I like to think of it as Personal Evolution. Constantly evolving in every area of our lives. We all do this in some way and on some level, whether were conscious of it or not. Personal Development puts it into a structured format. It’s a tool if you will to assist us in living the life that we want and not the life that seems to be given to us. It gives us clarity, and that’s very important when finding your passions and your life purpose.

I believe everyone should have a personal development plan. You wouldn’t get into a taxi and say “I don’t know where I want to go or what I want to do, but I want to have fun and get me there as soon as you can please”. You would first assess where your are and what you feel like experiencing at the time. This will give you clarity to come up with several choices that will give you this experience and then you will break it down to one choice. This is what a Personal Development Plan will do for you in your life, metaphorically of course.

When creating a personal development plan your first step and probably the hardest is to assess your current standings in the different areas of your life. This can be difficult because you will have to take a very deep and honest look at yourself, something that a lot of people find very difficult to do. This will give you a clear picture of where you are, so you can better plan the route to get you where you want to go. If you follow the process below it will give you a great sense of clarity, and you will be on your way to living the life you were born to live.

**Please Do Not Skip This Step**

Steps for Creating Your Personal Development Plan

1. Create a Word document and type in the following life categories and information.

Career Are you in your dream job? Ask yourself what would I be doing If everything (bills etc.) where fully paid and I had no other responsibilities? Write a paragraph of how you are doing in your career, and if you’re not in your dream career what you would rather be doing. Then on a scale from 1 – 10 1 being the worst and 10 being the best rate your career.

Finance Write a paragraph of how you are doing financially. Have you achieved your financial goals? What actions are you taking to get you there? Now rate your financial state on a scale from 1-10.

Relationships How are you doing in your intimate relationship? Are you with the person you want to be with the rest of your life? Do you have a spiritual connection with them? Give this area of your life a rating a scale from 1 – 10.

Family Are you close to your family? Have you told your mother you love her? Have you given your child a loving hug today? Rate this area of your life from 1 – 10.

Emotionally are you depressed, have panic attacks or are you generally happy? Write a paragraph about your emotional  state at this time. Rate yourself emotionally.

Spiritual Write a paragraph of how connected or disconnected you feel from you higher self / soul.  Rate you Spiritual life.

Character Write a paragraph about how you feel your character is. Are you a caring person? Are you honest? do you have integrity and honor? Rate you character.

Contribution What have you given back to the community or others? have you run a marathon? donated time or money to a worthy cause? Rate your Contribution.

Fun & Adventure Write about the fun & adventure in your life. Trips you have taken recently, activities and events. Rate your fun and adventure in your life.

Here is an example of what it could look like:

Career 5 Currently I am a Desktop support technician. Although I do enjoy what I do, I don’t have the same fulfillment I once did in my career. I want to be a Website designer. I feel I would be helping small to mid size companies in my local area grow their business. I can use my creative skills and there would be some graphic design which I love doing. Currently I am taking a free online course to help develop my skills needed to get into this field. I’m also looking into courses at my local community college.

And you would continue doing the same thing for each category of your life. Type the name of the category, the rating and a paragraph of how you are doing in each area. It’s very important to be honest with your self here. This will take some time to complete if you need to, leave for a while and come back to it latter. Try to have it done in a couple of days when I will post Pt. 2  if you have any questions please post them in the comments section below.

To be continued in Pt. 2

First I would like to say that I respect everyone’s right to their beliefs. This article is in no way, to persuade you to renounce your religion, or anything else for that matter. My intention is to give you my perspective and how it’s helped me.

I was taught from  a young age like most people in this world, about religion. My parents passed down their religion, as did their parents and so on. Throughout my life two things troubled me. First I couldn’t find the answers to my questions in religion, which is where they should logically be. And second  If God loved us so much, was most merciful, and most gracious why would God teach us through fear? My questions where; Where did I come from? Why am I here? What am I to do here? Where am I going when I die? And the truth about God.

I started questioning religion. If everything was created by God then how could a devil exist? What would be the purpose of burning in Hell for all eternity? Why would God the all knowing punish us for Adam & Eve’s sin? Why when religion is posed with a question it can’t answer the standard response is “You must have faith”? Why does religion preach that theirs is the one and only truth (segregation) and all others are wrong? Religion teaches to love your neighbor unless he is of a different faith. There has been countless deaths and wars fought in the name of religion. As a matter of fact there is one going on right now in the Middle East. How can God give us one of our greatest gifts, free will and yet give us commandments which would nullify our free will? Why does religion predominantly preach the word of God but not the experience of God? Why would God the all knowing teach us through books that mainly focuses on evil acts and negative events when the core subject is pure and positive? God is Love and the furthest from God is fear why would all the religious books teach us through fear. The point is I saw allot of contradictions in religions and very few answers.

