PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
Human Development focuses on human growth and changes across
the lifespan, including physical, cognitive, social, intellectual,
perceptual, personality and emotional growth.

EVALUATING ONE’S OWN DEVELOPMENT

LIVING MINDFULLY

Living mindfully is like being an artist: you need the right tools to
practice your craft, and you need to constantly refine your technique
Overview of Erikson's Stages of Development. to achieve your creative potential.
Stage 1: Trust vs. Mistrust. In the same way, using the present moment tools below will help you
Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. to hone a consistent mindfulness practice that will in time lead to a
more aware, compassionate and fulfilling way of life.
Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt.

Stage 4: Industry vs. Inferiority.

10 TOOLS IN LIVING MINDFULLY
Stage 5: Identity vs. Confusion.
1. Breathe Mindfully
Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation. 2. Listen Deeply
3. Cultivate Insight
Stage 7: Generativity vs. Stagnation. 4. Practice Compassion
5. Limit Reactivity
Stage 8: Integrity and Despair 6. Express Gratitude
7. Nurture Mutual Respect
8. Build Integrity
9. Foster Leadership
HAVIGHURST`S DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS DURING 10. Be Peace
THE LIFE SPAN
Robert J. Havighurst elaborated the Developmental Tasks Theory  Tool 1: Breathe Mindfully.
in the most systematic and extensive manner. His main assertion is
that development is continuous throughout the entire lifespan, Use your breath as an anchor to still your mind and bring your focus
occurring in stages, where the individual moves from one stage to the back to the present moment.
next by means of successful resolution of problems or performance of
developmental tasks.  Tool 2: Listen Deeply.

Listen with intention; let others fully express themselves and focus
on understanding how they think and feel.

 Tool 3: Cultivate Insight.

See life as it is, allowing each experience to be an opportunity for

learning.

 Tool 4: Practice Compassion.

Consider the thoughts and feelings of others and let tenderness,

kindness and empathy be your guides.

 Tool 5: Limit Reactivity.

Observe rather than be controlled by your emotions. Pause, breathe,  Starts to want both physical and emotional intimacy in
and choose a skillful response based on thoughtful speech and relationships.
nonviolence under every condition.
 Experiences of intimate relationships
 Tool 6: Express Gratitude.
Social Development
Practice gratitude daily and expand it outward, appreciating everyone
and everything you encounter.  Shifts in relationship with parents from dependency and
subordination to one that reflects the adolescent’s
 Tool 7: Nurture Mutual Respect. increasing maturity and responsibilities in the family and
the community,
Appreciate our common humanity and value different perspectives as
well as your own.  Is more and more aware of social behaviors of friends.

 Tool 8: Build Integrity.  Seeks friends that share the same beliefs, values, and
interests.
Cultivate constructive values and consistently act from respect,
honesty and kindness.  Friends become more important.

 Tool 9: Foster Leadership.  Starts to have more intellectual interests.

Engage fully in life and in community. Share your unique talents and  Explores romantic and sexual behaviors with others.
generosity so that others can also be inspired.
 May be influenced by peers to try risky behaviors (alcohol,
 Tool 10: Be Peace. tobacco, sex).

Cultivate your own inner peace, becoming an agent for Mental Development
compassionate action and social good
 Becomes better able to set goals and think in terms of the
future.

THINK - think definition from mindfulness for teen anxiety  Has a better understanding of complex problems and
issues.
T-TRUE
 Starts to develop moral ideals and to select role models.
H-HELPFUL

I-INSPIRING
ENCOURAGEMENT 101: THE COURAGE TO BE
N-NOW
IMPERFECT
K-KIND
Encouragement is the key ingredient for improving your
relationships with others. It is the single most important skill
necessary for getting along with others – so important that the lack of
CHALLENGES DURING ADOLESCENCE it could be considered the primary cause of conflict and misbehavior.

