Tag Archive for self-improvement

Why Is Self Development Important?

April 18, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

You’re thinking about starting a self development program. But you’re not sure. It can be an important move for you and GenuLines is here to show you some “whys.”

Why Is Self Development Important?

When you were a kid your doubts, fears and insecurities could cause you to think, “I wish I was somebody else.”

 
man doing self developmentEven today it’s common to think that some or most people are better than us, especially when we’re feeling low. The truth is often very different.
 
You look at a successful young business entrepreneur and say “What else could he ask for?” Yet he may wonder why his friends won’t talk to him any more.
 

Envy

Isn’t it funny? We look at other people and envy them for what seems to us to be their perfect lives.
 
We wish we could trade places with them, while they look at us and think the same thing. We’re insecure about other people who themselves might be insecure about us.
 
The result could be low self-esteem. Or low self-confidence and loss of faith in self development
 

Not So Magnificent Obsession

So it can happen that you spend all your time obsessing about what seem to be your negative points. Yet it might be that they don’t matter to anybody else.
 
At the same time, you could have an irritating habit that you’re not even aware of.
 

Stop, Look and..

One key to self improvement is to LISTEN and TALK to a trusted friend. Find someone you’re comfortable with.
 
Someone who’ll let you open up on even the most sensitive topics you want to discuss. Ask questions in a way that makes it possible for the other person to tell you what is really happening.
 
This signals to the other person that you’re interested in self development. Usually, the person will hesitate to tell the truth right away.
 

Be Gracious

Of course it’s important to accept any comments or criticisms that you hear. You may feel hurt but try not to show it or your listener won’t want to tell you more.
 
Then you may want to check out the results with other people. It doesn’t hurt to get a second opinion.
 
Let’s say you’re the one offering self-improvement suggestions.
 
Start with letting them see that you yourself are following the path of self development. Self improvement makes us better people, more open to the world around us.
 

Re-imagine YOU

It’s vital to stop thinking of yourself as a second-rate being. Forget the repetitive thought of “If only I was richer .. if only I was thinner” and so on.
 
Accepting your genuine self is the first step to self improvement.
 
We all have our insecurities. We can wish we had better things, better features, etc.
 
But life need not be perfect for you to be happy about yourself. It’s more about acceptance and contentment.
 
When you begin to improve yourself you’ll begin to feel contentment and happiness.
 
JohnK 4-18-2022
 

stick man hears about self developmentOverheard: “The longest journey is the journey inward.”

                             – Dag Hammarskjold
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for self development

Personal Growth: Find Things You Need To Work On

February 7, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Life’s ups and downs move you through a process known as personal growth. There’s a lot to keep track of while you make this journey.

This “road map” from GenuLines can help make your sailing a little smoother. 

Personal Growth: Find Things You Need To Work On

Personal growth is the process of developing and bettering yourself. You can work on this throughout your life.
 
How does a person figure out what parts of their life they need to work on? Everyone has some part of like they need or want to improve.
 
It’s one thing to want to improve some part of life. It’s another thing to actually do it.
 
How do you go about making a change in your life? Especially if you’ve spent most of your life up to this point living day-to-day?
 
Thinking of personal growth
 
 
Do you ever think about the things in your life that you’re sure you’d like to change? Finding things, you need to work on is not as complicated as we make it.
 
Start where you are.
Project You
An important skill for life success is self-development. But self-mastery and general competence in daily life are only the beginning.
 
Tap into your own motivation and drive to find the path to elevate yourself beyond the status quo. You are your own self-development project.
 
You are the boss, the architect, and the quality control team.
 
Start With A-List
Make a list of what YOU think you need to work on. Then pick one and create a plan of tasks to take on one at a time.
 
Do this once a month.
 
Some of your goals will change. Others won’t matter anymore.
 
Some new items will pop up. There is nothing more satisfying than marking off a goal you have accomplished.
Treat Yourself
Making progress is motivating. Reaching milestones lights the fire to keep going.
 
Reward yourself for progress along the way. Rewards don’t have to be extravagant.
 
They could be as simple as watching a favorite movie or treating yourself to a favorite take-out meal. A small treat after hard work, and reaching a goal is a great way to motivate yourself to stay on track and keep going.
 
Celebrate that progress.
 
Network
Share your goals and vision with like-minded individuals. This can be friends, supportive family, or even social media groups.
 
You don’t have to all be in the same physical location to support each other. You’re not alone in your desire for change.
 
