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600 Personal Development Exercises

do one a day - every day!

Why should I do a Selfie?

1/31/2021

 

SELFIE

Do Something Every Day
for yourself.

Do something to harvest
what you’ve learned.
Do something to capture
your learning in words.

Do something to share
your experience.
Do something to help
others you meet.

Before you get captured
by emails, social media,
and the demands of others.
Before the day
disappears,
into more of the same.

Before you run
out of energy,
and out of time.
Do Something Every Day
for yourself.

For how else will you
use the skills you’ve been given?
For how else will you
make things better for others?

For how else will you
leave your mark?
For how else will you
make the world a better place?

Do Something Every Day.
Put yourself first.
Do a selfie every day.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What will you do today to harvest and share your experience?

Day 313 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

Is 'Heads or Tails' the only choice?

1/30/2021

 

HEADS OR TAILS?

There is no success
and there is no failure.
There is only the outcome
that is here with us now.

There is no past
and there is no future.
There is only the process
that is here with us now.

There is no other
and there is no self.
There is only the one
that is here with us now.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What does success and failure mean to you?
2. What does your past and your future say to you?


Day 312 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What are you Sweeping?

1/29/2021

 

SWEEPING

It’s so challenging when the life
you imagined for yourself,
is not the one being played out
by you, in real time.

It’s so difficult when you see,
your plans can no longer happen,
and your stories of self,
are not what you dreamt of.

But there is no failure here.
It’s just the sweeping of the path.
It’s the uncovering
of your real self.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What sweeping is happening in your life?
2. What is your real self starting to look like?


Day 311 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is Personal Insight?

1/28/2021

 

INSIGHT 

​The most exciting part
of my day, is here.
​Right now.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. Why is this the most exciting part of your day? 

Day 310 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

Is there a Route Planner for life?

1/27/2021

 

ROUTE PLANNER
​
​Sometimes you see that
the road you’re on,
isn’t going where
you want to go.
 
You then have to decide
to keep going
in the wrong direction,
or to create your own path.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What road are you on?
2. Where exactly are you going?
3. Could you create a path that meets your needs? 


Day 309 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is the Life Card Shuffle?

1/26/2021

 

SHUFFLE

I have spent years
organising all of the cards
that I have been given.
just putting them into
the correct order.

And today it happened.
I threw them all
up into the air,
and watched as they fell
to the ground.

Some cards landed facedown
and others right side up.
Some were on their own
or had others beside,
on top, or beneath them.

I saw myself
and all that I am
laid out in a different way.
I lifted the cards and
slowly re-organised them.

The order of the cards
was no longer the same.
Some of them, I no longer needed
and others, I moved,
to the top of the pack.

All the same cards were
now ready to give me
different opportunities,
to play a different game and
to play in new ways.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What are your cards?
​2. How might you reorganise them to play in new ways?


Day 308 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is our place in the Human Race?

1/25/2021

 

​HUMAN RACE

The wheels of generations turn,
as older ones retreat,
and new little ones join in.
All is played out between us.

The baton of love passes,
gently and seamlessly.
Yet it never leaves the giver,
nor stays with the receiver.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What are you doing with the baton of love that has been entrusted to you? 

Day 307 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is Your Message for the World?

1/24/2021

 

CO-WORKERS

Imagine that God
is looking with your eyes,
for he is.
That is why you are here.
To be the eyes of God
in the world.
 
Imagine that God
is working with your hands,
for he is.
That is why you are here.
To create and build
a world of love.
 
Imagine that God
is speaking with your voice,
for he is.
That is why you are here.
To bring a message of love
to the world. 

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What are you seeing?
2. What are you building?
3. What is your message for the world? 


Day 306 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

How can we Collect our Thoughts?

1/23/2021

 

​COLLECTING MY THOUGHTS

It’s like trying
to capture snowflakes,
in the wind.
 
Different thoughts
arrive together,
and I grasp my pen.
 
