15 QUESTIONS TO YOUR SELF-DEVELOPMENT

By: East Harlem Journal

Published January 21, 2013, in Education, Living

From the book, Lessons for a new Generation, by Alberto O. Cappas

A book for Self-Development, Character Building, and Critical Thinking….

The following fifteen (15) questions are designed to help with your self-development process. The questions also will work to develop clarity of vision of who you are in relation to your presence on this planet.

It is not enough to live from day-to-day without examining one’s life’s journey of choices and decisions.

Take the time to provide answers to the following questions. If addressed seriously, these fifteen questions will help to enhance your purpose and quality of Life.

Learn to truly appreciate why you are a living creature on this planet!

Get out of the “Box” – and be you…a unique human being that was made with your individual fingerprints from the onset of your life!

1

Who am I?

Use this question to challenge yourself. TRULY examine what you have become since your day of birth. Begin to see how you can carve out the real you. It is never too late to turn the corner and start anew.

2

Why am I here?

Give thoughts to the reason why you were born. Is it an accident, or is there a spiritual or divine purpose for your existence? Are you here to give or to take? Take a good look at the events of the world and how you are linked and connected to them. What can YOU contribute?

3

Am I living out my dreams?  Do I have dreams? If not, why?

Are you working as a doorman but want to be a painter? Are you employed in a job that you dislike but stay just to collect retirement benefits after twenty years on the job?  Do not let your dreams pass you by. Get on your skates and skate forward! Take the risk!

4

Am I doing what I want to be doing with my life?

Instead of saying: “I hope my dreams come true”, why not say: “I will work and plan to make my dreams come true.” There is a reason for dreaming. Speak with conviction and seriousness about your dreams because it is only you that can make them happen so speak about them with authority that you are putting the effort to make them happen.  This is no joke.   Dreams are like blueprints and designs but they are designing your life…the life that will be facing you in the mirror every morning you wake up. Do not let your dreams remain dreams. Bring them to life by pursuing an Education and having a Plan. Write down your dream and start putting the steps you think can get you there.

5

Am I living a life based on other people’s expectations?

Do what you need to be doing, and not what others want you to do. Remember that the expectations must come from you, and not from anyone else. You are the gatekeeper of your aspirations on this planet. The expectations are yours to design and navigate.

6

Am I happy? If yes, why am I happy? If not, why not?

Make up your mind to be happy. Do not allow or give power away to others to direct and control your emotions.  Control your ego, understand the influence of family, and appreciate your association with the Universe. Smile with the Sun, not at the Sun.  Dance with the Moon, not at the Moon. Be happy! You and the Universe are one and good efforts are rewarded.

7

Is my present situation based on a risk taken or on an opportunity provided?

Are you cruising in life, taking anything that comes your way without an honest examination of yourself in relation to these opportunities? Take the time to think about things you would truly like to be doing and what you need to do to get there. You are to create the Plan step by step to achieve your goal even if you have to make changes (in your Plan) along the way.  That is okay! The important thing is NEVER TO STOP TRYING. Stay focused. You need to appreciate and welcome the element of Intelligent Risk and let go of what you now have so you can move forward with your real purpose and mission.

8

Where do I expect to be in the next 10 to 15 years?

Stop cruising and begin to see yourself 5, 10, and 15 years from now. What do you see? What would you like to see? This very moment is the right time to plan seeds for your Tree so you can enjoy the Fruits of your labor tomorrow. Begin investing today. Tomorrow never comes for those that do not take the time to design it.

9

Have I maintained a system of values and standards to govern my life?

How do you live your life from day to day? Is there something inside of you that stops you from doing something you don’t want to do? How do you arrive at making important decisions or choices?  Have you taken the time to examine your inner strengths? Do you have the ability or will to make changes if things are not working for you with what you have already tried?

10

Am I a consumer or a provider? Do I know the difference between the two?

A consumer consumes (takes). A provider provides (gives). You need to address this question very seriously if you want to move to a higher level of awareness and consciousness. The answer you find will be a big step in formulating the way you decide to live your life.

11

What are my strengths and weaknesses as a human being?

You need to seriously look at yourself and determine the strengths and weaknesses of your human tools. For example, if you hate or dislike reading, you would not want to take a job as an editor or proofreader even if the pay is great.  Use your strengths to get where you need to go, as well as to understand your weaknesses. As human beings we all have them. The more we learn about ourselves, and read about different interests, the sooner we get where we want to go. Read, use the computer, attend lectures, and ask questions. Always make room for curiosity.  Curiosity means you are open to wanting to learn more and, therefore, can get exposed to many new things which can enhance your knowledge base towards your Plan.  Just get started!

12

What are my hobbies? Do I have any positive hobbies? If not, why?

Take the time to understand the origin of your interest in hobbies. Hobbies can be an extension of your purpose and mission on this planet. Properly utilized, hobbies can help you with your personal growth and development as a person.

13

Have I explored the potential of my hobbies?

Hobbies are sometimes hidden treasures that can lead to a career or business enterprise. Get to understand the value of your hobbies and examine how they can help you grow and develop spiritually and economically.

14

Do I understand the difference between being religious and being spiritual?

Many people believe in God. They attend church for their religious guidance. Others do not attend a church but also believe, taking upon themselves the need to reach out and talk directly to God or the Supreme Being.  What about you? Are you a religious person? Are you a spiritual person? Can you be both?

15

When I look in the mirror, what do I see?  Am I able to honestly verbalize that image? If not, why?

