How Personal Development Can Lead to Improved Mental Health

Personal development can directly transform your mental health. According to one study published in the International Journal of Mental Health Systems in July 2016, identity development and environmental conditions play a role in mental health. What does this mean for you? It means that by growing your behaviors, thought processes, and relationships, you can improve your mental health.

Personal Development Tips for Improved Mental Health

Reframing Our Mindset

Reframing your mindset means flipping the narration of thoughts in your head. Negative experiences happen to everyone, and some are more traumatic than others. Some people can take a horrific trauma and use it to strengthen their resilience. These people come out on the other side confident, determined, and full of purpose with a positive outlook. They will go far.

You can have this new mindset. It may take working with a counselor to identify the negative thoughts and behaviors and reframe them into productive thoughts and positive habits. It will take time and, very often, healing.

Reframing is a technique used in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which is a proven therapy method for a wide assortment of mental health conditions. A therapist can assist you in finding evidence to support your new positive thoughts. This evidence is confirmation that you can do something.

For example, if you have a problem with overeating, you may identify your negative thoughts as, “Food makes me feel good when I feel lonely” or “Who cares if I’m overweight. No one loves me.” You can learn to replace those thoughts with positive ones like, “I may feel lonely temporarily, but food doesn’t fix it. Only God can fill my heart” or “I’m worth loving.”

Then, find supporting evidence. What do you know about a situation or what has worked in the past? You may need to remind yourself that when you are feeling lonely that you have a support system. Maybe it is a close friend or relative, a counselor, or a support group. Or you may need to remind yourself that you do have people that love and care for you. If that is the case, make a list of these people and reach out.

The Joy of the Lord is My Strength

Joy and happiness are great combatants to stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, many times we put off things that could bring us happiness due to time constraints and other responsibilities.

You may be aware that working out is known as a great stress reliever. Long-term this behavior could edge out chronic anxiety and lift your spirits from depression. However, many people complain about not having enough time to properly exercise.

But what if seeking out small increments of joy and happiness daily is enough to make managing stress easier? Could you find the time then? What about short 15-minute sessions? You could relax in a chair and read or knit. You could work on a favorite hobby like writing stories, building models, or painting. You could garden, practice yoga, or take a daily 15-minute walk. You could sign up to learn a new activity. Any activity that brings your heart and soul joy could make all the difference in your mental state.

Learning to Strengthen Our Relationships

God made Eve for Adam in the Garden of Eden for companionship. He knew that humans need other humans to thrive. However, sometimes we get our lines crossed and cause hurt feelings and offense. Personal development in communication will help you to learn how to show compassion and empathy towards others. It also teaches you how to listen and to express your own needs to those you love.

Everyone has a unique personality. We can easily observe this with infants. Some are fussier than others. Some babies prefer to watch adults and try new things. As we mature into adulthood, other factors influence our personalities including environmental challenges, rejection, experience, and trauma.

Not only do we need to learn to communicate well with others, but we need to adopt acceptance and love for ourselves. It is not a selfish endeavor to love yourself. You are remarkable in God’s eyes, no matter your past. When you can see yourself as He sees you, then you will realize your worth and the worth of other people – all of whom He created.

A faith-based therapist can work with you to create a personal development plan for relationships. In some cases, this therapy will help you accept and move on from an apology you never received, draw closer to others, and make amends for your own hurtful actions towards people.

Taking on a Larger Role at Work and Home

In the New Testament, Jesus told of the parable of the talents. Each man was to take personal responsibility with what he had been given and use the talents wisely. If not, the consequences were inevitable. God has given each of us specific gifts and responsibilities here on Earth. It is our job to take personal responsibility at home and work as if we are working for the Lord.

Personal development comes into play when you take stock of your strengths and weaknesses. By searching out ways you can upgrade your skillset, you will find that not only do you rise in the workplace, but you will also strengthen relationships even at home.

More importantly, you will develop confidence in your abilities. This confidence changes the way you see yourself. You may notice an improvement in the way you carry yourself – the way you walk and talk.

When we accept that we can make positive changes in our lives by forming new habits, learning new skills, and challenging our minds, it opens new doors. New opportunities present themselves when you are ready to take responsibility. God created you and laid out a purpose for you. Nothing can stop Him from moving in your life. You want to be prepared.

Minding Our Mindfulness

The only way we can truly see where we are on the path to personal development is to implement mindfulness before we react to situations. By taking a moment to gather our thoughts and sort out the truth from the lies, will we be able to act accordingly.

If your mind fills with negative and hurtful thoughts (the lies we tell ourselves), learn how to flip those thoughts and perceptions. These new truths can help us to behave rationally despite obstacles. This is how we build emotional resiliency.

We also need to analyze what is working and what is not. Do you feel like you have a good grasp on your communication skills, but you are still butting heads with a coworker? Can you learn how to manage conflict resolution in the workplace? Can you speak with someone that specializes in handling those types of situations?

What you are doing may be correct and it might have more to do with the other person’s thoughts and behaviors, but you cannot reach that conclusion until you know that you have made every effort on your part.

Mindfulness has become a mainstream method in recent years for many conditions. From adults with overeating behaviors and eating disorders to children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, mindfulness is a practice you can use for just about any issue.

Learning to slow down and focus on your breathing and bodily sensations, you become more attuned to what your mind and body need in the present. There are several different types of mindfulness meditations including body, mind, and movement. Some people prefer to use movements found in yoga during meditation and prayer to center themselves and to “feel” the tension and release.

Christian Counseling for Improved Mental Health

If you have trouble knowing where to begin, ask for help. Therapists are here to assist you in setting goals for every area of your life. Depending on your situation, this may mean sitting down to discuss what it is you want in life and creating a road map to get you there.

Your personal development plan might include small steps for you to try each week. Everyone’s path is different, and we want to see you grow into the potential God designed for you.