Techniques for Self-Development That Improved My Well-Being

Self-development as an important part of self-care. Once you start to focus on assessing how you can be better, you will be inspired to build your goals and reach your full potential in all aspects. I truly believe that we should start investing in ourselves first for us to measure our capabilities and reach our personal goals.

When you start to focus on self-development this can greatly help with maturity, success, and satisfaction but most of all it does not limit you to develop skills in getting ahead with your career, but also to be able to find ways to take care of your health, from your mental health to your physical health.

Ever since I became an adolescent, I have been obsessed with it. As a person who is afraid of change, I have always wanted to outgrow that fear as I believe it has been one of the reasons why I am not reaching my full potential. Until I started to work on it, little by little. Through getting my education, I have learned a lot about self-development, through mentors at work and of course life experience however, I started to dig deeper with it when I experienced depression & anxiety in my early 20s.

I wanted to learn how I can counter them in my way and of course if I need professional help. Of course, the power of Google is where I started to look for the answers and yes I have discovered some inexpensive tips that I have tried and have improved my well-being:

Simple Breather Exercises

Breathing exercises are simple, inexpensive, and very effective in terms of improving your life. Sometimes we get stressed and anxious at work or life in general however, simple breath in and out can help you through these tough moments. Breathing does not take much time of your day, you are already doing it however sometimes we forget to take a pause and appreciate that fresh air. Studies have shown that proper breathing exercises have shown significant increase in reducing stress, insomnia, and anxiety.

You only need a few minutes in your entire day to do this. You can start the moment you wake up, midday, before you sleep, or whenever you feel that you are overwhelmed. You can download an app or simply search "breathing exercise" on Google and you can use their free tool. For someone who is experiencing post partum anxiety and depression these breathing exercises have been very helpful when things get overwhelming at work and motherhood.

It has helped me relaxed, be calm, and make better decisions. I schedule these breathing exercises consistently and whenever I need it. I am now more focused and I can deal with stress & anxiety by simple stepping back to breath in and out.

A Balanced Diet

This is probably one of the hardest tips as it can be a struggle for everyone. Maintaining a good diet requires discipline and effort. We all love indulging in our favorite snacks and soul food however, throughout the years I have observed that the kind of diet that I have contributed to stressors and mental health issues I am dealing with. Food is sustenance, we should not avoid it however what I learned is to have a healthy relationship with it though I am still learning however I started to avoid processed food, soda, and refined sugar as research has shown have a massive contribution to the decline of your mental and physical health

"Like an expensive car, your brain functions best when it gets only premium fuel. Eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain and protect it from oxidative stress — the "waste" (free radicals) produced when the body uses oxygen, which can damage cells." Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food

Multiple studies have found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain function — and even a worsening of symptoms of mood disorders, such as depression.

- Eva Selhub MD, Nutritional psychiatry: Your brain on food

My husband & I have watched Game Changers and it is mind-boggling how the "phrase you are what you eat" has truth in it. I know this can be hard, however seeing the benefits that my Husband and I are experiencing right now can be one of the best decisions you will ever make for yourself.

Start With Simple Workouts

Having a balanced diet goes hand in hand with starting simple workouts. Working in the office or at home can lead to a sedentary lifestyle. Working for 8 hours or more and getting stuck in your swiveling computer chair can affect your overall well-being. During the pandemic, reports have shown a rise in mental health issues as a result of isolation and the lack of movement.

During the height of the pandemic, I got stuck with the very bad habit of just sitting around all day and of course the fear of dealing with COVID-19 and looking for a job as our company closed down. With the time that I have, I started to work out. I searched on YouTube for simple workout for beginners.

The research cast a wide net, including studies on any variety of physical activity, exercise, or movement type and any mental health outcome published between 1990 and 2020. The findings were overwhelmingly positive. Out of 1,158 studies examined, 89% found a statistically significant, positive association between physical activity or exercise and mental health. - New Report: Exercise Plays Key Role in Mental Health & Well-being by Alexandra Black Larcom

I started with 3-minute walks in my living room and I would try to mix it up with simple workouts that only require moving your body. In the first week alone I have experienced small changes such as I wake up feeling refreshed or I have extra energy, which resulted to me getting a lot of things done as I have been feeling very optimistic. Then when I started to do it consistently I noticed that I no longer experience anxiety attacks and feelings of depression. I was also mentally alert and physically feeling well. According to research "exercise produces endorphins, or “feel good” chemicals. It also increases your heart rate, which triggers norepinephrine, a chemical that may help the brain deal with stress more effectively. Plus, exercise helps to increase blood flow to the brain." Mind and body fitness: How exercise can improve your mood by Brooke Showell

Social Media Diet

We live in a society where we are chained to social media, however, we have the power to control our habits. I am one of the people who wake up and directly go to Facebook and Instagram. The fear of missing out keeps us wanting to be digitally engaged. Social Media is not entirely bad, this type of advancement has many positive contributions, we just need to know what we need or what kind of information we need to filter.

The first thing I did is to unfollow pages or accounts that no longer serve a purpose to me or the information their supplying is no longer relevant so that If I go on any social media platforms I can get the best information that is relevant and helpful.

Here are some Instagram accounts that I follow that give advise on self-development, motivational quotes, and more:

Ben Meer | Instagram @SundaySystem

Personal Development

Dan Koe | Instagram @thedankoe

Founder of Modern Mastery & Digital Economics

Writing about human potential, creative work, &

philosophy.

Daily Stoic Podcast | Daily Stoic YouTube Channel

DailyStoic.com | Stoicism for everyday life. Offers free 7-Day Course on Stoicism, packed with the best Stoic exercises, best books on Stoicism.

Reading Self Help Books

If we feed our self with good thoughts we will live a positive life, as the saying goes "negative mind will not lead to a positive life." Your mind is very powerful everything we set our minds into we can achieve. During my most challenging moments I realized that I was no longer feeding my mind with positive thoughts. How can you start feeding your mind good thoughts? It's by reading and filling your mind with positive words.

I personally love the book by Ryan Holiday the Daily Stoic. The Daily Stoic contains 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living. Daily you will get to read excerpts from the philosophers and stoics such as Plato, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius and more. There are many books that you can choose from that fit your style and outlook on well being, you can start by getting one that you like and start your self development journey from there.

Are You Ready To Improve Your Well Being?

Taking a step towards self development is very rewarding and a form of self value. Always remember that we are more than our work, we are more than a parent, and we should always value first our well being as this will definitely set us apart from others. Allow yourself to take steps to improve yourself and reach more by starting today.

At Cinemagic we always push our team members to be their best, not just in the aspect of work but also mentally, spiritually, and physically. We believe that each of us can be a support system not just on each other's professional growth but also personal growth. Let us know your thoughts and comment down below if you have some interesting tips about self development and if you want to be part of our rockstar team, give us a message today at https://www.cinemagics.com/careers