Between work and family obligations, your time may seem to be entirely spoken for. But what about the things you need for your own fulfillment? It is a mistake to neglect them. Taking that yoga class or a river rafting trip or whatever you have set your heart on will not only benefit you, it will help your life overall. Taking time to pursue personal development will lift your spirits. In doing so, it will improve your life overall, including your work and family relationships. So don’t hold back on pursuing your goals, saying “I just don’t have time.” The people close to you will help you find time, and will be as pleased as you are with your achievements.
It is too easy for our lives to become humdrum. When we fall into a dull routine, we lose enthusiasm. Then we have less to offer others. Encourage others in their dreams, too. Supporting one another will help both of you to refuse to settle for a dull life. There are so many adventures out there, opportunities to learn and to grow through new experiences. If you do not reach out for them, you are missing part of life.
This comes down to fitting personal development into your already busy schedule. Look first for opportunities close by and easily accessible. A local adult education program may offer a wide variety of classes, with low fees. Taking that class in ceramics which you have always wanted to try will certainly be available. If you love it and have a talent for it, you can proceed to take further steps in development. At the very least, you will meet new people and make new connections. You will find yourself more alert in your daily life and more hopeful about the future.
Inertia is the problem. It is easier to stay in the same routine. Breaking that routine always seems risky. But once you do it, you will reap the benefits. Your new hobby or intellectual pursuit may even help your career.
Don’t forget to include physical fitness in your plans. A healthy body is your passport to new adventures. Fitness may become your goal in itself. Classes in yoga or tai chi can lead to a serious path of achieving expertise in these ancient disciplines.
So, take the risk and break out of the same old routine. Adding snowboarding or softball or chess or bridge or any other activity you love will bring zest to your life. The world around you will seem to brighten. You may open the door to friends or family, enabling them also to learn and enjoy this new activity. It may forge a new bond between you. Instead of feeling guilty about taking time away from them, invite others to join you and break out of their own dull routine.
If the personal development you pursue is in something you truly love, and you have ability in it, it is sure to pay off handsomely in your enjoyment of life.