Personal Development on a Shoestring Budget
Self Improvement Doesn't Need to be Expensive and Costly
Sep 1, 2009
The credit crunch and the present economic situation, has led many people to evaluate their activities and expenditure in many areas both personally and professionally. One of areas which tends, to take a back seat during these challenging times, is personal development activities. However, it is during these times, that greater effort needs to be expended because challenging times require an individual to “step up,” to meet the many challenges and obstacles.
Challenging times require innovative ways of dealing with the opportunities and obstacles. The “old rule book” no longer provides all the answers or directions to what many people have to face. Additionally, what worked a few months or a year ago may not be very helpful now and may not prove to be beneficial moving forward.
This is the reason why it is important to consistently engage in personal development, because as life evolves, so will personal growth. Some will actively engage in personal development activities, thereby increasing the opportunity to fast track development, whilst others will adopt a reactive approach to the challenges, thereby running the risk of missing out on vital learning opportunities and experiences and further development.
Personal development need not be a costly outlay either and there are many activities which do not require spending any money at all. Furthermore, personal development need not be seen as a tedious or cumbersome task because this will defeat the objective. An individual will benefit tremendously if the personal development journey is seen as positive exercise one which is driven my personal ambition and motivation.
The Benefits of Personal Development
Over the last decade, there has been an explosion of personal development courses, seminars and literature and people branding themselves as experts or gurus. Some of these gurus even go as far as charging thousands of dollars for courses, seminars, teleconference calls, which incidentally can add up to be very costly.
Such costs may not be affordable for people who are financially challenged especially during the current recession, but that should prevent an individual from benefiting from personal development via other free or low cost activities.
There are a number of benefits in engaging in regular personal development activities, including:
- Increase in growth opportunities and development
- Increase in self esteem
- Increase in confidence
- Greater empowerment
- Greater sense of achievement
- Greater clarity in personal and professional arena
- Ability to make informed decisions based on new learning and development
- Gain confidence to push comfort zones further away
- Setting goals continuously
- Adopting a positive approach to personal and professional life
Personal Development Activities on a Shoestring Budget
Personal development doesn't need to be an expensive affair and in actuality, many activities can be done for little or no money at all. There are many activities which do not cost a lot of money, yet the benefits are innumerable. The following list may serve as a reminder of such activities:
- Journaling as a self improvement activity – A journal need not cost money at all. Daily journaling enables an individual to actively work through, thoughts, emotions, dreams, goals, ambitions as well as challenges and obstacles
- Reading biographies – Borrow biographical books from the library. A lot can be leaned from historical figures who have faced many trials and tribulations
- Creating a peer group support network – Three or four trusted individuals can meet either in person or Skype (free) on a weekly basis and identify and discuss challenges. It is also a great opportunity to hold one another accountable.
- Taking time out to engage in activities that are enjoyable – Who says personal development has to be structured regime? Engaging in enjoyable activities is also a form of personal development!
- Seeking out role models and mentors – Find others who may be able to provide invaluable guidance in a mentor role to help you navigate through life's challenges.
- Attend free seminars, workshops and courses – Attend a personal development workshop, class, etc. to pick some further personal development tips. It is also a great opportunity to network with other people who engage in personal development.
Personal development comes in all forms and activities ranging from thousands of pounds to virtually cents or pennies. However, this is entirely dependent upon an individual’s budget and commitments, both personal and professional.
Activities which lead to individual growth are worth exploring and there is a plethora of activities currently available, which doesn’t cost any money. The benefits of undertaking personal development are great and an individual can continue to reap the rewards long after the challenging economic time ends.
In these challenging and turbulent economic times, personal development need not take a back seat; instead, personal development activities need to be increased. Subsequently, such activities will provide invaluable learning opportunities if and when an individual faces challenges and obstacles.
Readers may be interesting in reading aiming high and personal development during turbulent times and positive mindset.
Resources:
- Carnegie, Dale. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. Cedar Publishers. 5th April 1993.
- Nutley, Tony. The Little Book of Personal Development. Lulu.com. March 2008.
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