My Personal, Personal Development

This question has been asked of me a few times recently, what does my personal development look like?

When we talk about personal development, is it just that. Personal, about me working on me and becoming the best version of me that I can.

I just wanted to share a few areas that I work on, though this topic could cover such a wide range as we always try and develop every aspect of our lives. The following are an insight to what is most important to me right now and what I am personally working on.

1. Education

I left school with only basic qualifications. I went straight into engineering and learnt on the job. Now I am playing catch up on. I am educating myself in a global way. This basically means that I am covering a broad range of topics from Stock market influences through to neuroscience and everything in between. Basically anything that can influence my world short or long term.

I am using a variety of sources for this global education, from reading newspaper articles daily to taking online courses. Combined with my love of reading, this makes for such a broad base which to work from.

2. Physical

Healthy body, healthy mind, right?

Having always played sports throughout my formative years, injury in my early 20's meant that my dedication levels dropped. I had to pivot to keep it going from contact sports to weights and running. The dedication was lacking at times and the inconsistency just wasn't there. As I moved into my 40's my health became important to me again but for an entirely different reason. I just wan't getting any younger...... Yes I know it was a shock to me too.

So after a period of running, completing multiple 10k's, half marathons, marathons and one ultra marathon, again the big Mo was lost. So back to the gym it was. My DNA will not allow me to build big mass. I'm just not built that way. The plan I follow is all about fitness and not aesthetics. HIIT workouts, high reps, low weights and endurance training. My diet has never been awful but with a few simple changes it started to bring the benefits. Then Covid hit!!! I've had to move to home workouts. Resistance and body weight training, but still trying to make improvements. I will pull on the running shoes again soon.

Exercise helps me mentally as well. I find it creates a good balance and keeps the energy levels high.

I also look at what I put into and onto my body. I try and avoid all processed food where I can though this isn't always possible. I keep my carbs low and protein high. I also try and source other products, such as deodorant that is clear of chemicals. I am no longer using deodorant that contains aluminium so my skin isn't absorbing it.

3. Socially

I am an introvert by nature but can bring out my extroverted side when needed. Linkedin has given me the opportunity to network on my own terms with an increase in virtual tech allowing for face to face connection.

Why is this important to me enough for me to add it to this list?

When you work on personal development, you soon realize you only have your way of thinking but there are many others. You can only learn so much from text book. The world is more connected that you think and people are willing to share their own experiences so why not take advantage of that...

It's not something that always comes easy to me but as we are talking about development, its an area of me that needs developing.

4. A sense of self

Understanding what makes me, me.

Maybe this is the hardest of all and certainly for me it is. You have to be brutally honest with yourself and ask others to be brutally honest too. Sometimes its very hard to hear but that's what is needed for development. You need to understand your faults and triggers to be able to correct them and develop them so they are no longer weaknesses. Understanding who you are is invaluable when it comes to self development.

As I said at the beginning, there are so many elements to personal development it fast becomes a rabbit hole with lots of different tunnels, all of which should be explored to only only find there is no end.