I’ve missed one.
It’s melted
and gone.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What thoughts can you collect right now? 
2. What will you do with these?
 


Day 305 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is Lack of Ambition?

1/22/2021

 

LACK OF AMBITION

I don’t need anything
for I have you.
 
I don’t need to go anywhere
for I am here with you.
 
I don’t need to be something
for I am everything with you.
 
I don’t need to search
for I have found all with you.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What is your ambition? 
2. How do we view those with no ambition?


Day 304 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is an effective Personal Development Strategy?

1/21/2021

 

​PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Personal development is
not a valid concept.
It implies that we can
take ownership of ourselves,
grow in our own right, 
learn new skills and become happy.
 
Personal development is, in fact,
the opposite of what it says.
Our real potential for growth
lies with, and among all others,
and all that we encounter.
 
Personal development is about
how we contribute to the whole,
and not what we keep for ourselves.
For the whole, is greater
than the sum of the parts.
This is where our real value is.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What is your Personal Development strategy this year? 

Day 303 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

Why is a Journal so Important?

1/20/2021

 

​JOURNAL

A new notebook.
A new chapter.
A new beginning.
 
New thoughts.
New words.
New writing.
 
A fresh start.
A different path.
A day in my life.
 
An amazing journey.
An unfolding story.
An everlasting process.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. Get a Journal.
​2. Write in it every morning.


Day 302 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is Future Present?

1/19/2021

 

FUTURE PRESENT

Let’s make the future.
Now, here today.
Let’s not wait or expect
it to arrive sometime.
Let’s act now, as if,
the future is here.
 
Let’s do what we should.
Let's not allow excuses
or experience,
to stand in our way.
Let’s make the future.
Now, here today.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What does your future look like?
2. How can you make your future happen right now? 


Day 301 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

How can I make Monday Mornings magic?

1/18/2021

 

MONDAY MORNING

Monday morning
and time to set out
my focus and plan,
for this week.

Lots of stuff
as always,
to be done
in my daily routine.

But my stuff
is always there.
And all of us 
has stuff to do.
 
It’s what we think
that really matters.
What do we bring or
what’s our added value?

I can bring a positive spirit
I can bring encouragement
I can bring friendship
I can bring help.

I can also think 
about my journey 
and what all of
my stuff is about.

This is the real focus
for my week ahead.
Behind, within and above
all of the stuff.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What stuff have you to do this week?
2. What's your focus behind, within and above all of your stuff.


Day 300 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

Who should you have on your Team?

1/17/2021

 

FREELANCERS

Some people pray to the Saints
in heaven to intercede for them,
and to help them.

They believe that these holy people
have a good place in heaven.
They also have God’s ear.

The prayers are usually calls
for help with illness, or for situations
 that are causing stress or worry.
 
And the prayers are not only
for the person themselves,
but often for those they love.

But everyone who has died
is in heaven, and has God’s ear.
They are all waiting for you to ask for help.
 
So, reach out to those you know who have died,
Reach out to those who you don’t know,
and ask for their help, too.
 
For heaven is like a team of freelancers,
all working together to help us.
Heaven is packed with experience and wisdom.
 
You see, the energy and interests,
that we have in this life,
continue to grow and flourish, in the next.

So, what answers do you need?
What help are you asking for?
Who are you asking?

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1.
What Projects are you planning? 
2. Who is on your team of Freelancers?


Day 299 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

How can we create a successful Daily Routine?

1/16/2021

 

DAILY ROUTINE

During lockdown
one day can seem much
the same as the next day.
 
It may be helpful to create
mini projects and activities,
and not just daily to-do lists.
 
So plan a two day project.
Create a three day initiative.
Set up a five day activity.
 
In this way, we can move
not from day to day, but
from success to success.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What projects, initiatives and activities are you working on this week? 


Day 298 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is Strength of Character?

1/15/2021

 
 
STRENGTH OF CHARACTER


It is when we are at our weakest
that love is at its strongest within us.
 