Revise, Regroup, And Reframe
 
If it’s broke, fix it. Don’t be inflexible about your methods.
 
When you are working on personal growth you have to be open-minded and a little flexible. Sometimes the best plans fail.
 
It’s ok.
 
Nothing has to be perfect. You have a lifetime to work on improving yourself and reaching goals.
 
If a plan needs adjusting make the change. Then get started again right away.
 
Expand Your Mind
Personal improvement doesn’t happen in a single day. This journey is a process.
 
The change is gradual.
 
There are many ways to create a growth mindset in your life. Browse social media, read self-help books, or psychology books.
 
Consider studying goal setting, attending conferences, and listening to podcasts. to open your mind up to new ways of personal growth.
 
Final Thoughts
These are only some of the tips and tools to help you on the journey to personal growth. Life is an ever-changing journey.
 
At different stages in life, your goals and perspectives may change. Keep going in the process for self-knowledge, self-mastery, and personal improvement.
 
This is one aspect of living a fulfilling and balanced life.
 
JohnK 2-7-2022
 
Stick figure hears about personal growthOverheard: “The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live”
 
                                       ~Mortimer Adler
 
 
 
disclaimer for personal growth

5 Steps To Be More Honest With Yourself

September 6, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Are you honest about the good and bad parts of yourself? You might need some help with the not so good stuff. 

This is where GenuLines steps in to help put the truth on your side. 

5 Steps To Be More Honest With Yourself

You’re serious about improving yourself as a person. And honesty is an important part of the process.
 
Honesty is a key aspect of developing because if you aren’t being honest with yourself, how on earth do you plan to grow?
 
When we choose dishonesty and delusion we’re choosing to see only what we want to see. That might not sound so bad, but it means that you are ignoring a whole lot that you would prefer to avoid.
 
It’s those things that matter the most. You’re securing short-term joy in exchange for long-term happiness.
 
picture of honest
 
Being more honest with yourself might be painful. But it’s a necessary part of furthering yourself.
 
How can you be more honest with yourself?
 
 
 
 
1. Acknowledge The Bad & The Good
We have a way of embracing all the good things in life, while completely ignoring the bad. It’s a bit like social media.
 
We watch only these timelines of pure joy and bliss. And it’s not realistic.
 
People share the best of their lives. It’s a slideshow of their lives and doesn’t paint a true picture of the hardships they might face.
 
We do this, too, whether it’s on social media or in our own heads. It’s just easier to ignore the bad things rather than deal with them head-on.
 
Ignoring problems won’t solve anything, if anything, it will make things worse for you in the long-run. Be honest with yourself about everything good and bad in your life.
 
That balanced view can keep you sane.
 
2. Take Time For Self-Reflection
At the end of each day, take a few minutes to think about how it went. Ask yourself how you did, if there’s anything you did well or could have done better.
 
You can be honest without being too critical or too judgmental. This exercise isn’t about damaging your self-esteem.
 
Rather, it’s about reflecting on the day so that make tomorrow will be better.
 
Reflection helps you learn about yourself. And it can improve your ability to solve problems, too.
 
Allow yourself the opportunity to analyze the day and you get a better picture of what it takes to improve.

3. We All Make Mistakes – Admit It

This is one of the most difficult aspects of being honest with yourself. It’s easy to slip into ego protection mode and fine an excuse or someone else to blame for a mistake.
 
But it won’t help you build a real sense of self-esteem.
 
True self-esteem and confidence lie in being courageous enough to own up to mistakes. When you can stand up and own shortcomings you can learn and grow.

4. Get Into Your Emotions

When people say they’re caught up in their emotions it usually has a negative connotation. Yet, your emotions have an important role to play in how you understand and interact with the world.
 
Emotions aren’t the reality, but they are revealing. It’s revealing when you dig deep to figure out why you feel a certain way.
 
You learn about the things that tend to make you feel that way. What’s more, you’re learning appropriate responses.
 
This is a level of honesty that your stress levels (and social circle) will appreciate.

5. Don’t Get Caught In Analysis Paralysis

As noted above, it’s important to take time for reflection and analyze the day. But it’s also important that you don’t over-analyze.
 
It’s easy to get carried away. You don’t need to rationalize everything or intellectualize about it.
 
There’s no need to create an elaborate story about why bad things happen to you. You need only to note how it is right now and move forward.
 
You don’t need to understand everything that’s going on in the world. Instead be realistic, be practical and be sensible.
 