Be happy with who you are. Understand your mind and your body; look into the spirit and the soul of your being. Use this question to confront the real you and work to obtain the highest level of self-awareness about the person you are capable of becoming. Have the courage to say goodbye to your negative associations as well as to negative habits. As long as you are alive, you are still in the game of life. Play by the rules, and use your good judgment and good intuition to guide you in the journey. And if you want to change the game, you first need to learn the game before effectively making any changes in the game. Be open to the advice of your elders who have been through battlefields that they can help you to avoid so that your journey to success is not interrupted.

For more information or to order the book for your students or children, go to www.educationalpledge.com or go to any online book outlet to place an order

The 11 Mental Health Habits of Highly Successful People

In: Health | comment : 0

“Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed.” – Abraham Lincoln

Do you feel like a success in your life?

If you are like most people, even if you answered “YES” to this question, you likely have some qualifiers. After all, no matter how successful you are, you could always be more successful! And you don’t have to look around very hard to find others to compare yourself to not only who have it better than you do, but seem to have it all!

For the many discouraged souls who answered “no” to my question, dashed hopes, missed opportunities and past mistakes loom larger than life. For some, life’s setbacks are proof that they rank among life’s “losers.” For those individuals, failures in schooling, career, marriage, parenting, and friendships take a huge toll on self-esteem. To add insult to injury, we might learn that our seemingly ordinary high school or college peers have become more successful than we could ever imagine. Boy, some people have all the luck!

If you are among the ones that are feeling like success has skipped over you, how about starting today a lifetime of smashing success?

As Abraham Lincoln’s quote so aptly infers, it’s really what your thoughts are that determine if you are successful or not. After all, we have watched so many rich and famous public figures falling dramatically into addictions, despair, and disgrace. It is clear that outward success does not always mean you are a success in life, no matter how much fame or fortune you have attained. Just think of the 1950’s movie, Citizen Kane. This classic film depicted the plight of the very successful newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst, whose life of emptiness, insecurity, and narcissism served as a direct contrast to his outward success.

Thus, when we think of The 11 Mental Health Habits of Highly Successful People, we need to focus less on what things seem to be so that we can give up the notion that success comes mostly from the outside. That means we can all feel like successes if we just work on our attitude, no matter what how much money we have, the kind of car we drive or the neighborhood that we live in! In essence, positive people are more successful in life!

The following are the mental health habits of truly successful people in life:

1. Successful people do not measure themselves against anyone else’s yardstick.

They know well that if we evaluate success in comparison with others, even the most accomplished of us will end up falling short. Once you fall in the comparison trap, there will be no end to dissatisfaction. There’s always someone smarter, wealthier, more attractive and more accomplished!

2. Truly successful people compare themselves only to themselves!

While they choose not to compare themselves with others, they compare themselves only with themselves. Those with a successful mindset constantly improve on yesterday. After all, they are strong believers in the notion that the most important room in the world is the room for improvement!

3. Those with a successful mindset forgive themselves for everything.

Those successful souls that are energized and motivated by lessons from their setbacks refuse to beat themselves up over them. They are not judgmental of what they lacked in foresight, even with things that have become so obvious with hindsight. They realize that being human is a work in progress and mishaps only make them more genuine, deeper, and empathetic.

4. Successful people focus on their life as a WHOLE rather than focusing on THE HOLES.

Rather than focus on what is missing in their lives, they appreciate what they have. They tend to be grateful rather than bitter. They expect that the road to success will have some detours, bumps, and potholes. They have made peace with the fact that progress never goes in a straight, uncomplicated line.

5. Successful people move forward, despite occasional backward glances.

Even if progress seems slow, they do not give up and go back. They believe that revisiting past decisions that did not turn out only serve to be discouraging, and they prefer to live in the present, going onwards and upwards! Besides, they know that some things that don’t turn out end up being just what they needed after all! They know that “woulda, coulda, shoulda’s,” will make them stuck in reverse gear, and they are smart enough to know that is no way to drive any distance!

6. Asking for help is seen as a strength, not a weakness, in the highly successful mindset.

Those who have tasted success realize that success is never only about them. They are thankful for the many people along the way that helped make it happen. When they need help, they ask for it. They are not ashamed to need others.

7. People who are successful share the love!

That’s right! Instead of being stereotypically competitive and egocentric in climbing the ladder of success, truly successful people in life share the love with others! They realize that love is more important than anything else, and do not neglect loving relationships in a quest for success. They are more likely to love than judge those close to them, and know that part of loving others is accepting unconditionally, flaws and all. They also know that often the best way to do something for yourself is to help others!

8. With a watchful eye on their goal, successful people find success in the journey itself.

The process is not just a means to an end, and the journey is as important as the destination. They do not caught up in the idea that “when …….. happens, then I will be a success.” Rather, a sense of self worth is with them all along the way, and is not something to find only when they get there!

9. Those who are truly successful have nothing to prove.

Individuals who want to continuously prove themselves will always be sorely disappointed. Proving yourself entails looking for outside recognition, which does little when compared to inner recognition. Rather than prove themselves, successful people strive to actualize themselves.

10. Success is not measured by how hard you fall, but in how determined you get back up.

For successful people, resilience is the name of the game. Stumbles are viewed as precursors for success, and lessons learned offer opportunities to build character and develop wisdom.

11. Successful people are Doers, not Stewers.

They don’t wait for life to give them what they want or deserve, but work hard for anything they get. They refuse to sit on the sidelines of life, expecting that things should happen for them – Rather, they make things happen! In essence, they accept the cards they are dealt with life and are too busy playing their hand to complain about any lousy cards.

From: arkarthick.com