Answers Through Spiritual Connection

I began to study what I now call “Spiritual Masters” like Jesus, Moses, Muhammad, Abraham, Gandhi, Buddha etc. I began to realize that all of the spiritual masters where teaching us how to live spirituality. In other words they led by example something the leaders of the world have yet to do in my opinion. They did not fixate on the words but on the experience even though all of them where persecuted in some way or another, and in some cases tortured & murdered. A few years ago I found spirituality and that’s where I found my answers.  I now have an understanding of who I am. I feel a strong connection to God and to my soul. I am at peace,  all of which religion could never do for me.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that everything in religion is wrong or bad. Allot of my core morals & values come from religion. I am just saying for me religion left too many questions unanswered, had too many contradictions, induced feelings of  being a sinner and unworthy. Also went about teaching in the wrong way.  Fear begets more fear. I have seen in the past few years a surge in spirituality. It seems more and more people are questioning their beliefs and seeking the truth. I call this the “Shift” and I believe by year 2015 we will reach Critical Mass collectively.

I would love to hear your thoughts on  this subject but please be respectful of others beliefs.

About 75% of women experience mild to moderate premenstrual symptoms. But up to 10% of menstruating women have premenstrual dysphoric disorder a sever sometimes disabling form of PMS.

Symptoms of PMDD?

PMDD is distinguished from PMS by the severity of its symptoms and its impact on the relationships and daily activities. Symptoms of PMDD which occur in the last week of the menstrual cycle and usually improve within a few days after menstruation begins, include:

Persistent sadness or depression

Anxiety being keyed up or on edge

Mood swings often marked by periods of crying.

Persistent anger or irritability

Fatigue, lethargy

Feelings of being overwhelmed or out of control

Flu like symptoms, muscle aches, head aches & joint pain

Breast tenderness

Changes in sleep patterns, problems falling and staying asleep.

Changes in appetite – overeating, lack of eating or specific food cravings.

The cause isn’t clear. Major depression is very common  with PMDD but it can also occur in woman who do not have a history of depression.

Treatment for PMDD

There is no cure for PMDD

Treatment of PMDD is directed at preventing or minimizing symptoms:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) such as Naproxen

Antidepressant (SSRI) reduces symptoms of fatigue, food cravings & sleep problems

Oral contraceptives stop ovulation & stabilize hormone fluctuations which reduce mood swings.

Consuming 1,000mg of Calcium will reduce the physical and emotional symptoms of PMDD B-6 + Magnesium also help

L-Tryptophan + Chasteberry reduce irritability, mood swings anger and head aches associated with PMDD

Diet and lifestyle changes will also help

• Surround yourself with positive people more importantly remove yourself from negative friends, family and acquaintances. I cannot stress this enough, birds of a feather flock together. If your goal is to be rich you cannot achieve this by surrounding yourself with bums, it defies law. Erin Pavlina wrote a feature article in Lightworker Magazine disusing removing toxic friends from your life that I think does a great job in explaining this.

• Visualize, yourself already having achieved your goals. Talk and act as though you are already experiencing the success you seek. The most important thing in this step is to add positive emotions. Feel what it would feel like to already have accomplished the goal. This will align you vibrationally with what it is you are wanting.

• Use affirmations, just before going to bed and just before getting out of bed are the best times for affirmations. Your subconscious mind is alert and attentive during these times.  You can find a list of affirmations and some information on how to use them at Wealth Affirmations.
  
• Write down your ideal future in present tense. Once a day write out how you want your future to be. Write it with all the feeling and emotions you would have if you had what you wanted or accomplished your goals. Do not let the simplicity of this technique fool you, it’s very powerful.

• Live in an attitude of gratitude. Be genuinely grateful for all that you have in your life. This technique will keep you in a vibration of having things and your subconscious will align everything needed to achieve your goals.

• Focus on one goal at a time. So many people try to do too many things at once and they get frustrated so they give up. You could create a list of things you want to accomplish in order of most to least importance. Then just work on one goal at a time. It’s very motivating to see your goals being checked off your list.

• Ask your subconscious good questions. Take several deep breaths through your nose and relax your mind and body. Ask your subconscious questions to help you with your goals. You could ask What is preventing me from accomplishing my goal? How can I is a really good question. How can I accomplish my goal? you will be surprised what your subconscious will reveal to you.
  

• Get sufficient amounts of sleep. Sleep is very important to proper brain function. Also sleep is when your body is repairing it self getting ready for the new day ahead. There is no scientific proof that we need 8 hours a night. Everyone is different and let’s face it you know when you have had enough sleep or not.
  

• Cardiovascular exercises. This will induce the production of neurotransmitters and other brain chemicals. You will be able to focus with greater ease. A 20min jog is all that is needed. A brisk walk, or a bike ride are all good way to pump up your heart.
  

There you have it, 9 simple things you can do to induce change on a subconscious level.

Leave a comment letting us know what your techniques are?

So how do you deal with these stress inducers? One of the first steps in addressing any aspect of your life is to acknowledge the problem.

*    Problem = “There are people and situations that arise on a daily basis causing me stress”.

Now that we know what the problem is we need a solution.
We all know that we can’t control anyone but ourselves. So trying to control others or situations will just add more stress to our lives.

