Personal development skills allow you to accelerate your growth as an individual. That means you are not growing by chance. You can design it.
Unfortunately, most sources on personal development focus on concepts and theories. While these are great ways to convince you to make the most of your life, they don’t move us into action.
Personal development skills will help you move toward your goals. Developing them is a wise move.
Personal Development Skills
Personal development is an inward journey, a quest to uncover the potential within us, and the pursuit of growth that leads us to our highest selves.
It’s an ongoing process of self-awareness (“kamalayan sa sarili”) and self-improvement (“pagpapabuti ng sarili”), pushing us to become better than we were yesterday.
Nine skills stand out as crucial stepping stones on this journey.
For each, I offer a simple, practical first step that you can take to begin nurturing these skills in your life.
The first skill is self-awareness (kamalayan sa sarili).
As the foundation of personal growth, self-awareness is the understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, emotions, beliefs, and motivations.
The first step here is to spend a few minutes each day in self-reflection. Ask yourself what made you happy, sad, or frustrated today, and why.
Secondly, there’s emotional intelligence (emotional na katalinuhan), the ability to understand, use, and manage emotions in positive ways.
Start by acknowledging your feelings when they arise, name them, and consider what might have triggered them. This simple practice can help you better understand your emotional reactions.
Thirdly, resilience (katatagan) is key.
Life’s journey is riddled with obstacles and setbacks. Resilience is our ability to bounce back from these challenges.
As a first step, practice reframing negative experiences, looking for a lesson or silver lining in every situation.
The fourth skill is self-motivation (pansariling pagpapakilos).
This internal drive pushes us towards our goals, even in the face of adversity.
To boost self-motivation, start by setting a small, achievable goal. Celebrate when you achieve it and set a new one.
Fifth, there’s time management (pamamahala ng oras).
Effective use of time boosts productivity and lowers stress.
Begin by identifying where your time goes. Keep a log for a few days, and you’ll start to see how you can use your time more effectively.
Sixth is critical thinking (kritikal na pag-iisip).
This skill lets us objectively analyze and evaluate issues to form a judgment.
Start practicing critical thinking skills by questioning what you read and hear. Don’t accept information at face value, and look for evidence to support claims.
Seventh, communication (pakikipagtalastasan) is the process of effectively expressing thoughts, feelings, and ideas, and understanding those of others.
Begin by focusing on your listening skills. The next time you have a conversation, make it your goal to listen more than you speak.
Eighth, adaptability (kakayahang umangkop) is crucial in our fast-paced world.
Adaptability is our ability to adjust to new conditions.
Start small, by changing a routine or trying something new. It can be as simple as trying a new type of cuisine or taking a different route to work.
Lastly, lifelong learning (pagkatuto habangbuhay) is the ongoing, voluntary pursuit of knowledge.
As a starting point, pick a topic you’re curious about and learn something new about it each day. There are plenty of free resources available online to help you do this.
Embarking on the journey of personal development is like planting a garden. It requires patience, effort, and time.
