Self-development is the act of taking steps to improve different areas of your life and is something that everyone should work on. Not only does it help you to reach your goals and get to where you want to be, but it’s also incredibly good for your mental health and overall wellbeing. Here are a few reasons why.
Humans love to learn
As humans we are curious creatures, we’re often at our happiest when we’re learning new things. The trouble is, once we leave full-time education and enter the world of work, we can get into a rut. We do the same job day in, day out. We do the same tasks, speak to the same people and things get really repetitive. Self-development such as learning a new skill or taking up a hobby helps you to break this cycle. Learning new things builds confidence, and in turn, makes us feel happier and more accomplished.
Progression is good
Going back to that rut- it’s so easy to spend years of your life essentially ‘stuck’ in the same place. A comfort zone gets built and it’s rare that we step outside of it, and over time we can stagnate. We stop building skills and are no longer moving forward. Self-development pushes us out of that comfort zone and we can continue progressing, whether it’s in work, life, friendships, hobbies or any other area of your choice. Whether you take up a place on online accounting courses or start a flower arranging hobby- be sure to celebrate every milestone of your success along the way. Recognize your achievements- this alone is great for your mental health.
It puts the focus on ourselves
In life, there’s so much that’s outside of our control. The economy, the weather, the actions and consequences of other people’s behavior. When you focus on this, the world can be quite a scary place as it leaves you feeling totally out of control. But self-development puts the focus back on you, it allows you to make changes and work on things that you can change. It shows us how the things we do can impact our own life and future which gives us that element of control.
It’s about care
Self-development is a form of self-care. Whether it’s looking after yourself physically or mentally, it’s something that’s about looking after you. Investing this time into yourself reminds yourself that you’re worthy and important, and makes you a priority in your own life. Self-care isn’t all hot baths and spa days, sometimes it’s about being brave- taking that first step that’s going to put you on a much better path for the future.