*    We need to change the way we react to others and situations in our life. How do we do that?

Try the following for 30 days:

First assess you daily stress level. On a scale from 1 – 10 one being the least and ten being the most, rate your daily stress level. Record the date and your stress level. “Do This Step First”

In the morning when you wake, set your intention that you are not going to stress out today. Intend that your day will go smoothly, and you will be in a constant state of joy & peace.
Throughout your day be aware of everything in your life to be grateful for. Such as the beautiful sunny day, the fact that you are 10min ahead of schedule, how everyone is going out of there way to help you and so on. This is very powerful.

When you feel your self getting stressed just take a deep breath assess the problem and come up with a solution to solve the problem. For example in the case of a yelling spouse you can take a deep breath and say “I can tell this is really bothering you and I’m sorry” you can then present a solution or a compromise.

I know this sound too simple but most solutions are. If you do this for 30 days and then take an assessment of your stress level you will find that you have lowered your stress level just by implementing the above easy steps.

Dr. Wayne Dyer said it best when he said “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”

According to researchers Meditation has been around for for a very long time. The earliest recorded mention of meditation, occurred in Hindu Scripture approximately 5,000 years ago in India called Tantras. In recent years there has been an upsurge in Meditations popularity, due to Americans becoming more health conscience, and the scientific research findings That Meditation has a multitude of benefits. So I think it’s safe to say that Meditation has been and will be around for a very long time.

Why have so many people in different cultures, races, and religions practiced Meditation? What is the purpose? What are the benefit’s? Why should I practice Meditation?

The following is a list of just a few of the plethora of benefits Meditation can have:

Physical Benefits

• Healing from chronic diseases (allergies, arthritis etc.)
• Lower heart rate.
• Decreased high blood pressure.
• Lowering risk for cardiovascular disease.
• Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing.
• Improved post-operative healing.
• Higher levels of DHEAS, decreasing the aging process.
• Increase in the immune system.

Psychological Benefits

• Increased ability to deal with difficult situations and people
• Decreased anxiety, depression and irritability
• Increased clarity in thinking
• General feelings of well-being
• Normalized brain wave activity
• Increased learning ability
• Greater creativity
• Increased levels of energy
• Increased emotional stability
• Increased self-control

Spiritual Benefits

If done correctly, meditation can energizes your awareness, bringing peace, expanding your capacity to love unconditionally, and creates a connection to infinite intelligence or Source (God).

With all of these benefits and more I would highly recommend adding Meditating to your self development program.

 The definition of Depression is a mental state, characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy, and a despondent lack of activity.

 Research has shown that depression is caused by an imbalance of naturally occurring substances in the brain. Neurotransmitters, one of which are called Serotonin. These Neurotransmitters are central to behaviour, mood, memory, sleep, pain perception, learning, and sexual urge. These are all symptoms of Depression. This is why Doctors perscribe Prozac, Lexapro and many more which are a class of drug called SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). These drugs increase the level of Serotoninin the brain but they also have a lot of side affects.

 I feel one of the most important things you can do when living with Depression is to learn to pickup signs of when depression is about to come on. The earlier you catch it, the more of a chance you have to prevent it. The following are some ways to reduce the affects of depression.

• Get 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night
• Well balanced diet
• Daily exercise
• Become active in activities you enjoy
• Socialize
• Support Groups
• Avoid negative situations
• Meditation

Send me your comments on how you are dealing with your depression.

Depression is very common and everyone suffers from depression at sometime in their lives. The feelings of sadness become stronger and have a significant impact on life. There are a number of factors that occur to create the feelings of anxiety that happen when under a lot of stress, then depression take control of your life.

For example, moving at the same time as going through a divorce can lead to feelings of inadequacy and failure. Self confidence and self esteem can go crashing through the floor.

Having very negative thoughts and feeling very low (or numb) can lead to guilt and frustration as well as a sensation of being overwhelmed. Being tired and fatigued with no energy to do anything can lead to no motivation to want to do anything.

Sometimes, sleep patterns can become disturbed so that sleeping too much or not at all happens. Wanting to stay in bed is common. Avoiding friends, family and doing activities that are normally enjoyed together makes it difficult for someone with depression to take control.

Normal behavior changes and people experiencing depression start to rely on mood elevators such as drugs and alcohol to make them feel better, and improve their frame of mind.

Gaining a better understanding on how to deal with and overcome depression can start by learning different coping strategies. Life will slowly start to change. It’s not an instant fix and the treatment of depression can take some time. It’s time to take control and put a practical action plan to regain control of your life again. Begin by developing a healthier approach to life. This can take time and effort from you. It may be about retraining your thought processes and there are many different strategies and techniques that will work differently for each individual.

Evaluate how you are thinking and then start to develop a more realistic thought process. Remember that it’s going to take time, and practice. How good will it feel when you can be happy, and in control of your life once more. There are many challenges to finding happiness and it all starts with you. Don’t give up!