Today we take a look at four areas of our lives that when we work on them, can help us improve everything else!
In my last blog (Are We Taught To Love Ourselves) I wrote about self-care and recognising your worth as one of my tips because we often get so busy that we don’t prioritise our own needs. Being proactive in making time for yourself is a great way to improve your well-being and increase your happiness.
I’m using Stephen Covey’s framework from Habit 7 (Sharpen the Saw from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) as it’s easy to think about each of the four dimensions; physical, mental, spiritual, and social/emotional, and then apply them in our own lives. I admit there are no quick fixes, but by exploring your activities in each of these areas and incorporating them into your life, I know you will feel the benefits!
Each week I think about what I’m doing for each dimension and plan for them in my diary, it may be an idealistic plan, sometimes things come up and I can’t complete every activity, but they are there kept in my awareness as important things to do which helps me to catch up or re-plan.
I hope by sharing this, you too can think about these aspects and make changes that help you to work on your own personal development.
Physical
I firmly believe that your health is the most precious thing you have, and you can do things that make you feel better through healthy eating and exercise. This is not about weight loss but changes that will give you a longer, healthier life. Think about the big picture, if you carry on as you do now, what will be the impact on your health in 20 or 40 years’ time? If you don’t like the answer, then it’s time to make some changes.
Find which physical activity you enjoy doing, really make time for it, and commit to it. I recently started to do a group paid exercise class. I know I could do these exercises at home, but something about booking, paying, and doing it with others made me commit and I now look forward to it.
Have you heard the phrase ‘you can’t run from a bad diet?’. If you really want to improve your health, it starts with what you eat. I can’t profess to be the best at this, but we have lots of discussions in my house about balancing the good with the bad (that’s cake for me). Many people have associations with food, so it may be worth digging in a little deeper to see what certain types of food mean to you and when you feel you need them.
Mental
Learning gives you a connection to the world around you and gives you something to talk about with others, I believe that sharing your interests, makes you interesting. I encourage everyone to pick up a book, listen to a podcast, read from your phone, anything that gives you knowledge, a new perspective or opinion.
I made a commitment last year to read a personal development book each month. Prior to coaching when I was working full time, everything outside of work was for relaxation, but I wish now I started working on personal development so much sooner as it can help with all areas of life.
Writing also is an essential part of learning because of the self-reflection it gives you. Having a journal, gratitude diary, something to write down and think about what is going on for you, whether that’s how you’re feeling, or what you think about certain topics will help you so that when you do come to share your opinions with people you have a sense of clarity. There are journal prompts that can help you on the internet if needed.
Spiritually
People come to spirituality in many different ways as essentially it’s any activity that centers or grounds you, connects and renews, inspires, and strengthens you. Be it prayer, meditation, reading, listening to music, being outdoors, and any other mindful activity. Again it’s making time to do something that is perhaps unfamiliar but try it for a few minutes a day.
This is probably the one area I’m still getting to grips with, making time to be still, not reaching for my phone, or thinking of my do-to list. But I recognise the importance of it and building it into my life. Also, I’ve found it’s often in the quiet times that we appreciate what we have or resolve to change what we don’t like.
Social/Emotional
This dimension goes deeper than making time to be sociable and having fun (although that is important too!). It’s more about living your life in tune with what you value and making a difference to others around you. It encompasses how you behave in every interpersonal connection you have so that you make the most of your relationships. This requires you to be very secure in yourself before you embark on improving relationships. The other side of this is service, the things we can do to selflessly serve others, whether it be people in our family, our jobs, community, or charities.
I know this sounds quite deep, and we don’t often have the time or energy to think about values and relationships, but investing in yourself to discover how this can improve your life is something that can bring contentment, it’s really worth it!
For each dimension, you’ve probably realised that there are no quick fixes, it does take time and commitment, but the good news is, there are lots of ways to work on ourselves to find the solutions that are right for our own lives. My methods will definitely not be your methods, the trick is finding what works for you.
If this article inspires you to make some changes and you’d like support in doing this, please email me at coach@priyamohal.com and we can discuss how coaching will help.
Priya
About the author
Priya is a qualified life and business coach that supports South Asian women to create the life they want. She believes in breaking cultural conditioning in the South Asian community so that women can empower themselves to build happier lives and careers/businesses.