“Change yourself and fortune will change with you.” – Portuguese Proverb
I’ve been writing and speaking about personal growth, self awareness, inspirational and spirituality based ideas for some time now.
The aim of this article is to draw your attention to the role of personal growth in maintaining long term health. The reason it is a powerful medium for health and well-being is because personal growth impacts the mind to create higher states of consciousness, which ultimately influence the body.
All disease, illness and malaise are the result of toxic thoughts which are habitually entertained at the level of the conscious and unconscious mind. The mind and body are one, working holistically in union with one another – there is no separation.
Personal growth is defined as activities that improve self-knowledge and identity; develop talents and potential, build human capital and employability, enhance quality of life and contribute to the realization of dreams and aspirations.
The following are key attributes derived from personal growth:
- Improving self-awareness
- Improving self-knowledge
- Building or renewing identity
- Developing strengths or talents
- Identifying or improving potential
- Building employability or human capital
- Enhancing lifestyle or the quality of life
- Fulfilling aspirations
- Initiating a life enterprise or personal autonomy
- Defining and executing personal development plans
- Improving social abilities
The rationale for pursuing personal growth is the understanding of oneself and self-improvement. It is becoming more than you already are. It is a journey. Your journey becomes the part of the process to be enjoyed. There is no destination or arriving point. You continually work on aspects or parts of yourself that you would like to improve. It may be emotional, intellectual or physical aspects.
So why is personal growth important to health? Personal growth focuses on affecting areas of the mind which you may have identified as warranting attention and improvement. The ultimate goal is to transcend any limitations you’ve placed upon yourself by living the life you truly deserve.
For example, you might have trouble forming intimate relationships with the opposite sex or sabotage the relationship due to: jealousy, fear, resentment, anxiety, anger or any other destructive emotion.
Through a level of awareness you might discover that the root cause of the sabotage has been fear. You are generally afraid that the other person might abandon you. You fear that you might not be good enough for the other person.
The list could be endless. After careful reflection and turning inward, you come to a realisation that you are not good enough to be with the other person. You discuss this idea with loved ones who have known you since you were young and recall moments as a child where you demonstrated the same attitude and actions.
Your sister informs you that your dad was very stern when you were growing up. He placed a great deal of pressure on you to act and be a certain way. Nothing was ever good enough for him. Although he was a kind and giving father, he imposed his ways on you. They were simply not received well by you.
Subsequently, in your teenage and adult years, you started noticing that you resented this and turned this emotion on yourself. Nothing you ever did was good enough. You became a perfectionist, citing numerous reasons why things should be the way they are. You eventually assumed the role your father imposed on you at the unconscious level, while it was playing out in your real life.
When you’re involved in a romantic relationship, these unconscious thoughts start manifesting themselves throughout the relationship as though the other person has become your father. You seek approval all the time from your partner.
While you’re reading, pondering what relationships have to do with health, consider, for a moment, the consequence when a relationship dissolves and how it can impact your health. Personal growth means that you are no longer unconscious to your physical world.
As a conscious creator and manifestor, you have the power to create your reality, since you are aware and awake now. You are conscious of your thought process as they’re not running on auto-pilot anymore.
Our state of health is largely influenced by the thoughts we entertain and allow into our lives. Our thoughts then drive our emotional being. If you are unaware of your thoughts and emotions, imagine for a moment the effect on your life.
Being aware and awake means being empowered in life. It means having control and options to choose your destiny and not succumb to outside influence. You become the architect and designer of your life, the captain of your ship.
Taking ownership of your life involves investing time in knowing yourself and growing yourself. Reading self-help books is only one component of the process. Life will mirror whatever is going on for you at the deepest level.
The experiences will show up as lessons in your daily life. This is when personal growth is put into action. Your experiences begin to colour and form the person you become.
What you habitually think about impacts your physiology. Your body is your subconscious mind. Every thought has the potential to create vibrant health and well-being or illness and disease.
Wherever you are in relation to your health, make it a priority to integrate both mind and body to create lasting health. Choose which thoughts you entertain wisely!
I’ve just read your fascinating article and have found motivation in your comments. I know that in myself I find it difficult to improve on my better self as I tend to see myself differently to others yet to create a long lasting healthy lifestyle, I am constantly looking to improve myself.
Thanks again for such an interesting article. Look forward to reading more from you!
Ben.
Thanks for your comments Ben. Yes the basis for self improvement is that sometimes we don’t know what or who we’re becoming. Life has a way of organising itself if we allow the process to take shape. Best wishes!
Hello Tony
The importance of self improvement is very true yet the journey is a difficult road to take.
Your article is interesting and I would like to share with some of my work colleagues. Being in HR and advising my employee’s we all have a choice in making our future sometimes goes unrecognised. Your article would instil this very important message both in all our professional and personal lives.
I’m glad I “bumped” into your article this morning and I look forward to reading future articles.
regards
Emma-Lee
Well commented Emma-Lee and I’m glad you’re also considerate of your employee’s well-being while reading the article. Self improvement is almost like cleaning out your cupboard which you’ve accumulated ‘stuff’ over the years. You sometimes don’t know what will surface, yet the process and end result always work out for the best. Best wishes!