When did you first become interested in personal development?
I was 19 years old, and my old German teacher recommended a seminar that was held at The Queens Hotel in Leeds, UK. I passed by there last week.
Ms Novakovic was quite a character.
When she returned one of my German literature essays, she’d written in red capital letters down the side, “THIS IS ABSOLUTE CRAP, HELEN!”
She didn’t mince words.
One day, after I’d left high school and gone to university, I took the opportunity of being back in my hometown to visit her.
She was bubbling with enthusiasm about a recent seminar she’d attended. She insisted that it would be great for me too. So, I immediately signed up for the 2-day weekend experience.
I was so glad that I did because that really opened my eyes to a whole world of new possibilities and sparked my interest in personal growth.
Here are six lessons that I remember to this day:
- You can interpret what happens in your life in a positive or negative way – the choice is yours
- Many of our behaviors and thoughts are habitual and not necessarily helpful – when we have the courage to do something different, that leads to new experiences and possibilities
- It’s normal to have insecurities – and vulnerability is surprisingly powerful
- It’s difficult for many people to do what they say they’re going to do unless they’ve made a commitment to someone else
- Many people argue for their own limitations (when you say, “I can’t,” it usually means, “I won’t”)
- Even when a person tells you your work is “crap,” that doesn’t mean anything bad about you or them – that may actually be their way of showing that they care and want the best for you!
I also first heard a quote that really stuck with me.
For years, I had it printed out and stuck on my desk.
Now, I just disagree with one part… Can you guess which?
“This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no “brief candle” for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
– George Bernard Shaw
Links for you
This week, I was a repeat guest on multi-award-winning Transformations with Jayne Podcast, talking about Less Effort and More Impact.
Listen here
Watch on YouTube here