Self-Development

self-development on www.marianamcdougall.com

The journey of self-development is just that: a journey.

Learning to become a better person and improving who you are is not a destination; it’s something we should work on throughout our lives. Self-development isn’t just a buzz word; it’s what you do when you want to become the best version of yourself.

Whether it’s examining how you act within your relationships, how you talk to yourself, or how you play the cards that life deals you, all of us can use a little guidance and push to become the best versions of ourselves.

Self-development is the act of consciously taking steps to improve who yourself, on all levels of your being. Whether it’s by an examination of consciousness (and then acting on that examination), by being open to new perspectives, or by setting out on a new adventure to find new meanings, we all should take the time for personal growth.

This is the section of the blog where I write about becoming the best people we can become, through self-development, personal growth, and more. I may also occasionally add some posts about self-care and self-love, because in order to become who we want to be, we need to first love ourselves as we are, and take good care of our bodies and minds.

If you’re interested in becoming the best version of yourself, be sure to explore the posts in this section. You can also sign up for the mailing list below for more tips on self-development.

Posts about self-development

New Year’s Resolutions When You Don’t Know What to Expect

Mariana

I’ve never been one to make new year’s resolutions. I know they usually fail, and they’re far too vague to be of much use to me. This year in particular, new year’s resolutions seem to be even more futile… after all, how do you make a long-term commitment when the world is upside down and you don’t know what to expect?

But all is not lost; you can still make 2021 a good year. After all, it has to be better than 2020, right? Right….?

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Habitica: An Awesome Self-Development Tool

Mariana

I have a new obsession. It’s called Habitica, and it’s become a huge part of my life for the last month or so.

I had been looking for a checklist app of some kind, so I didn’t have to keep re-writing the same tasks over and over. Bullet Journals and Day Books are fine and all, but there’s only so much time in a day. Sometimes we have to look for speedier ways of doing things. I used to have the app Home Routines on my phone and I really loved it, but once I left the iPhone world, I was out of luck: Home Routines does not have an Android version. In my search for a new checklist-type app, I had run across Habitica before, but I’m not a big fan of pixel art, so I had not given it the time of day. But eventually I decided to give it a shot, and am I ever glad I did!

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How to Be a Good Listener

Mariana

How to Be a Good Listener: Developing Positive Communication Skills

I’m a talker. Sometimes, I talk too much. But over the course of many years and many mishaps, I have finally learned how to be a good listener. I still talk too much, and sometimes I still mess up (a we all do). But I try to truly listen when I’m having a conversation, and to consider someone’s points before responding. This is important in every day conversation, but it’s even more important when conflict is involved.

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Everyone is responsible for their own feelings.

Mariana

When we tell everyone that they’re “responsible for their own feelings,” we lose something we need desperately in our world: compassion.

I see it time and time again when someone mentions being triggered, or when someone has a hard time dealing with a confrontation. There’s always that one person (or several people) proclaiming, “no one controls your feelings but you.” Or “You’re responsible for your own feelings.” Or they quote Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”  And while all that might be true, it ignores one very important factor: the aggressor is responsible for the actions they take, too. And they’re responsible for the consequences of those actions.

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Stop Comparing: You’re Good Enough As You Are

Mariana

I’ve been having a hard time lately, comparing myself with people two to three decades older than me. On days when my pain is especially bad and my joints aren’t cooperating, it’s hard to see a 60-year-old who can move better than me. On days when I compare myself to people like this, I tend to get depressed. And therein lies the problem: we have to stop comparing, because wherever we are, we are good enough.

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Seek to Serve: Improving Yourself by Helping Others

Mariana

I love connecting people to resources, whether those resources are other people, information, or places. And whereas that looks helpful, the truth is, it could be seen as a pretty selfish thing to do. I help others because helping others makes me feel good. And we all like to feel good, don’t we? And making me feel good is not the only advantage of helping others. It turns out that it helps people remember who I am—and that’s pretty good for business.

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Setting Goals That Actually Work

Mariana

So… you’re a procrastinator. It’s OK, you can admit it.

Most of us had no issue calling ourselves out in school. When we were up all night finishing an assignment that was due the next day, we’d just say it: I procrastinated. Then we became adults, and realized adulting is hard. Missing deadlines now have bigger consequences than failing a class. Especially if you’re a freelance writer. Or a mom who’s also a freelance writer. If procrastination is getting you down, it’s time to make things right by setting some goals that actually work.

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Accountability in Practice: How I Stay Accountable with My Personal Goals

Mariana

I’m not great with accountability. Let me rephrase that. I’m an accountable person when it comes to my work. But when it comes to personal goals, I often don’t do well with accountability strategies, such as checking in with an accountability buddy. But I think that’s just because I hadn’t found “my people” yet.

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