Great Ways to Spark Personal Growth & Be Happier

Sharon Moore September 08, 2015

Acknowledging your strengths and being grateful for them is one of the best ways to be happy. But there’s nothing wrong with wanting a little more confidence and knowledge, a few more skills, a fitter body, and a better job or relationship. There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to make a better version of yourself.

So how do you grow as a person? Below are different ways to spark personal growth.

Train your mind and body.

Keeping your health in good shape helps you stay sharp and focused, confident, and less stressed - which are all critical to achieving personal growth. Think about having all sorts of health problems such as poor sleep, higher stress levels, headaches or fatigue. Don’t they sap your energy? Don’t they make you lose motivation? It is hard to feel motivated when you are physically unwell. So above all things, prioritise your health. Training your mind and body through regular exercise, as well as yoga or meditation, is the first step to spark personal growth.

Read more.

Maybe you have less time reading since you started working. You probably miss reading a novel or two weekly but can’t really squeeze in enough time for this long lost hobby. But there are lots of reason why you should pursue it. Reading opens you to an endless source of knowledge. The more you read, the more you know, and the smarter you become. Find time (at least an hour or two) to read every day, and a few more hours on weekends. You will thank your books!

Master a new skill or two.

It is not enough that you learn a skill. Whenever you try to do so, make it a goal to master it. Mastering a new skill improves your confidence and opens you to bigger opportunities. You could probably think of two or three skills that you’d find useful in your profession or the career path you are taking. So what are you waiting for? Find time to master that skill. Enrol in a class. Read more books about it. Picking up new skills will surely make you feel so much more confident.

Learn from others.

If you want to improve your baking skills, talk to pro chefs. If you want to enhance your communication skills, converse more with those who excel in this area. You can learn a lot by interacting with others, especially those you haven’t met before. They can inspire you in many different ways.

Travel more.

Traveling gives us unforgettable experiences that make us happier. But aside from this, it also exposes us to new cultures and environments that will surely expand our knowledge. What’s more, traveling and meeting new people makes you learn more about human social interactions. Traveling shouldn’t be too expensive. There are most likely many local destinations that you haven’t visited yet. Going abroad is also a great experience that you should try at least once in your life.

Feel the discomfort.

We all tend to choose the spot where we feel most comfortable at. But when you settle on your ‘comfort zone’, you also stop learning. It may be difficult and really stressful at first, but trying out something new and jumping into an unknown territory that you spark personal growth. There are so many benefits of doing this. First, you give yourself the opportunity to discover your innate skills and strengths that you never know existed! Second, it lessens your fear and anxiety over so many things. Third, it makes you learn how to cope well during stressful situations. You don’t have to do extreme things like taking the world’s highest bungee jump. Taking small risks one at a time is the best way to conquer your fears and be a much better person.