our goals.
- Curiosity is the fuel of learning and growth. Let’s stay curious about the world around us and seek out new experiences and knowledge. Let’s not be afraid to ask questions or challenge assumptions. And let’s keep an open mind and be willing to learn from others.
Our Responsibility to Pursue Personal Development
Developing a growth mindset takes time and effort, but it can lead to greater success, happiness, and fulfillment in life.
By embracing challenges, learning from feedback, adopting a positive attitude, developing persistence, and cultivating curiosity, we can develop a growth mindset that will help us achieve our goals and reach our full potential.
And that is our one purpose here on earth: to be the best US that we can be.
Let’s Remember: Self-care is Essential for Personal Development
When we take care of ourselves, we’re better equipped to handle the challenges that life throws our way.
Self-care can take many forms, such as getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking time to relax and unwind. It can be hard to make time, and unnatural to make ourselves a priority – but we must do it, to be our best selves.
Keep Trying New Things, Keep Learning
Learning new skills is a great way to boost personal development, too.
When we learn new skills, we challenge ourselves and expand our knowledge and abilities.
It’s essential to find skills that interest us and align with our goals.
And it’s essential that we continue to nourish the raw material that we were born with.
It’s our responsibility, and no one else’s!
Our Responsibility to Seek Personal Development and Fulfillment
Let’s all start today. It’s our responsibility to take small steps towards becoming the best version of ourselves. To find joy and be happy. To love ourselves, faults and all. And to give to the world that which only we can give.
Ready to take the next step? Check out This Time You’re Going to Succeed: How to Create a Kick Butt Life-Changing Personal Development Plan.
Thank you as always for reading.
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Joan Senio is the founder of KindCompassCoach. Her career includes 20+ years as a health care executive and 15 years (and counting) as a consultant. The common thread through Joan’s professional life has been a commitment to lead, mentor and coach current and future leaders, and women from all walks of life. KindCompassCoach provides information and advice grounded in Joan’s personal experience; however, all articles are backed by research and provide facts and advice from a wide variety of experts. Joan also serves as a thought-leader for KuelLife.com and is a regular contributor to PsychReg and Sixty and Me.
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