THE PASSAGE TO ADULTHOOD: CHALLENGES OF LATE Encouragement develops a person’s psychological hardiness and
ADOLESCENCE social interest. Encouragement is the lifeblood of a relationship. And
yet this simple concept is often very hard to put into practice.
Physical Development
Half the job of encouragement lies in avoiding discouraging
 Most girls have completed the physical changes related to words and actions. When children or adults misbehave, it is usually
puberty by age 15. because they are discouraged. Instead of building them up, we tear
them down; instead of recognizing their efforts and improvements,
 Boys are still maturing and gaining strength, muscle mass,
we point out mistakes; instead of allowing them to belong through
and height and are completing the development of sexual
shared decision-making and meaningful contributions, we isolate and
traits.
label them.
Emotional Development
Most of us are skilled discouragers. We have learned how to bribe,
 May stress over school and test scores. reward and, when that fails, to punish, criticize, nag, threaten,
interrogate and emotionally withdraw. We do this as an attempt to
 Is self-involved (may have high expectations and low self- control those we love, bolstered by the mistaken belief that we are
concept). responsible for the behavior of everyone around us, especially our
spouses and children
 Seeks privacy and time alone.
Most commonly, we discourage in five general ways:
 Is concerned about physical and sexual attractiveness.
 We set standards that are too high for others to meet because we
 May complain that parents prevent him or her from doing are overly ambitious.
things independently.
 We focus on mistakes as a way to motivate change or improved Being happy is finding strength in forgiveness, hope in one’s
behavior. battles, security at the stage of fear, love in disagreements.

 We make constant comparisons (self to others, siblings to one Being happy is not only to treasure the smile, but that you also
another). reflect on the sadness.

 We automatically give a negative spin to the actions of others.

 We dominate others by being overly helpful, implying that they Being happy is to recognize that it is worthwhile to live, despite
are unable to do it as well. all the challenges, misunderstandings and times of crises.

Being happy is not inevitable fate, but a victory for those who can
travel towards it with your own being.
Encouragement enhances a feeling of belonging which leads to
greater social interest. Social interest is the tendency for people to Being happy is to stop being a victim of problems but become an
unite themselves with other human beings and to accomplish their actor in history itself.
tasks in cooperation with others. The Junior League mission of
“developing the potential of women and improving communities Being happy is not being afraid of one's feelings.
through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers” is
Being happy means allowing the free, happy and simple child
rooted in the idea of social interest.
inside each of us to live;

THE POWER OF PERSONAL DECLARATIONS STRESS

So often we accept the declarations that others have made concerning
Stress is the body’s response to anything that makes us feel
our own lives, wellbeing or fate. It is imperative that we recognize
threatened or pressured.
that in order to achieve what we want in life, we must not give our
power away to others by accepting their declarations concerning our It is caused by any kind of demand, to which we must adapt, adjust,
affairs. or respond.
I DECLARE: STRESS MANAGEMENT
 that I am totally free of all addictions. A practical way of defining stress is the feeling one gets from
 that I will survive any attempts of others to control my life. prolonged, pent-up emotions. If the emotions you experience are
 that I am free in my mind, body, and emotions. pleasant and desirable – joy, elation, ecstasy, delight – you usually
 that I am free to set goals and reach them. feel free to let them show. They are not suppressed.
 that I am a loving individual with the capacity to give love.
 that I am a child of God with all rights and privileges thereof. Causes and Effects of Stress
 that I will contribute to the welfare of others.
Just as there is great variety in the range of emotions you might
 that I will be an ambassador of goodwill to all I meet on the
experience, there are many possible manifestations of stress – in your
journey.
private life and in your working life.
 that I will be a good example for others to follow.
 that I will help all that I can to reach their goals. Here are some words that describe the emotions associated
 that I will speak words of encouragement to others.
 that I will find the goodness in life and focus on it. (as cause and effect) with stress.
 that I will not succumb to the negative influences of others.
 that I will read the information that will encourage my personal,  Anxiety
and spiritual growth.
 Pressure
 that I will commit to being the best I can be.
 Misery
These declarations are meant to encourage you to take control of the
influences in your life. They are suggestions as to what positive  Strain
things you can speak about your own life instead of accepting
whatever has been said about you in the past.  Desperation

BEING HAPPY  Tension

You may have defects, be anxious and sometimes live irritated, but  Anger
do not forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world.
 Panic
Only you can prevent it from going into decadence.
 Dejection
There are many that need you, admire you and love you. I would like
to remind you that being happy is not having a sky without storms, or
roads without accidents, or work without fatigue, or relationships
without disappointments. Prolonged stress can be devastating; burnout, breakdown, and
depression are some of the potential results of long-term, unmanaged
stress.