600 Personal Development Exercises
do one a day - every day!
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THE HELPING MODEL We can shift our thinking about helping others, and move from a ‘selective’ or ‘ad-hoc’ or ‘reactive’ approach, to making it our ‘normal way of being’ with everyone. This is when we are applying the helping model. When we help someone we gain experience. We have a case study. We learn something new. We produce something together. We get feedback. We build a relationship. We get ideas. We grow together. We feel better. We make a contribution. We become more. When we apply the helping model, we free ourselves to look outwards. We become proactive. We become problem solvers. We generate ideas. We enable change to happen. We not only fast track our own growth and success, but change countless lives along the way. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. How can the Helping Model free you to become more? Day 403 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
FRIENDSHIP We don’t try to sell stuff to our friends. We help them, without asking for money. We don’t try to make money from our friends. We share what we have, for free. Friendship is a mindset, with activities that offer and share all that we have, for the benefit of others. Friendship is that joyful space of playing together and growing with others, where money is not the driver. For friendship is a gift where, we quietly receive more than we could ever imagine, for free. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Where is 'money the driver' in your relationships with others? 2. Do you look to build friendships first or to sell stuff first? Day 391 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
FUEL GUAGE They don’t tell you that every day is not the same. That we have good days, and not so good days. We are meant to work at full performance all the time, but life isn’t like that. They don’t tell you that there will be good times, and bad times. All times are not the same. We are meant to be at our best all the time, but life isn’t like that There are peaks and troughs, ups and downs, times when we work on full power, and times when our tank is nearly empty. So, remember, when you meet with others, that one of you might be low on fuel. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What does your fuel gauge say at the moment? Are you looking after yourself? 2. What about others? Do you know anyone who needs some fuel? How can you help them? Day 360 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
KINDLING We all depend on positive feedback, confirmation that we are doing well, being told that we are making great progress, and that we are loved. We all thrive when others show interest, say 'thank you', tell us (and others), that we are amazing, and, when they encourage us onwards. These inputs from others create new energy within us, for each comment and smile is like kindling for the fire, burning within each of us. Kindling comes from the word kind, and means to initiate and build kindness, in every thought, in every word, in every moment and with every person. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What kindling have you created and shared today? 2. Who is giving you kindling that is sustaining you? 3. What piece of kindling could you initiate and share right now? Day 336 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
KINDNESS Personal development is not about me alone. For my personal development is dependent upon many others, especially those who I interact with for food, work, safety, security, energy, health, friendship and love. Personal development is therefore about all of us. It’s about us working together and looking after each other, in ways that enable us all to live happily, and to grow, together. Personal development is about us reaching out and giving to others, so that we can all be safe and well. And yet, in our world we see so many living and dying in shocking conditions. We have been taught to strive for more, put ourselves first and hold onto everything. But in our interconnected world, this approach only serves to make life less secure for ourselves, for our children and for others. Kindness is much more than a nice thing to do. It is our emotional, rational and practical selves acting through initiatives, responses and actions to uncover who we are and see what we can become. Kindness is uncompromising and demanding. It causes us to make choices. It takes us out of our comfort zone. It makes us look at the needs of others. It enables us to understand who we really are. Kindness is the heart of personal development. It's time to put kindness on our curriculum. It's time for kindness policies to drive our workplaces, schools, universities and governments. And it's time for us to build a collaboration of kindness in our world, in our community, in our family and in our day. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. Where is kindness in your life and in your workplace? 2. How can you personally, become part of the collaboration of kindness in the world? Day 319 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
MANKIND Karma tells us that everything we do has a positive or negative reaction. All we do determines our fate in this life, and what we become in our next life. In every moment we can spread love and kindness, or not. In every moment we can become love and kindness, or not. It is the core law of humanity, building kindness and becoming love. It’s how we are meant to think and act in every single moment. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What will you become in this life and in your next life? Day 278 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
