Personal Development is one of the areas of self-care in the Circle of Health. It involves all the things a person can do to learn and grow. Examples of Personal Development topics that can be incorporated into Integrative Health Plans (PHPs) include building hope and optimism, finding balance in life, trying new creative pursuits and skills, volunteering, practicing gratitude, building social capital, lifelong learning, improving financial health, and building humor. Cultivating resilience is fundamentally important to personal development as well.

Key Points

  • Personal development has many facets. Work with each individual to decide where they would like to focus first. Be sure to tie their choices in with their values and what really matters to them.
  • Various aspects of personal development are beneficial to health. For example, quality of work life contributes to better health, as does volunteering. Resilience counteracts burnout and is protective in many other ways. People who are more hopeful and optimistic live longer. Employment and financial health are important determinants of well-being too.
  • This overview discusses 16 potential personal development topics. Keep asking yourself about how each of them could be incorporated into a PHP, when appropriate.

Please see the downloads section for more detailed clinician and patient information.

Disclaimer: This information is for general education. Please work with your health care practitioner to use it in the best way possible to promote your health.

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