4 Habits of Personal Development

Guest Post by Lucy Smith Since starting my personal development journey I have formed many habits that support me daily. I used to suffer badly from anxiety and depression which is how I got into personal development. I was seeing a counselor who had recommended the book 'Finding Peace In A Frantic World'. Then realized how many self-help books are out there and started reading them. I'm going to share with you the habits that I've added into my day to improve my mindset, overcome anxiety and depression and become a confident, successful coach.

1. Mindfulness I'll have to admit when I first realized all the benefits of mindfulness, I still wasn't keen. I didn't think it was for me or that it would work. I think I was also afraid of being alone in silence with my thoughts, that I would be overwhelmed, not able to control them and that it would make the thoughts surface. It took me a while to get committed to mindfulness, I'd meditate one day then not for a week. Once I started meditating daily, it made a huge difference to my mindset. It's amazing the difference you feel instantly. I love guided meditations on YouTube and there are several podcasts around too, you can search for any type you like. I personally like confidence, positivity and motivation type ones to start my day. It starts me off in the right mood and helps me have a positive, productive day. I also use meditation daily for stress relief, if I feel stressed or overwhelmed I spend a few minutes alone focusing on my breath to bring me back to the present moment and realize that whatever I'm stressing about isn't worth it.

2. Practicing Gratitude This is something I've loved from day one. I've always been a grateful person so thought about it regularly anyway but writing it down made it so much more powerful. I focus on 3 things every day that I am grateful for and make them as specific as possible. Record 3 things I'm grateful for in my journal every morning as well as a gratitude jar where I write one very specific thing and the end of the day that I am grateful for that day. I can then look back through this jar whenever I need a boost and it makes me feel happier instantly.

3. Affirmations I have a list of affirmations saved on a memo on my phone so I have easy access to them. I read them daily as part of my morning routine to get my confidence up and believe in myself ready for the day ahead. They can be anything that you choose - simple statements like:

1. I'm strong

2. I am powerful

3. I'm confident

4. I am healthy

Or they could be more specific, about a personality characteristic you would like to have or business-related goals. For example:

1. I'm committed to a productive morning routine to give me the best start to a positive day

2. Focus on learning new things daily to develop myself as a person and to grow my business by reading at least one new book a month I came across some Law of Attraction type affirmations that I found really powerful to use:

3. I'm a magnet for money, money flows freely into my life

4. My income is always increasing, I deserve to earn the money I am worth

5. My income potential is unlimited

6. I ask for it, visualize it, claim it, expect it and receive it

7. I attract positive, energetic and reliable clients into my business daily

4. Exercise I exercise for at least 10 minutes a day, I do this within the first 30 minutes of waking up so it helps me to wake up and get ready for the day. Studies have shown that exercise releases positive hormones into the brain and is great for relieving anxiety and stress. I find that exercise helps me get set for the day and be more positive and productive. With exercise having such a huge impact on both your physical and mental health you'd be crazy not to have it as part of your morning routine. If it's something that you find boring and don't feel motivated to do then find a way to enjoy it. There are so many forms of exercise that you can definitely find one that you enjoy, whether it's walking, running, yoga or finding workouts on Pinterest or fitness blogs - find something that you love to do and do it daily. I hope these habits help you on your personal development journey and improve your mindset and life like they have mine.

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