It is when we are at our weakest
that we can allow love to grow within us.
 
It is when we are at our weakest
that we experience love most powerfully.
 
It is when we are at our weakest
that love rescues us.
 
It is when we are at our weakest
that we are at our strongest.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. When have you been at your weakest?
​2. What happened to change this?


Day 297 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What do Agnostics believe in?

1/14/2021

 

AGNOSTIC

We can promote love
without religion or belief.
 
We can love others
without religion or belief.
 
We can help others
without religion or belief.
 
We can serve others
without religion or belief.
 
We can give all we have to those in need
without religion or belief.
 
We can promote goodness
without religion or belief.
 
We can do what is right
without religion or belief.
 
We can give a voice to those who have no say
without religion or belief.
 
We can be truthful
without religion or belief.
 
We can stand up for those who are down
without religion or belief.
 
We can be kind and gentle
without religion or belief.
 
We can do all of this each day
without religion or belief.
 
We can become love
without religion or belief.
 
We can be as one
without religion or belief.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. How can we all be as one?


Day 296 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is the difference between Vocation and Mission?

1/13/2021

 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Jesus was a carpenter,
a joiner as we say.
This was his mission
and his message.

His vocation was
the same as ours.
To create and fix,
and join us all together.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. What is you vocation?
​2. How are you also a joiner? 


Day 295 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is a Spirit Merchant?

1/12/2021

 

SPIRIT MERCHANT

My Grandfather owned
a Pub in Ireland.
In his day, he was called
a Spirit Merchant.
 
When I helped behind the bar,
he told me how we
are all connected to love,
through a Spirit of kindness,
and a Spirit of joy.

Through a Spirit of friendship,
a Spirit of compassion,
a Spirit of caring,
a Spirit of humility, and
a Spirit of resilience.

Through a Spirit of helping,
a Spirit of humanity,
a Spirit of determination,
a Spirit of gentleness, and
a Spirit of gratitude.

He smiled as he told me,
that, in every moment,
in every day,
love is with each of us.
For we are all working
as Spirit Merchants.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. Can you see behind your role or job title to what you really are, and what you really do? 
2. What spirits do you serve as a Spirit Merchant? 


Day 294 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is the best Property Management Strategy?

1/11/2021

 

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

If the sea was grass
we could walk on water.
 
If the world lost its gravity
we could fly.
 
Nothing is impossible
If we change properties.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. ​
1. Describe the property that you would like to have.


Day 293 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is with you during your day?

1/10/2021

 
​
CANDLELIGHT


The first thing I do
in the morning,
when I come downstairs,
is to light a candle.

It sits beside me
on a little coffee table,
while I have
a cup of tea.

The candle is there,
alight all day,
as life goes on
around it.

And the last thing
I do before I go to bed,
is say thanks, and
blow out the candle.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE
1. What keeps you company throughout the day?
2. What is the last thing that you do before you go to bed?


Day 292 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is a modern Sitting Room?

1/9/2021

 

SITTING ROOM
​

I used to think of this time
just sitting quietly,
as taking a chunk out of my day
when I had so much to do.

Now I know that this time
just sitting quietly,
is the most important part of my day
and is all I need to do.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE
1. When are you going to sit quietly today?

Day 291 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

Are we like Soluble Aspirin?

1/8/2021

 

​SOLUBLE ASPIRIN

We don’t die.
There is in fact
no major transformation.
 
We continue onwards.
We dissolve like soluble aspirin
into our new world.
 
We still are who we are.
But now
everything is clear.
 
We are at last
one with all those
around us.
 
All suffering and pain
is gone.
We are ready for everything.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE
1. What are you getting ready for?

Day 290 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises

What is the Faith that we all share?

1/7/2021

 

​FAITH

We think of faith
as something we believe in,
when in reality,
faith is something
that believes in us.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE
1. What or who believes in you? 

Day 289 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
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