Self-Development in Your Spare Time

I've often heard people say they don't have time for self-development. It seems like a nice idea, but they have a demanding job, are busy with family, and have an active social life. Spending time on personal growth just doesn't fit into their calendar.

I completely understand that. It didn't use to fit into mine either. But as I look back onto that time of my life, I realize how much of my stress and poor decisions might have been avoided if I had managed to fit a little self-development into my life. I might have been calmer when things didn't go my way, more forgiving when people disappointed me, and kinder to myself when I made mistakes.

The problem with waiting for the right time for self-development is that it never comes. I just read a tweet from Deepak Chopra that said, "The future depends on the choice we make today." If we make the choice to start a personal development plan today, we can begin to reap the benefits of a more positive, happy and meaningful life tomorrow.

If we decide not to take any action towards self-development today, nothing in our lives will really change. We'll have good days and bad, but we'll continue to be at the mercy of outside forces. Only by changing ourselves can we begin to change our lives in a more lasting way.

Here are a few simple things you can begin to do today to fit self-development into your life:

1. Choose one trait that you would like to more fully develop in yourself. It might be that you'd like to be kinder, more confident, a better listener, more athletic, or whatever characteristic you desire most. Write it down as an affirmation and read it every day. As you go about your business, look for ways to demonstrate the trait you want to have. So, for instance, if your affirmation is "I am confident," then you may decide you're going to speak up and say at least one thing in a meeting that day. That's it. It will only take you a couple minutes a day, and the longer you practice this simple action, the more you will strengthen the trait.

2. Choose one source of daily inspiration. It could be reading a passage from a sacred text, like the Bible, each day. It could include subscribing to an inspirational or motivational quote of the day from a trusted online source. Or it could simply be sitting in silence, praying, or meditating for a few minutes at the start of your day. Simply taking a moment to reflect on something or someone positive each morning can significantly impact your day and, over time, your life.

3. Choose one nice thing to do for someone else every day. This does not have to be anything big. The idea is to get outside of yourself by doing something kind for someone else every day. It could be something as simple as holding the door open for a stranger or doing a small chore that your spouse or child normally does. The point is to consciously think about doing something nice and then doing it. Don't go to bed without doing this. If you're lying in bed and realize you haven't done it, then do something nice with your thoughts. Send loving, positive thoughts to someone you know who's been going through a tough time. Every act of kindness benefits you, as well as the other person. We all feel better about ourselves when we do something nice.

These may not seem like a big deal, but they add up. When you begin to see the positive effects of these simple acts, you may also be inspired to further explore your personal growth. There are many self-help books that can help you begin today to create a better tomorrow. Some, such as Wake Up to Powerful Living, were specifically written with the busy person in mind and provide you with concise principles to help you incorporate self-development into your life in whatever time you have to spare.