JohnK 9-6-2921
 
stick man hears about being honestOverheard: “Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.”
                              ~Sigmund Freud
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for honest

7 Ways to Overcome Self-Defeating Behavior

August 9, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Your behavior can carry you a long way, or it can hold you back. And you may be the one keeping it on the negative side. 

Here’s a list of points that GenuLines wants you to consider during your behavior review.

7 Ways to Overcome Self-Defeating Behavior
We tend to think that most opposition comes from around us. A complaining spouse, a controlling boss, a road-raging driver.
 
child's bad behavior
 
 
But something we rarely acknowledge is that we’re often our own worst enemies. Here are a few ways to stop self-defeating behavior.

#1: Let go of victory

It’s nice to win, but you don’t have to win all the time. The lust for victory can keep you chugging along a reckless path.
 
Then again, sometimes it’s good to cut your losses and win a lesson instead.
 

#2: Stop trying to please everyone

You can’t make everyone happy every time. Rushing around to do this is a huge self-defeating behavior.
 
And it can cost you your health and peace of mind.

#3: Accept imperfection

If you seek perfection, you will never find completion. Can you imagine Michelangelo stressing over the Sistine Chapel details?
 
Nothing would ever get done! Imperfection is part of being human, and most of the time, you’re the only one who will notice your mistakes anyway.

#4: End bad habits

These days, most people have bad habits that relate to technology. Like obsessive email or social media checking.
 
Take stock of how you spend your time. Make a detailed log of the minutes and hours, and see how much time you might be wasting with various pursuits.

#5: Overcome fear

Fear is something that holds most people back from living a higher purpose. It doesn’t have to be a direct sense of trepidation.
 
It might come disguised as laziness or avoidance.

#6: Stop being a lone wolf

Everybody needs help sometimes, even the lone wolf. Ask for help when you need it.
 
Whether it’s in business or personal life, make friends, accept help, and seek help when it’s needed.

#7: Drop the guilt

People can change and grow, so you don’t have to let your past hold you back. Most of us grow up with a mentality that we have to slave away for someone else.
 
We cram our enjoyment into the weekend, But you can break free from this thought prison.
 
JohnK 8-9-2021
chiforyourself home
 
Stick figure hears about behaviorOverheard: ” If you want to change attitudes, start with a change in behavior”
                                 ~William Glasser
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for behavior
 

Consider Doing a SWOT Analysis on Yourself

June 18, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments
We’re about halfway through a year-long GenuLines series of articles on self-improvement. It’s a good time to pause for an overall look at how we’re doing. 
 
The following offers a template for doing that.
 
 
call to action for analysis
 

Consider Doing a SWOT Analysis on Yourself

man doing analysis
 
When people create case studies on businesses, they often include a SWOT analysis. SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
 
If you can do this for business, why not consider doing one for yourself?
 
 
 
It can help you gain insight into yourself and reinforce the idea of believing in yourself.
 
The SWOT concept is usually diagrammed in quadrants or squares. Each represents one word or letter in the acronym.
 
You can put any of the words into any square
 
It’s customary, though, to use the upper left square for Strengths. The lower left square is for Opportunities.
 
The upper-right square is for Weaknesses, and the lower-right square is for Threats.
 
Fill up each quadrant with appropriate items relating to the heading of the quadrant. To take this a step further, ask family and friends to help you fill up the quadrants.
 
After you have them all filled, you can decide what needs improvement.
 
Stay positive
Don’t let the negative aspects of this process (Weaknesses, Threats) trip you up. You’re listing them to gain perspective in areas that you need your focus.
 
In fact, some weaknesses you may not want to tackle because it doesn’t interest you. Threats are merely items to be aware of and may help you try to overcome them.
 
The key to success is to be as honest as possible with yourself about all the items included in the analysis. If you aren’t, it isn’t going to help you much, and you may focus on the wrong items to improve.
 
Further, you may not be as strong in some areas as you believed, which also can lead you on the wrong path.
 
A good SWOT analysis is a great foundation for your personal and professional life. You can use it as a tool to advance your goals.
 
You’ll learn about yourself and who you are. But don’t rush this process.
 
You want it to be as representative of yourself as possible. It’s better to take several days or even weeks than to try to list items for the sake of filling up the quadrants.
 
Feeling comfortable with your analysis can help your self-belief.
 
It’s all there for you to reference and to refine your tasks and goals.
 
JohnK 6-18-2019
 
stick figure doing analysisOverheard:  “The analysis of character is the highest human entertainment”
                         ~Isaac Bashevis Singer
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer to help our analysis
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