FLIGHT ATTENDANT You can throw that old unused loaf of bread in the bin, to rot, or take the slices and scatter them on the grass for the birds. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. How are you connecting to and looking after the natural world we live in? Day 234 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
FLYING INSTRUCTOR Don’t be downhearted. Don’t lose hope. Don’t give up. You’re doing good. You’re amazing. You’re a star. I know you don’t feel like this now. I know you’re weary. I know you’re nearly spent. But I will lift you. I will help you run. I will help you fly. That’s why I am here. We go together, forever and ever. So trust in me. Let it all be. Let us fly together. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. What is it that you must not give up on? 2. Who is your flying instructor? Day 221 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
GARDEN HOSE The garden hose lies there like a dark green snake on the grass. It can take water to areas needing refreshment and to the plants that are struggling. We too can go where we are needed. We can bring all we have to areas needing refreshment and to those who are struggling. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Who do we know that may be struggling? 2. What refreshment can we bring? 3. How do we turn our tap on full? Day 114 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
REMOTE CONTROL I met someone today who is really struggling. She is carrying so much more than I could ever imagine. She spoke so little and I have no idea of what she is trying to cope with at home. The success of others around her instead of encouraging her, only seems to magnify her pain. I do not know how to respond to the dullness in her eyes. Words do not seem to help for they only emphasise the chasm between us and where she is stranded. All I can do is to try and be there and to ask love to sort it out, please. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Who do you know that is struggling? 2. What can you do to help? Day 104 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
INVESTMENT STRATEGY When we speak of investment we think of the financial return on our money. But this is not investment, this is just making more money – or trying to. If we really want a return on our resources then we should invest in the skills, experience knowledge and shared passions of all the people that we know and those we don’t know. And we don’t do this for financial gain. We do it because we have money and because we can help them to become what they should be. This is real investment, helping people to be all they can be and in turn enabling us to be who we should be. When we die we will have no money. We can’t take it with us. So, plan to invest all you can and watch the fruits grow while you’re still here. Create ripples of goodness. Plant seeds of hope. Invest in all that is positive and kind. Make your mark on all those you meet. Invest your time helping others. Go way beyond duty or expectation. Surprise others with your commitment, your energy, your enthusiasm and your spirit. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Who is your investment strategy focussed on? 2. What is the return on your resources? Day 74 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
BLOCKCHAIN With blocks of information being passed digitally from person to person we can track every financial transaction in the chain. We can always go right back to the source, the first block in the chain. Likewise, every time we reach out to help someone we begin to build a chain from person to person, that spreads forever. We create blockchains of kindness. We are the source, the first block in the chain. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Think of one person you could help today. As a result of your input what might they do, or do better? 2. Each of us encounters hundreds of Blockchain kindness opportunities (BKO) every day. Some are as simple as saying thank-you, sending a text or offering some advice. Starting from now, list the next ten BKOs you see today. Day 43 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
INSTANT LOANS Lend your love today to someone far away in another country who is struggling with no basic resources, or help for their family and who can see no future. Connect with them now for just one minute. Reach out to them at a personal level as their father or mother, as their son or daughter, in our family of one. Think of them now. For this will become the greatest thing that you ever do. Changing everything in an instant. Lend your love today. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. In this one minute you can connect beyond all geography and technology to be with someone who desperately needs help. Sit quietly and be one with them. Day 41 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
POLICY REVIEW Life is hard for many people. We lose those we love. We suffer personal disappointments and setbacks. We struggle to pay for the things we need. We worry about those close to us. Most of this people carry to work. Where little is said. Kindness is the foundation of wellbeing. It's a gentle way of being. It’s helping when you can without being asked. It's checking quietly if all is okay. It’s time to write our Kindness Policy. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Draft a Kindness Policy for your workplace, group or family. 2. What is the purpose of the Policy? 3. How will it work? 4. What should it achieve? Day 8 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
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